First Impressions #1: Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

I have bought a few new beauty bits over the last couple of months and I thought I would share my 'first impression' of each product. However, instead of doing a haul blog post that I have previously done before, I thought it would be a good idea to do one separate blog post for each product, showing you photos of each product and my honest opinion of each one. In this way, it might help some of you who have wanted to try out these products or want an honest opinion before buying it for yourself.

I always find 'first impression' videos and blog posts really helpful, as it allows me to hear other people's thoughts on these products and whether they are worth spending my precious pennies on.

Before I begin talking about the product, I will say that all opinions are my own and it is my honest opinion. Some products I may like and others I might not, so before making your own decision maybe look at other reviews before forming your overall opinion. As always, feel free to leave your own opinion below on each product and let me know of any other similar products that you love using as I am always looking for new products to try out and test.

                          

So, I recently bought the Rimmel Stay Matte Primer from Boots. I had heard a lot about primers and how they keep your make-up lasting all day and night, without needing to touch up in places. I know there are the more expensive primers from Benefit that a lot of people love, however that product was out of my price range, so I opted for a primer from the drugstore instead. I have never owned a primer before so I can't judge this primer against a previous one unfortunately. Also, I haven't heard anybody talk about this primer before either so I didn't have a opinion to follow. 

Packaging: The packaging is okay. It doesn't stand out to me or look expensive. It is a very simple design and doesn't have any other colours, apart from purple. If I'm honest, I don't really like the packaging. It doesn't look engaging or stand out on the shelf and if anything, looks a little bit cheap. 

Description: The description at the back of the tube states: 'Skin-perfecting primer can be worn alone, under makeup or on top to create a perfect matte complexion. Controls shine for up to 8 hours. Ultra lightweight formula minimises the appearance of pores.' The primer is not skin-perfecting for a start. It doesn't perfect my skin in any way. I still have the appearance of spots, blemishes and scars and doesn't perfect anything. My skin looks the same with or without the product on. 

Next, I have only tried this primer under makeup so I can only judge it on that. I feel like you shouldn't put primer on top of makeup as I would worry that it would move the makeup when applying it and make it feel heavy on the skin. I also haven't tried it on its own and I don't think I would ever do that either. As I have previously said, it doesn't do anything if I left it on its own and no one would be able to tell if I had primer on or not. 

The primer does not create a 'perfect matte complexion' either, instead it leaves my skin with a glow, which I don't have a problem with but it doesn't show up as 'matte' on my skin. 

The primer does control shine for a while. I haven't tried it for 8 hours but it is good at keeping my makeup on for a long time and also at controlling the shine on my face. 

I find the product quite thick and therefore you only need to apply a small amount to your face. As the description says, it does feel lightweight on the skin which I am very happy about. However, the primer does not minimise the appearance of any pores. 

Consistency: As shown in the picture above, the product comes out white, almost like a cream. It is very thick so you only need to apply a little bit to your face, otherwise it can become heavy on your skin.

Price (reasonable or overpriced): £5.99. I would say it is a little overpriced for this product as you only get a small tube, however you only need a little bit of product so it would last you a long time.

Would I recommend it to a friend?: Probably not, although this product does have some highlights, it has a lot of flaws. It does manage to keep my makeup on but apart from that, it doesn't do much else.

Would I repurchase it?: No, I will be looking for a different primer in the future. But, for now, I will keep using up this product as I don't want to waste it.

Verdict: 2/5

Hope you enjoyed this blog post. It is a little bit different from my usual fashion and style posts. I hope some of you found this post helpful and let me know in the comments of your favourite primers to use.

*All opinions are my own and all photos are taken by me. 

Get The Look: Alexa Chung

I have been trying to get these blog post up for so long now and I have been putting it off for so long. I love doing these type of blog posts, as I love taking inspiration from celebrities and trying to find a similar outfit on the high street for half the price. However, these posts do take a long time to produce and create, so sorry about that. The blog post is dedicated to the gorgeous Alexa Chung. I love Alexa's laid back style, but she still manages to look as if she has taken a long time to put together her outfit.

