Revlon Colour Stay Foundation Review

I know for me personally, foundation is a product I have to use on a daily basis. I haven't got perfect skin (blemishes and discolouration) so I feel I need a good foundation which is lightweight and stays put! 

I had read a lot of good things about this foundation before I tried it so I thought I'd give it a whirl, I have not looked back since!

Shade 150 Buff

Revlon's website claims that it is lightweight so you will feel like your not wearing makeup. I do slightly disagree with this statement as I do feel like its a heavy foundation which is full coverage, so it doesn't feel lightweight (from my experience-everybody's skin is different and it depends how much you use). Having said this, it's not cakey at all and does stay put all day. 

I use the oily/combination formula as I do have quite oily skin and I do believe this foundation makes a big improvement to how shiny my face is with other foundations. I mean lets be real, I don't think any foundation will make my face completely shine free, but with a little powder I'm good to go!

The only downside is not with the foundation, but rather the packaging. If you're reading Revlon, it needs a pump! Trying to get the product out is messy and I just can't understand why they haven't put a pump on. I have read many reviews of this product and most of them complain about the lack of a pump, so please if you would listen to your consumers.

I have been using this foundation for 10 months, it does not break me out and a bottle lasts me for about 2 months. For £12.49 (Boots) I think this is a bargain for what it does for your skin.

So to sum up...

Pros:

• Good coverage
• Isn't cakey
• Stays put and helps with shine control
• For how long the bottle lasts it's a good price
• The smell isn't unpleasant 

Cons:

• NO PUMP

Thanks for reading!

Favourite Autumn/Winter Lipsticks

As I mentioned in my very first post, the Autumn season is the perfect time to wear berry coloured lips. And I have well and truly been taking advantage of that! I love these colours and don't feel like I can wear them all year round, so I will wear them all through Autumn/Winter instead!

These 5 lip products are my personal favourites that I have been using the past month:

L-R Barry M, Revlon, Mac, Maxfactor, Mac

L-R:

• Barry M (160) - Deep purple colour
• Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (005 Crush) - Berry colour
• Mac Cremesheen (Hot Gossip) - Dusty Pink colour. NB This was a Christmas Limited Edition so may not be in the same packaging
• Maxfactor (685 Mulberry) - Berry colour with gold flecks
• Mac Lip Pencil (Beet) - Dark Pink/Berry colour

These are just my picks (as you may have noticed, I do like the deep purple/berry colour!).

Thanks for reading!

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser Review

I have used this cleanser morning and night for the past 5 months

First Impressions:

When I first used this, it was slightly strange not to wet my face before washing it. It felt almost like I was moisturising my face before cleaning it (so this took some time to get used to). However, when I overcame this, I found taking my makeup off was a little less of a chore for 2 reasons. 1) I like that I can rub it all over my face (even eyes) and unlike other cleansers, it removes mascara and 2) I don't need to be splashing my face with water and searching for the towel with my eyes closed! 

How to use:

It's simple and really doesn't need explaining, but for anyone who hasn't tried it yet, I will. I apply 1-2 pumps to my face, massaging it all over my eyes, face and neck. Wet the muslin cloth and rub off the cleanser with the cloth in circular motions. That's it!

What do I think?

To put it simply, I love it! Liz Earle's website claims that it "removes all traces of daily grime and make up, while gently lifting away dead skin cells to reveal radiant skin" - they're not lying. I don't particularly suffer with acne, so cannot say if it would "cure" acne, but as far as making my skin look radiant, it does the job perfectly! The only con is washing the cloths every 3 uses. Not too much of a big deal, but when you're standing at 9pm with cleanser all over your face and nothing to wash it off with, then yes it is a face/palm moment (and yes I have done it).

Ingredients

It does contain natural ingredients (Beeswax, Eucalyptus essential oil, Cocoa butter, Rosemary Oil, Chamomile essential oil). However, for 'all-natural ingredients' lovers not all the ingredients are natural. For example, Dehydroacetic acid (which I can't even pronounce).

But, if you can get past the ingredients and having to wash the cloths every now and again, then this truly is a great cleanser and one I will be repurchasing for many years to come!

Thanks for reading!

Multi-purpose Miracle Oil?

This is just a quick review on a product I use on a daily basis...Coconut Oil (you would be surprised how much you can use it for!). I bought mine in a local health food shop, but you can buy it in Holland & Barrett or online. Below I have listed what I use it for, but there many more if you do some research.

Coconut Oil from local health food shop (As you can see I use mine alot!)

I use mine for...

• Removing eye makeup.
• Deep conditioning hair treatment - I rub some on the ends of my hair and leave for 20 minutes before washing off.
• Cooking - It's a good alternative to other oils on the market.
• Face scrub - I mix some with sugar to get a natural, homemade exfoliant!
• For tattoos - Rubbing some on a dull tattoo will bring the colour back to life. 
• Dry skin - Coconut oil is a great heavy duty moisturiser and is a cheap alternative to high end creams.
• Waxing - After I wax, this stuff really gets rid of the residue. No more sticky legs!
• Lip balm - Doesn't taste great but does the job.
• To nourish cuticles.
• As a massage oil for tired achy muscles.

These are my personal uses but find more at 122 uses for coconut oil

All I have to say is go and get hold of some, the uses are endless!

Thanks for reading!

