beautyblogger

L’oreal Infallible Matte Foundation – is it worth the hype?

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 2 Comments

image

Hello my little buttons!

I was in the market for a matte medium to full coverage fondation, I mainly use bb creams or lighter foundations but I do like to have something with a bit more coverage for events and bad skin days. One of the first products that came to mind was L’Oréal Infallible Matte liquid Foundation, I’ve read amazing reviews and from what I’d seen in photos it looks gorgeous on the skin. I ordered mine online so took a bit of a gamble on the shade, I went for ‘natural rose’ as I’m fairly pale and have a lot of pink tones. As I’m getting older instead of covering up the pink I’m just going with it! Turns out the shade was perfect, it blended in lovely with my skin tone. I love the packaging, it comes in a tube with a small nozzle so you have full control over how much product comes out and you can see how much you have left as it’s mainly clear packaging. The black and red writing/detail looks awesome together as well.

Ive been using the foundation for a few weeks now and I have to say I absolutely love it. I’ve been buffing it in with a foundation brush, no I don’t have a beauty blender I realise I’m the only person alive who doesn’t lol. That a side even with the brush it blends in beautifully with my skin and layers up really well so I can take it from medium coverage to full coverage. It doesn’t cake up and still looks surprisingly natural for such high coverage. Even though it’s matte it’s not drying on my skin at all and even after a whole day of wear still looks fantastic. I have been using a primer as I always do and a light powder to set the foundation and my concealer. I’ve not needed to powder through the day what so ever which is a new thing for me!!! It mainly stays matte throughout the day but what I actually do like is as it settles you can see a natural glow through it which I think is what makes it look so subtle and real-skin like. I would definitely agree it’s water proof and steam proof as even when I’ve been out in the hammering rain it’s all still been in place when I’ve got back.

image

In the photo I had been wearing the foundation for around 6 hours and had been rushing round sweating getting all my jobs done, it still looks great! I highly recommend this foundation and at £8.99 it’s easily replaceable when you run out.

Here’s a few more photos of the foundation:

image

What’s your favourite affordable matte foundation? Comment below!

Becca xxx

£5 dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow?!

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 2 Comments

Hello my little buttons!

Recently I purchased Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow in the shade blonde for £15, soon after that I found out Freedom Makeup London also did a blonde brow pomade for £5, naturally I ordered it lol! The past two weeks has been the battle of the brows, to see how these both perform side by side and if Freedom Makeups version could really be a good dupe for me to recommend. I blogged a first impression of the dipbrow and long story short I loved it, so easy to use, great colour, lasts litrally all day. It really does something magic to your brows, if you have used it you know what I mean! It is avaliable in 11 shades, you receive 4g of product and it has a 6 month expiry after opening. I ordered mine through http://beautybay.com and received free delivery (I’m in the UK)

image

The first thing I noticed about the Freedom Makeup brow pomade in comparison to dipbrow was how similar the packaging is, both are cute little glass pots with sleek black lids. The next thing I noticed, that really shocked me was how similar the colours were!

image

Freedoms was a hair darker (do you see what I did there haha) but the similarity is impressive. Anyone with blonde hair/brows knows that most drugstore ‘blonde’ products really aren’t blonde, and even if they look blonde in the pan when you apply them they seem far darker. Don’t get me wrong these are still a darker shade of blonde but thats perfect for my brows and I imagine if you had lighter brow hair it would appear lighter on the skin. Getting back to my original point it’s hard to find affordable blonde brow products but the Freedom pomade was spot on. They felt very similar in texture and throughout the day both swatches lasted equally as well on the back of my hand, once they had set they didn’t budge. I also thought it was fab that Freedom also carried 11 shades, which again for drug store is a rarity. There is less product though, you get 2.5g but the product expires after 12 months instead of 6 so if you didn’t use it every day it’s still good for twice as long as the dipbrow and it is £10 cheaper. I ordered mine through http://freedommakeuplondon.com

image

Next up are the brow swatches, again super impressive! They both acheive a very similar result which I wasn’t expecting. I found the Freedom pomade adhered to the hair slightly more than the skin but after good comb through with my spoolie it evened out nicely. I found the dipbrow adhered to skin and hair more smoothly but I would still brush them through so really it doesn’t matter too much. With both products you can lightly fill in your brows or go full on defined “instabrow” depending on what you prefer.