I was meant to put together 3 different looks on Alexa's style, but I haven't published a blog post in so long and I thought that you guys had been waiting long enough, so I only have the two.

Look 1

Black Curved Hem 3/4 Sleeve Blazer - £24.99 - New Look (Also in Cream and Shell Pink)
White Smart Cotton Shirt - £25 - River Island
Silence + Noise North Convertible Clutch Bag in Black - £32 - Urban Outfitters
MOTO Vintage Mom Shorts - £28 - Topshop

Alexa's first looks like it should not work, however, in a odd way she pulls it off. Alexa dresses the look up with a smart white blouse (a must have in any wardrobe) with a black staple blazer. However, she makes the look more casual with some distressed denim shorts and black tights. For accessories, she adds a black shoulder bag and a polka dot tie for a pop of colour. I love this look as it shows you that you don't have to keep your shorts for the summer but can wear them all year round. I found a similar look on the high street for you. My favourite items I found were the high-waisted shorts from Topshop which resemble mom jeans, but in shorts. I also love the bag from Urban Outfitters as it is a stable and would go with so many outfits, which can be worn smart or casual.

Look 2

White Oversized Dip Hem Longline Shirt - £14.99 - New Look (Also in Black)
Flippy Panel Skirt - £25 - Topshop
Silence + Noise North Convertible Clutch Bag in Black - £32 - Urban Outfitters
Black Pointed Platform Ankle Strap Heels - £27.99 - New Look (Also in Pale Blue and Blue Pattern)

Alexa's second look is much more smart than the first. Again, Alexa wears a white blouse with a gold-studded collar to add some dimension to the outfit. A black velvet skirt makes this look appear quite preppy. The bag, as shown before, is paired with some high heels to make the look more smart.

Hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know if you enjoy these type of posts and I will try and get into a schedule in writing more blog posts and quicker.

Updated Make-Up Bag Additions!

In a few of my previous blog posts, I have shown you guys what I had recently bought, make-up wise. I really enjoyed writing my thoughts and opinions on these products and as I haven't done one of these posts in a while, I thought now would be a good time, since I have bought quite a few bits over the last couple of months.

As I was quite late to the make-up scene, I haven't got tons and tons of make-up and most of these products I am about to show you are my own opinions and have been tried and tested. I had heard about some of these products from other bloggers and YouTubers and wanted to give them a try myself.

My make-up bag is from John Lewis. It is from the brand Catseye but it is not on the John Lewis website, so I could not provide a link and I'm not sure of the price either. I got it for my 17th birthday and I absolutely love it. It is really big and is supposed to be used as a wash bag for travelling, but I prefer to use it as a make-up bag. I really love the size as it enables me to see my make-up and means I don't have to rummage around looking for something. The picture on the front is a retro, vintage inspired picture of some women in old-style swimsuits and I love how cool it looks. I love this bag and it is perfect to store my make-up.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 Ivory

An essential to any make-up bag is a foundation. This foundation has been repurchased for the second time illustrating that I love this foundation. First up, I adore the packaging. The glass bottle and vibrant orange lid makes it stand out in my make-up bag, making it easy to find, but also creates the impression of it being quite expensive, even though it is a drug-store product. I use the shade Ivory and the foundation is really easy to work into the skin and leaves it with colour and brightens up your entire face. The foundation has some glitter in it, which you cannot notice in the bottle or on the face but up-close you would be able to see it. This makes your skin look really nice and flawless. Another thing about this foundation I love is the fact it has a pump to distribute the product. This makes it easy to apply and means that you won't be putting too much product on your hand to use.                                          

Revlon Lash Potion Waterproof Mascara in 221 Blackest Black

My next item is a new purchase, I had never tried this product before or heard anyone talk about it before either. I saw this mascara on the Superdrug website for half-price and decided to order it. The packaging is quite cool with bright colours and a pretty pattern on the tube. This mascara is okay but I don't think I would repurchase it again. I found it quite messy to apply and the applicator was too big for my eyes. Once applied, the formula was clumpy and didn't have very good separation but was good on volume. I went for the waterproof mascara as I don't own one and I am pleased with this choice as it doesn't leave any smudging under the eyes, unlike some of my other mascaras. I will continue to use this mascara until it finishes, but I don't think a repurchase is in the cards.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in 004 Sandstorm