5 Most Worn Items Over Summer

Ok so I know it's sad Summer is coming to an end, but I thought I would take this opportunity to reflect back on what I have mostly been wearing over summer. These are some key items that have been essentials for me, especially pieces which I can switch up into a warmer outfits for those chilly summer days.

L-R Coral Blazer H&M, Floral Top H&M, White Tshirt Dorothy Perkins, Cardigan H&M, Denim Shorts Charity Shop

Coral Blazer

I have loved this blazer over summer, the 3/4 lengths sleeves and the bright coral colour brightened up any outfit and it is very comfortable and easy to wear. I was feeling a bit blue this summer as here in the UK the sun has been sparse, so this put me in a good mood whenever I wore it. 

Floral Top

I mostly wore this top with my coral blazer as they accompanied eachother really well. This top I found, could be dressed up with jeans and heels for the night and dressed down for the daytime with shorts and sandals. I love the floral pattern and the material is very light and breathable, so this gets a big thumbs up from me!

White Tshirts

I think a white tshirt is a must have for any wardrobe as they can be worn through all seasons with any outfit. Mine is an inexpensive one from Dorothy Perkins, I've had it since last year and wore it all last Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring!

Cardigan

Having a cardigan if you live in the UK is a must, as the weather is not reliable and can change from 'cracking the flags' to torrential rain before you can say "where's my umbrella?". I found this cardigan in the sale in H&M towards the end of Summer, but I will be wearing it through Autumn too so it will not be going to waste. It's a peach colour with a lovely knitted pattern, it's really warm and has an owl badge on it (so how could I not buy it?).

Denim Shorts

These denim shorts were actually high waisted jeans that I found in my local charity shop for about £3, I cut the legs off and hey presto! The great thing about these is that I can wear them all through Autumn and Winter too if I wear them with tights and boots. I love these and because they're so versatile of course they're in my top 5.

I hope you've enjoyed my top 5 items i've been wearing over summer. The year goes by so quickly and before I know it I'll be getting my sandals and beach bag back out! But if you do feel blue about Autumn/Winter read my blog 'How to get in the Autumn mood'. 

Thanks for reading!

Skincare Routine: Day & Night

My skincare routine isn't anything special, but I do have a few staple products which I could not do without. I have included my products I use (tried and tested!) that I really do feel benefit my skin type. NB I have oily/combination skin.

Morning Routine

L-R Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, Avene SPF 50 Emulsion, Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm 

For the morning I like my routine to be quick and simple, especially if I’m in a hurry. First I use my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish along with a muslin cloth (I will be doing a review on this soon, so look out for that). I then use a sunblock, I know it might sound tedious but the skin is delicate and to avoid any premature wrinkles or new wrinkles from appearing, it needs to be protected (even if it is a cloudy day). I finish off with some lip balm so lipstick applies easily when I come to do my makeup. Simple, quick and easy!

Night Routine

L-R Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, Anica Gel, Steam Cream, Avon Anew Eye Cream, Smith's Minted Rose Lip Balm

However, my night routine is a takes a little longer, but I when I go to bed it’s nice to know your skin is completely clean and moisturised. I begin with my Liz Earle once again, I love this cleanser as it removes mascara and face makeup all in one go. Then I use arnica gel (you can probably find this in health shops or online), arnica is known for its healing anti-bacterial properties, and I find it really does help with any spots or pimples. Then I apply an eye cream, mine is just an inexpensive one, and apply it with your ring finger as this is the finger you apply the least amount of pressure with. Then for moisturizer, I use Steam Cream (available in John Lewis), Steam Cream is fused together with a shot of steam for long lasting hydration (apparently). Whether this is true or not I would repurchase this just for the smell, a lavender kind of smell that is just beautiful. Then I just finish with some more lip balm to hydrate my lips while I sleep.

If I want an extra bit of luxury before I go to bed I will use a face mask, I love the Lush facemasks as they’re made from fresh natural ingredients. I will use them after cleansing and before my moisturizer.

Lush face mask 'Brazened Honey'

Thanks for reading and I hope you found some tips from my everyday skincare routine.

Michelle xx :)

How to get in the Autumn mood...

Autumn is the perfect opportunity to try darker colours such as plum and berry coloured lipsticks (or glosses, if you’re not a fan of lipstick). These colours look great in the Autumn and Winter months and frankly I would wear them all year round! There is also a great selection of lipstains to choose from in these dark, sultry colours, just in case you’re not a fan of having to reapply throughout the day.

Brown smokey eyes is another trend I look forward to sporting in the Autumn. I think they accompany the berry lips perfectly and you can choose a lighter shade of brown if you are slightly weary of dark shades. Brown is a great alternative to the black smokey eye, and is less likely to end up looking like you’ve been punched in the face.

We all know the hassle of having to primp and preen to make sure we look stunning in the Summer months, so if there’s one good thing about putting our pins away, is that we do not need to use that razor (as much).

Last but be no means least, I love to wear my big chunky jumpers in the autumn, even if you have been wearing them all summer too (if you live in the UK you’ll know what I mean). But Autumn is the right time of year to wear them, so I feel much better about throwing on my ‘pj like’ jumpers to wear during the day.

I hope you look forward to the autumn/winter just as much as I do, as there is something about these cozy dark nights with your loved ones that I enjoy, just that bit more than summer.