barginmakeup

Elf HD Under Eye Setting Powder Review

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 6 Comments

image

Hello my little buttons!

I’ve been meaning to blog about this product for some time, it’s the Elf Cosmetics HD under eye setting powder. Usually when I do my makeup I use what ever setting powder I’m using that day under my eyes too. I’ve not tried a specific under eye powder before and to be honest, I couldn’t see what was so special bout it! Until now….

This powder is amazing! It sets my concealer all day long, it massively reduces creasing and also smooths out and brightens my under eye area. The pot in teeny tiny but I think it’s going to last for ages as you only need a small amount. It is a loose powder but comes with a sifter so it’s not as messy as it could be, it also comes with a tiny brush but I prefer using the Elf Flawless Concealer brush as it’s still small but nice and fluffy. It’s priced at £4.50 which I think is very affordable as it really makes your skin look beautiful I was so happy with it. I’m fully converted and now use it every time I wear makeup!

What under eye setting powders do you use? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Becca xxx

4 ways to save money when buying makeup!!

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 2 Comments

image

Hello my little buttons!

As a makeup junkie and makeup blogger, let’s face it, I buy a lot of makeup! Over time i have learnt a few tips and tricks how to save money when buying beauty products which I thought I’d share with you, some of them might b quite obvious but I like reading money saving blogs so hopefully you will too.

image

1. Sign up for news letters

This is my biggest tip which over time has saved me a lot of pennies, the vast majority of companies will have somewhere on their website to sign up for newsletter, offers and new product emails. If you keep on top of your emails you can get a real bargin. I love being in the loop for new product releases as well as sales and free shipping! Some companies do free gifts if you spend over a certain amount which is a fab way to double your order, Elf Cosmetics do some fantastic free gifts worth up to £25 so keep ur eye out.

image

2. Shop “membership” cards

Boots and Superdrug have their own store cards which as you spend money you collect points, over time these will really add up which equals free makeup. Another way I get free makeup is through doing my weekly food shop, tesco and sainsburies also have their own cards to collect points. There might not be as big of a makeup selection but they always stock at least a couple of brands as well as tonnes of hair and skincare.

image

3. Outlets

If you don’t mind not having the latest products then outlets are a good way to go, you can get up to 70% off highend brands. The colour selections might not be as vast either but if your willing to have a good look through all the products you can save a lotta money.

image

4. Deals in store

Last but not least is keep up to date with offers in store, boots have some amazing offers such as buy two get one free which from what I have noticed is on most of the time. Lots of brands also have deals in store such as buy one get another half price or buy one get one free. This is a great way to save money as your buying what you would of bought anyway and not compromising because of the price.

I hope this tips and tricks were helpful on saving you some money, I’d love to hear if you have any more tips in the comments below!

Becca xxx

B.pure sensitive micellar cleansing wipes review

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

I received these B.pure sensitive micellar cleansing wipes in a goodie bag from Makeup Revolutions 2nd birthday party. B.Pure is superdrugs fairly new affordable skincare line, it reminds me a lot of the Simple range as it’s advertised as gentle fuss free skincare. Sometimes it good to step back from the over saturated skincare market and get back to basics with very reasonably priced items that do the job.

I’m not a huge Cleansing wipe user, but it’s always handy to have a pack for quick makeup removal or to wipe over my face before starting my day of school runs and errands. These wipes claim to be a 3-in-1 to cleanse tone and moisturise, enriched with hazel, vitamin E, aloe and Cucumber there’s lots of ingredients your skin will soak up and adore.

In regards to makeup removal the wipes took off the main bulk of product from my skin although I did still need a good cleanse after as there was still residue left. It removed most of my eye makeup but I found if I had a heavy eye look and had to really get in there the wipes did start burning my eyes which is a shame as they are a ‘sensitive’ product. That being said my eyes are incredibly sensitive so it’s not hard to set them off.

My skin felt quite hydrated after using the wipes but long term it wouldn’t be enough to keep away my dry patches. I did notice I didn’t have any breakouts while using the wipes which is fantastic as I find if I use wipes too often this tends to happen.