Another classic make-up idea is a powder. I have the very popular and much-loved Stay Matte powder. I absolutely love this product and for anyone who has started to use make-up, I would highly recommend getting this product. It makes your make-up last all day and gets rid of any shiny bits, leaving a very 'matte' finish to your skin. I got the powder in 004 Sandstorm which is a bit too dark for my skin, but I do like it as it gives my face a slight bronze tone and adds a bit of colour without looking too much.

Collection Illuminating Touch Brightening Concealer in Natural 2

Another new purchase I bought online from Superdrug was this brightening concealer. I really liked how the applicator was a brush and you have to twist the bottom to get concealer out. This means you are not wasting any product and it makes it easier to apply to the face. This concealer adds a bit of highlight to your face and brings out your features more.

Rimmel Colour Rush Colour Balm in 700 Not An Illusion

I think I have spoken about this product before. I love these Colour Rush lip products by Rimmel as they are shaped like a massive crayon and are so easy to use and apply to the lips. The colour I have is a dark browny-red colour and really suits my skin tone. These lip products are super moisturising but also have a matte effect once dried. They last quite a long time but will probably need topping up every so often.

Barry M Showgirl Extra Lengthening Black Mascara 

I love this mascara from Barry M. Firstly, this mascara is so affordable for those of you that want a good lengthening mascara from the drugstore, get this one for only £2.99. It gives your lashes a great length and makes your eyes look so much bigger. Barry M have 2 mascaras, I have the 'lengthening' mascara but they also have a 'volume' mascara which I have yet to try out. This mascara is so easy to apply and is great for school as it gives a really natural look to your lashes.

Soap and Glory Supercat Extreme Eyeliner Pen in Carbon Black

Another new purchase is some black eyeliner. I have never owned eyeliner before, so this was completely new for me. I knew that I wanted to try some eyeliner out and experiment to see if it suit me or not. I decided to choose a pen eyeliner with a skinny tip to make it easier for myself, as I am a beginner in eyeliner. After multiple attempts, I think I am starting to get the hang of it now, however I don't think I suit cat-eye liner as it makes my eyes look really small, but with a small line across the lash line, it brings out my eyes a lot more. It is so hard to get the hang of, but after trying and failing, I have got my technique down and now it starts to look pretty good. If you have any tips on eyeliner, leave your advice in the comments, I would love to know how you apply eyeliner.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer in Classic Beige

I have heard so many good reviews about the Rimmel Wake Me Up and I have got to agree with them. This concealer is so good for under-eye circles as it brightens your under eyes and makes you seem more awake. This product is really easy to apply and has a creamy, thick consistency which is perfect for covering up dark circles.

Tanya Burr Lipgloss in Aurora

I didn't purchase the Tanya Burr products as these were a Christmas present from my cousin. I had always wanted to buy some of Tanya's products to try out as I had heard great things about them. The lipgloss I got was Aurora and is a summery pink colour. The consistency of the product is quite thick, so I wouldn't add loads of product as it can make your lips feel a bit clumpy and horrible. However, I apply the lipgloss with a few tabs in the middle and then lightly blend with my finger across my lips. This gives your lips a bit of colour and gloss, but doesn't make it too over-the-top.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Cool Medium 2

Another concealer! Another product I have heard so many good reviews about. The Collection Lasting Perfection concealer is ideal for blemishes, scars and spots that you want to cover up. I personally would not apply this under the eyes but you could if you wanted. This creamy texture counteracts redness and doesn't draw any attention to your blemishes. This has to be one of my favourite products I have bought so far.

Tanya Burr Nail Polish in New York Night

The last product in my make-up bag is a Tanya Burr nail polish in New York Night. Again, this was a present and I absolutely love this colour. I currently have it on my nails and the consistency is so thick that you could easily apply one coat if you wanted and not bother applying a second. This colour is supposed to be dark purple but once applied on the nails it comes up black, which I don't mind but just thought I would give a heads up. 

So, that's everything in my make-up bag currently. Let me know what your favourite make-up item is in the comments.                                

2 New Additions To The Nail Varnish Family

Not too long ago, I purchased two new nail varnishes from my local Boots store. As a nail varnish addict, I didn't really need any more polishes as I have one in every colour but I was tired and bored of them all so I decided to get two new colours.

Choosing a nail varnish is always a difficult task as you want to get colours and shades that you don't already own but you also want something a little bit different at the same time. As we are currently in Winter, I knew I want to get some darker colours and burgundy and red nails are my go-to colours so I knew what I was looking for as I went on the hunt.

I always pick Barry M nail polishes as they are my favourite, and in my own opinion, the best!

In the end I opted for these two colours...

Red Wine - Barry M

www.superdrug.com

Red Wine by Barry M is quite a bright red colour, which is quite surprisingly as it looks quite dark in the bottle. I was a little disappointed in this colour as I thought it would be darker and it was similar to another Barry M colour I already had but I will still use it anyhow. I went quite safe and picked the normal Nail Paint instead of going for a nail polish that is magnetic or glittery or cracks, as I just wanted a staple, simple block colour. 

Side Note: These are NOT my nails 

imaginationincolour.co.uk

The second colour I picked was...

Raspberry - Barry M 

www.superdrug.com

Side Note: These are NOT my nails www.bebeautiful-beautyblog.com

I absolutely love this colour. It is a pinky toned red colour and it is definitely more red than pick. It is a dark red which I love and I am currently obsessed with this colour. When choosing the nail varnishes, I was torn between both of these colours and in the end, I opted for both. Another thing I love doing when choosing new nail varnishes is looking at what they are called, as I am kinda obsessed with names of products as a cute name or unique name of a nail varnish, makes it 10x better.

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Sorry it has taken me so long to post but I have been super busy with Christmas and New Year that I haven't had time to blog, but I will try and dedicate more time to my writing.

Let me know in the comments what posts you would to see from me in 2015.

October Favourites

I know this blog post is long overdue and I know we are now officially in November (where has this year gone?), but I still needed to share with you my October Favourites!

As always, I will be sharing my favourites of last month and it will be split up into different sections, so there is something for everybody.

1) HairSource:www.feelunique.com
The first section is hair. Recently, I have been having some serious troubles with my hair. It had become really dry and knotty, and I used to have to leave about 1 day before I would have to re-wash my hair as it was so dry. Therefore, I decided I needed to change up the products I was using. Previously, I had used the Aussie Shampoo and Conditioner set, and it was amazing for my hair, so I decided to repurchase it. As there was a offer on with 3 products for £10, I decided on the Aussie Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-In Conditioner. Since buying these products and using them on my hair, I have noticed a massive difference in the feeling and texture the products have done to my hair. The Shampoo and Conditioner are very thick, which means you don't have to use a lot of the product on your hand, which makes them last a long time. All the products smell amazing and have reduced the amount of time I need until I choose to re-wash my hair. The dryness of my hair has gone and it is less knotty. I love the Leave-In Conditioner as well as you can decide to use it on both dry or wet hair. Plus, each of the Aussie products specialise in a particular hair treatment, so if you have weak, distressed hair or dry hair like mine, then there is a product suited to your hair needs.