Overall I think if you were in a pinch these wipes are handy to have or if you were traveling and couldn’t take all your normal skin care with you they’re a good solution. They aren’t the best wipes I’ve ever used as I still need to cleanse to remove makeup but they definatly aren’t the worse. They cost £1.73 which is a really good price for 25 wipes.
What are your favourite cleansing wipes? I’d love to hear in the comments below!
Becca xxx

Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara Review

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

I received this mascara is my glossy box, I love big dramatic lashes so was really pleased I was given the Volume mascara as there were several in the line that other people had received. The mascara is worth £9.99 and as I paid £10 for the glossy box and received 5 other items I felt it was a good deal.

image

image

The packaging is sleek, simple but pretty. The wand itself is a big chunky bristle brush, it doesnt seem to be over loaded with product either which is a nice change as most new mascaras with big brushes can have way too much on causing your lashes to really clump up.

image

As you can see in this photo I have mascara on my right eye and nothing on my left eye. WOW this mascara is amazing! Separated my lashes beautifully and was so easy to layer up. The formula is a super dark black and it held my curl up all day long which on my straight lashes is impressive. It did add some volume but what I found most impressive is the crazy length it’s given me, the wand fanned out my lashes really opening my eyes up making me look bright eyed and awake.

Highly recommend this mascara it’s worked wonders for me, for £9.99 you really can’t go wrong. What’s your favourite mascara? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Becca xxx

L’oreal Nude Magique Cushion Foundation Review

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

I have been dying to get my hands on a cushion foundation since Lancome started the trend over here in the UK. I was tickled pink when I heard l’oreal were jumping on the band wagon as I really like their foundations so I had high expectations. The price of this foundation ranges between £9.99 – £19.99 depending on where you buy it from and is avalible in 7 shades. I bought mine online and chose the shade 04 Rose Vanilla, bit of a gamble but I was relieved to see on arrival that it was my perfect shade. Another huge selling point for me is that it contains Spf 25 which is really good for a foundation and means I can skip on the sun cream on ‘makeup days.’

image

The packaging is simply adorable, pretty and pink with a metalic pink lid. Once opened there is a good sized mirror and a compartment for the little sponge applicator pad. Underneath is the foundation soaked sponge, it says in the instuctions once opened make sure you pop the top down tightly which I assume is to stop it drying out quickly.

image

I was worried the foundation might feel slightly watery or dried out but I was wrong! It has the consistency of a normal creamy foundation and i was suprised how much product was soaked into the sponge, one dab with the applicator went a long way. The foundation is advertised as a summer glowy foundation, glowy foundations aren’t usually my thing. I tend to lean towards matte foundation formulas and add some highlight but in the summer this can feel a tad heavy and look fairly unnatural. On first application of the Nude Magique Cushion I decided to tap it on as specificity in the Instructions for a natural light coverage, I was slightly freaked out as I starting applying the product as it looked pretty shiney but as I built up more coverage and left it to dry I was pleased with the results, it had evened out my skin tone and given the skin a radiant healthy looking glow. I used a light dust of powder to set the foundation and after applying my usual makeup I was incredibly happy with the results, it’s looks natural and sat really well over my primer. (Freedom Makeup London priming water)

image

Through the day the foundation wore really well, even after my natural oils started flowing it didn’t look crazy greasy. I took a photo after about two hours wear in the sunlight to show how it had settled into my skin and trying to capture the summer glow the foundation gives. Not sure if I achieved that but I did try lol!

image

Maybe I do like this glowy skin thing after all?! I feel like I’ve had a really good skin day which is 100% down to the Nude Magique Cushion Foundation, here is a photo after 8 hours of wear, two of those hours were doing hardcore sweaty house work. As you can see it has moved about a little bit, but for a light coverage summer foundation I’m more than happy with that!

image

The only thing I haven’t mentioned which I feel I must touch on is how the product is applied. Yes I love the formula, the package speaks for itself and I love the novelty and convenience ….but hygienically I’m not sure how I’m going to feel after using it several times. It’s going to be a pain having to wash the sponge after every application, even though my face is clean when I put my makeup on dipping the applicator in and out of the sponge it’s still mixing up product with my face germs lol. Im sure I’ll be able to get over this by keeping the applicator clean and only using it when I first apply my makeup, not dabbing in and out throughout the day. I had to mention this as I know it would be a real deal breaker for some people whereas other people wouldn’t even think of it like that.

Overall I think this is a great product I’d highly recommend, even with the applicator washing!!! The final result is so pretty and summery, it quick and easy to apply and you have great control over the coverage. I’d love to hear what you think of this product in the comments below.