2) Beauty


I have picked up three more beauty products last month which I am currently loving and I have in-cooperated in my daily make-up routine. These products are great for people who are just starting out in make-up like myself, but also are affordable as well. They are all Rimmel products, as I am personally loving Rimmel at the moment. The first beauty product is the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99. I did not own a powder before but I really wanted to get one. I have heard of the Stay Matte powder from Youtubers and the reviews they gave were positive, so I decided to try it out for myself. I would recommend this to anybody. It keeps all your foundation and concealer in place for the entire day. It is a very natural product and is light-weight. The second beauty product I got last month was the Rimmel London Wake Me Up Concealer - £5.49. As with the powder, I had heard about this product from YouTube and I already have the Wake Me Up Foundation and really love that, so I decided to get a new concealer. This is really good, it has a great applier which makes it easy to use. It conceals blemishes, spots and under eye circles, while still looking natural. The final beauty product is the Rimmel London Colour Rush Balm - £5.99. The colour I chose is not the one featured above. I decided on the colour Not An Illusion - 700, which is a autumnal colour, sort of like a slightly dark brown colour. These are so easy to use as they are in the shape of a crayon. They are not messy and do not go everywhere, like some lipsticks can. The Balms moisturise your lips, while adding a slight colour. They have them in a range of colours, from light pinks to dark purples. I find they can dry and give a slight matte look but I personally don't mind that, also the colour I chose smells like chocolate which is so nice.

3) Fashion

I haven't done a section on fashion before, but I did have some favourites that I bought recently. During the half term, I took a trip to Westfield to do some shopping, and I practically spent all my money. I bought a number of things but out of all the things I bought, these two items were my favourite and I can't stop wearing them. The first fashion favourite of October was this long-sleeved crop top from Urban Outfitters. Urban Outfitters is one of my favourite shops, but I always find it expensive, therefore when I do chose to buy something it is normally a treat and something that I would keep on wearing for a long time. I love the acid wash effect this top has. It is in one of my favourite colours but the gold toned detailing makes me love it even more. The cropness of the top is not extreme at all, which was amazing as I don't like crop tops in particular. I really like the high neck and how baggy the top is, which makes it super comfortable to wear. The sleeves of the top are really long but I like that as it adds to the comfort and makes me feel really cosy. Finally, the material of the top is medium, it isn't really thick, but it isn't really thin either, so it is a good balance which means you aren't going to be really hot or cold in this top. I would definitely recommend this to anyone and I think I will get so much use out of this top.

Urban Outfitters - £18 - Staring At Stars Slouchy Acid Tee - Also in Black. 

Source:www.urbanoutfitters.com 

My second fashion item is this animal print sweatshirt from Pull And Bear. I had heard many good reviews from this shop, but had never visited it. As soon as I walked in I found about 10 things I instantly fell in love with (I may have asked for some stuff for Christmas!) I love wearing sweatshirts rather than cardigans as I find them so comfortable and can look really nice with a shirt underneath and the collar peeking through. I really liked the unusual print of the bugs on the top. It has a range of insects which include, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles, grasshoppers and hornets. The material inside of the sweatshirt is really fluffy and cosy, which will keep me extra warm when the weather becomes colder. 

Source: www.pullandbear.com

Pull And Bear - £19.99 - Animal Graphic Sweatshirt 

4) TV Shows 

The final section in my October Favourites is my TV Shows. I have enjoyed one new show in October that I thought I would share with you.

The show is How To Get Away With Murder. I really love crime TV Shows and get really excited when a new one comes out. How To Get Away With Murder is slightly different than your typical who-done-it shows. The show follows an attorney lawyer called Annalise (pictured below). She teaches a class at a law school to aspiring lawyers, however she names the class 'How To Get Away With Murder'. She recruits a couple of the students to go along with her to different trials and court cases in order to show them how to win the case. Each episode, there is a different trial and the students and Annalise have to try and uncover evidence to win the case. However, there is a twist, the programme switches back to flashbacks. In the flashbacks, the recruited students are trying to get rid of a body (you don't know who it is until the end of the first episode), the audience does not have any idea of who killed the person or why. It can get confusing but it is so different to your run-of-the-mill crime drama, and I am loving it!

Source:www.lifesitenews.com

Hope you enjoyed this blog post! Let me know what you enjoyed in October. 

10 Things I Love About Autumn/Winter

My favourite season has got to be autumn and winter. I love it when the seasons change from summer into autumn as it means the nights draw in and become darker. I get to put away my shorts and sandals and bring out the jeans and boots and I get another excuse to drink more tea! 