Becca xxx

Glossy Box May 2016 First Impressions

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

One of the highlights of the month is when my glossy box arrives, it’s like receiving a present as I never know what’s inside. Glossy Box costs £10 per month plus P&P and the items inside are always worth far more than what you pay, you also get to try brands and products you wouldn’t come across every day in Boots or Superdrug. Since receiving glossy box I have found some real treasures which keeps me comming back for more! Here’s my first impressions of what I received and how I feel about this month’s box.

image

Firstly the packaging, so adorable i actually want to colour it in!!! Each box was designed with a “city break” theme, London, New York or Berlin were the chosen cities. My box is Berlin, it was designed by Omg Studios. I really appreciate when so much thought has gone into the packaging, as the boxes are so sturdy I reuse them for other things so the design makes it a tad cooler.

The first thing I noticed about the products inside was the packet of popcorn, hmm bit of a ‘filler’ product but my kids were happy to munch on it so not the end of the world. I don’t think I’ve ever received food in a box before, i hope Glossy box don’t make this a regular occurrence as if I wanted food in my beauty box I would subscribe to a food box!!!

image

Next in the box was Hairon Zero Crease Hair ties, a pack of 3 for £3.99. I have received these in Glossy Box before so sadly not a new product but they are really handy to have and saves me buying them so quite happy about these.

image

image

I was really excited to see this next product, a velvet lippie worth £4.93 from the brand “Absolute New York” a product and brand I had never heard of, woohooo!! The colour is gorgeous, of course I instantly applied it and was really pleased with the results. It was very comfortable on the lips and unlike a lot of matte cream lipsticks it wasn’t drying and didn’t flake off. Result.

image

Wasn’t overly pleased about this next product, Hawiaiian Topic Protective dry Oil SFP 15. I don’t use under factor 30 and I never use oil, I rubbed some on my arm it did smell nice but it isn’t something I am ever going to use. I do have a friend I could pass it on too so at least it’s not going to waste. The bottle I received is 100ml, the full size is 200ml for £13.99 although I have found it cheaper online.

image

I love love love skin care, so I’m very pleased with this next item. Bee Youth Good Enhancing Plump & Firm Moisturising, it also says on the packaging “Made With Real Bees” I have noticed a real big trend in bee ingredients such as honey in skin care and makeup which is fantastic as saving the bees is so important right now. The tube is 15ml worth £9 and the full size is 50ml costing £23.50. I am yet to have tried this enough to fully review it but first impressions, wow!!! It’s given me silky smooth skin and smells devine, I think it’s going to be a winner.

image

Last but not least, a Revlon Ultra Volume Mascara worth £9.99. Another favourite product for me to receive in a beauty box! I’m bit of a mascara junkie and as they dry out so fast I’m always open to getting more. The wand has a lovely chunky bristle brush which is right up my street, looking forward to testing it out tomorrow.

Overall I’m happy with this months box, my favourite items are the velvet lippie, moisturiser and mascara. All of which I will happily use and review. I’d love to hear in the comments below if you subscribe to any beauty boxes?

Becca xxx

Summer survival favourites

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

As the weathers heating up here in the UK I thought I’d share with you a few key items that help me survive the summer. It’s quite a random selection of makeup and general things that make my life that bit easier in the heat!

image

1. Boots Soltan Once Face 8 hour moisturising suncare cream spf 30 with gradual tan

This is my favourite face spf, priced at £9 for 50ml a little goes a long way and it lasts for most of the summer. I love products that combine several essentials in one. As well as being a suncream, in the summer this replaces my day moisturiser too. I find that even with spf on my body I will still catch the sun and build up some colour, although on my face under my huge sunglasses it stays pretty pale. As this product contains a gradual tan it helps my face catch up with the rest of my body! It also soaks in relatively quickly, I tend to apply it half an hour or so before I leave the house by which point I no longer look a creamy mess. I will say it does have that suncream feel when you apply it, but it’s more light weight. It ticks all the boxes for me and is my number one summer product as skin protection is very important to me.

image

2. Sunglasses.

If you know me in ‘real life’ this won’t be a suprise, I LIVE in my sunglasses, even in the winter but especially in the summer. My favourite pair at the moment are also from boots, the brand is Miss Kj and they cost £30. I normally buy a cheapy pair from Primark but they never last very long and don’t really protect my eyes. This pair is awesome, my eyes never ache with the sun shine anymore, they are sturdy and I adore the 50’s design.

image

3. Maxi dresses. (or summer dresses)

I’m a real dress kind of girl, no matter what the weather I’ll be in some sort of dress and leggings. But, my favourite of them all is the maxi dresses! I patiently wait all year long until it’s hot enough to get them out of their box and I will live in them until it’s too cold to pull it off. I tend to wear mainly black but for the summer I’m crazy patterned and colourful. They are super comfy and floaty to wear, they hide a multitude of sins and I always feel summery in them. A few of my favourites I actually got from Swindon Outlet they’re really unique and a total steal with huge reductions, outlooks can be a great place to go for clothes full stop.

4. Waterproof mascara.

Sweat sweat and more sweat. In the heat walking to parks and friends houses, days out, sitting in the sun, you know your going to get sweaty. There really is nothing worse than going indoors, removing your sunglasses, and your mascara being all under your eyes like a little baby panda. Not a good look for anyone! I don’t tend to wear make up if we’re going to the pool swimming or the beach but if you simply can’t live without mascara I would highly recommend a water proof version to save the panda embarrassment. It is slightly harder to remove but I feel the benefits out weigh the extra removal time.

image

5. BB creams.

Nothing feels worse in the summer than having heavy makeup on, everytime you touch your face it transfers off and in the heat it’s moves about creating a patchy and generally unflattering look. If I want makeup on a bbcream is my best friend. As well as acting as a moisturiser it gives me just enough coverage to even out my skin tone and cover light imperfections. If I want a bit more coverage I’ll also use a light dusting of a powder foundation which also sets the bb cream helping it last far longer. I have a few favourites, one being the L’oreal Skin perfection which has skincare ingredients helping keep my breakouts to a minium. The rimmel bb cream is a really good one as well, it has more coverage and with powder can really cover up those face demonds while still feeling light weight on your skin.

6. Water.

Last but not least is water, it is so important to hydrate through the day. I bring a bottle of water everywhere with me so there’s no excess not to drink. Your body is around 60% water and in the heat you need more liquids than normal. Dehydration can make your skin dry causing more wrinkles so keeping on top of your liquids every day can vastly help improve your skin.

So there were my top summer essentials, I’d love to hear your down in the comments below!

Becca xxx

Makeup trends – peel off makeup from Korea?!?!

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

The world of Korean makeup is taking us by storm, I’ve been seeing and reading more and more reviews on products and am becoming increasingly curious. There is a company called Meme box which specialises in Korean make up and skin care. Last year I ordered one of their boxes and was extremely happy with the quality of the products inside, although this is the only contact I’ve had with Korean makeup.

I recently saw one of my favourite YouTubers Tati from ‘glamlifeguru’ make several reviews videos on a new trend hitting our screens, all the way from Korea – peel off makeup. From what I have found on instagram everyone seems to be loving the lipstain as well as the eyebrow tint. Both products apply like a thick gel, once dried you peel it off and it supposedly leaves a 12 hour stain. The novelty alone would sell this product, but the fact the stain lasts 12 hours? I need this in my life!! I was that interested i have actually ordered the whole set of lip stains from http://www.yesstyle.com as well as many other Korean items I have been looking at for a while. As soon as it arrives I’ll blog the haul!

I’m not overly excited about the eyebrow tint, from what I’ve seen the colour pay off can look a tad orange and I’m petrified it’ll go wrong and I’ll be stuck with wonkey dark brows for days so I decided against buying this….. for now.

The tints I bought are from the brand Berrisom, I have heard that there are quick a few “knock off” peel off lip stains that can contain some dangerous chemicals. I’m not sure how true this is but I have heard it several times which kind of persuaded me to stick to the Berrisom brand even though they were harder to find and a touch more expensive. I’m so excited to receive my Korean haul and try some new products and brands, testing them out and sharing my opinions with you all is going to be so much fun too. I love trying anything new and different when it comes to makeup! If there’s any other items you would like me to review please leave a comment down below.

Becca xxx 

Makeup Porn – Anna Sui !!!

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

Welcome to my new series of makeup Porn! In this series I’ll be showing you super sexy makeup photos from new and old brands that either I am already in love with or am desperate to try. Looking at and discovering new makeup is one of my favourite past times, so I thought I’d share the love! Some photos will b taken from the Web (which I will state) others I have taken myself. So if looking at makeup is your thing too, grab a cuppa n get ready to float into makeup heaven.