I thought it would be a nice idea to share with you why I love autumn so much in 10 ways. Trust me, there are loads more but these are just a few. 

Let me know in the comments what your favourite season is and why you love that season in particular. 

Source - one-step-at-a-time-x.tumblr.com

1) Getting to cosy up in loads of blankets 

I love it the weather changes from being hot to really cold. I have always loved the cold nights and days of winter and if it snowed I was always out there making the most of it. One thing I love about autumn is getting really snug in the evenings and curling up on the sofa watching some trashy TV, with a blanket and a cup of tea, while it is really cold outside. Even if I am the perfect temperature I still love to grab a blanket to curl up with, just to make myself more cosy.

Source - www.tumblr.com

2) Reading a book 

Although you can read books in the summer (which I also love to do), I always prefer reading in the evenings. Before going to sleep, I always like to read another chapter of my book, before switching off the light. This always makes me more sleepy and tired, putting me into the perfect mood to go to sleep. I know you can read a book at any time, but during the summer if you want to read outside or on holiday I always find the sun gets in my eyes and I can never concentrate for long before I find something that distracts me. At the moment I am currently reading Insurgent and am loving every minute of it.

Source - amasai.tumblr.com

3) Wearing Boots 

I love wearing boots when the colder months come along. I am not a big lover of sandals or flip-flops, so when I get to change up my footwear and put away the open-toed shoes and dust off my winter boots, I get extremely excited.

Source - inntrending.com

4) Candles 

Another aspect of autumn/winter I love is getting to light your candles in the evening. I love the look a simple candle can give to a room and it automatically makes the house more homely and cosy to live in. As well as looking snug, a candle can give off the most amazing smells and scents making it even more enjoyable. My favourite types of scents are normally cinnamon and spice scents as they just remind me of Christmas, putting me in the festive spirit.

Source - www.lovethispic.com

5) A Cup Of Tea 

I absolutely love tea! I am constantly drinking it, and now that is is officially autumn, it gives me another excuse to drink more tea to keep warm! I love drinking tea when it is cold and wet outside and I'm snug in the warm with a blanket and a good book.

Source - www.lovethispic.com

6) Chunky Knits

I think every girl loves it when autumn and winter arrives, and we get to snuggle up in our big chunky jumpers and cardigans to keep us extra warm. I have done a blog post a couple of months ago on A/W Jumpers, and I picked out my favourite jumpers this season, so if you want to read that, then click here. 

Source - wheretoget.it

7) Movie Nights 

I know you can watch movies any time of the year, but when the nights draw in and it is horrible weather outside, you can snuggle up on the sofa, switch on a chick flick, grab a cup a tea, blanket and hoodie and watch a good old movie, to distract you from the rain and wind outside. I am also thinking about doing a blog post of my favourite chick flick/romantic comedy films, so let me know in the comments if you would like to see that.

Source - www.polyvore.com

8) Rainy Days 

Another thing I love about autumn/winter is the weather. This might sound so weird that I love horrible, wet and windy weather, but I am not a summer girl. I prefer to be cold than warm any day, so I especially love it when the temperatures drop and the sun goes away and the rain starts to fall. I think part of the reason I don't mind the weather being horrible is because in England, the weather is always raining so I am so used to it.

Source - www.flickr.com

9) Big Scarves

A massive plus for fall is the fact I can get my scarves out again. I am such a scarf wearer and I have so many of them, so when I have the chance to wear them again, I cannot wait. I love putting on a massive scarf or snood to wear when going outside, as they are so comfortable, cosy and warm, plus they make a great accessory.

Source - imgarcade.com

10) Winter Nights 

And finally.... Winter Nights. I love it when the clocks turn back and it becomes much darker, that way I know that autumn/winter has officially begun. The winter nights are always better when it becomes closer to Christmas as the lights and decorations start to arise and it puts everybody in the festive spirit.

Source- becuo.com

So, those are a couple of things that I love about autumn/winter. Hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know in the comments what you love about autumn/winter and what other posts you would like to see me write.