One of my favourite places in the world to order makeup from is beauty bay, you can find so many unique brands that aren’t always as easily avalible in the UK. One brand I discovered recently is Anna Sui. After some research I learnt that Anna is New York based fashion designer, who is huge in the fashion world creating some really unique pieces and stirring up a storm at New York fashion week. She also has a cosmetics line, the first thing I noticed was the packaging. It’s to die for! Each product has its own charm with some inspiring and intriguing qualities. All the photos used in this blog were found on beauty bays website,  without any further babble, get ready to druel!

image

As a palette junkie they were the first thing I looked for, i found an eyeshadow palette and a lip palette. Really pretty designs and a great colour selection. I was drawn to the eyebrow palette at the top, the packaging is in the shape of a chunky black bow, just adorable! What makes the brow powders interesting is the colour selection, the green and yellow powders are something I haven’t seen before and am considering buying out of curiosity, it has some really good reviews and I just can’t stop looking at it.

image

Another gorgeous selection! Top left are, I think, the must stunning blushes I have seen in my entire life. I adore the lilac blue blush as well as how these are presented in the compacts. Next are the lipsticks with a twist, they are shaped in to a star instead of the traditional bullet, really nice touch. I had to include the cute trinkets on the bottom left which are eyeshadow holders! So you can pop one of your favourite Anna Sui eyeshadows all over the lid for a simple look and take it with you for touch ups through the day. I love this idea! Last but not least is the pot of gel foundation primer, I would buy this just to look pretty on my vanity!

image

Thought I’d add these pics to show the attention to detail in items that normally are fairly plain and simple. Top left is concealer, top right is foundation beleive it or not! Bottom left is a creamy foundation primer and bottom right is rose shampoo.

image

Last but not least I have to give a nod to these gorgeous nail polishes!!! As well as having some rich super pretty colours the little bird on top is the icing on the cake, again the attention to detail is phenomenal.

The whole line just looks fabulous, I’ll be honest it’s quite pricey, ranging from around £7 to £30. From what I have read online the products are worth every penny and are of a high quality so from the sounds of it you really do get what you pay for. What have you tried from Anna Sui? I’d love to hear in the comments below!

Becca xxx

Rimmel Sculpting Palette – First Impressions

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

image

Hello my little buttons!

Here is my first impressions on Rimmels first sculpting palette. I bought the shade 002 Coral Glow for £6.99, from what I could gather this was the lightest shade avalible from the two they had.

The mini palette contains a blush, a contour shade and a highlight. I love the packaging, each product is easy to dip your brush into without touch other colours and the rose gold is a nice touch. Although I don’t think it’ll last long as after a day in my handbag some of the rose gold had chipped off, but in all fairness I wasn’t expecting for £6.99 it would be solid rose gold!!

image

I adore the shades, so versatile and soft they are perfect for my pale skin. I was suprised of the formula, soft, creamy and really finely milled, i knew straight away they were going to blend into my skin with ease. When swatching there was some slight fall out but when I used brushes to apply the powders to my face there was none at all.

image

The blush is so complimentary to pale skin tones, the perfect pinky peachy mix this would go with any makeup look which makes the palette very appealing to take on holiday or to throw in my bag day to day.

When I swatched the contour shade I was suprised to see a slight shimmer, my first thoughts were “what a shame I’m never going to use this now!” well I really shouldnt of been so quick to judge as on the face you couldn’t see the shimmer at all but it gave the skin a lovely glow, which we all know is super fashionable right now. It’s hard to describe but it looks gorgeous. The shade wasn’t too warm or cool and muddy, it was perfect. As predicted, it blended out beautifully and was buildable but still very subtle looking.

The highlight has a gold shimmer and is also wonderful. I dusted it lightly across the tops of my cheek bones as well as on the cupids bow, and spend about 3 minutes just looked at myself. It highlights without a crazy metalic shimmer, its noticable but natural. I think you could even take a big fluffy powder brush and cover your whole face for a dewy effect and it would still look good.

image

Over all I’m so impressed with this little palette, it’s a total bargin and I find it quite rare to love every shade in a sculpting palette. The only thing that is a shame is that it’s only avalible in two shades, which is highly unlikely they’ll  match absolutely everyone. Apart from that this is my new go to sculpting palette! I’d love to hear in the comments below, which is your go to palette?

Becca xxx