In conclusion I think the Freedom pomade is a brilliant dupe for the more pricey dipbrow, both are fantastic and get the job done. They both wear well and last all day with no flaking or running all over your face in the rain (nothing worse than loosing your brows!). The shade range in both lines is unbelievable there really is something for everyone, what more could you want for your brows? What’s your fav brow product? I’d love you hear in the comments below!

Becca x

Follow me on instagram: buttonnailslovesmakeup

Anastasia Beverly Hills ‘dipbrow’ first impressions!

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 2 Comments

Hello my little buttons!

I finally gave in, after months and months of seeing the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow everywhere the hype became too much for me to contain… and I bought it! For those of you that don’t know, dipbrow is a  brow pomade that claims to be waterproof, smudge free, creamy, perfect for oily skin and as well as gliding on the skin it adheres to the brow hairs. Big claims for a tiny pot! Its also avalible in a whopping 11 shades and is priced at around £15.

First impressions of the packaging were good, it has a high end feel to it, simple but cute. I ordered the colour blonde, I would say it’s a touch darker than I though it would be but a lot more blonde than most of the ‘blonde’ products out there and it still look fairly natural.

To apply the product I ended up using a real techniques eyeliner brush as my brows are fairly thin, due to over plucking as a teen!!! (don’t do it girls!) I think for a first try it worked fine but in future I will definitely be using a stiffer brush for more control and clean lines.
True to its word the product was super creamy it applied smoothy and evenly, filling in all my brow gaps with ease. I was amazed how quick and easy it was! I like my brows fairly natural but it’s great to have the option, with the correct brush of course, to really shape and define them. What amazed me most is how well it lasted, it’s insane. Today was wet, windy, cold and just horrible. All my make up has either disappeared or is half way down my face,  but the brows are still perfect. Seriously, they look the same as they did this morning. Just incredible. I even had a few of my friends comment on how neat and tidy they looked, which as we know is in the top 3 favourite compliments of all time. Here is a pic I snapped earlier, sorry it’s not 100% in focus I didn’t realise until I uploaded it. So professional I know!

image

In conclusion, if you don’t have this product you need it in your life, buy buy buy!!! I’d love to hear what you think, do you have this product? What’s your favourite brow product?

Becca xx

Starskin, my first sheet mask experience

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 5 Comments

Hello my little buttons!

In 2015 sheet masks were everywhere, amusing photos of people ‘masked up’ flooded the beauty community as well as discussions of the benefits.
I love a good face mask, and without regular use I can really tell the different in my skins texture so for me it’s an important step in my skin care routine.

Recently I received a Skinstar sheet mask worth £8.50 in my glossy box so thought it was a great opportunity to have a play! I really liked the packaging, as well as being a cute pink colour it looked like a movie poster. In place of the star filled cast was all the things the mask boasts to do to do your skin, such as hydrating and firming. So far so good!

I ran myself a bath, and lit my woodwork candle to get the full ‘spa at home’ experience, I then cleansed my face and patted it dry. I moved the serum around the packet so it was evenly spread, I then opened the packed and tried placing the gigantic mask on my face. I thought I was going crazy, it kept slipping down my face and I couldn’t get it to stick all over. I kept thinking this doesn’t look right what is wrong with this mask how could anyone find this a pleasant experience?! How on earth will it stay on for 20 whole minutes?! I was then invaded by my other half and our 2 children, everyone got a lovely shock as I looked like I was wearing a hockey mask. I explained the dilemma to my other half, who then very sensibly asked “did you read the instructions?” to which I quietly replied…. “no” on further inspection turns out I haven’t removed the plastic around the mask!!! Once the plastic was removed it made a lot more sense lol it easily stuck to my face including the nooks and crannies around my nose. It did feel more like a second skin, made of jelly lol. After around 5 minutes my face started to feel freezing, I was also couldn’t relax as I was very aware how close the product was to my eyes and mouth. I managed to keep it on the whole 20 minutes was it was such a receive to take it off and try and heat my chilly face up. As instructed I rubbed the rest of the serum into my face and neck.

Once the product had sunk in I noticed my skin was very nourished and quite bouncy actually, it defiantly had a glow to it. After a few hours i did start getting very greasy,  I have combo skin but think this mask would be great for really dry skin as I do think it was a bit heavy for mine. One benefit I really did notice and enjoy was that my pores around my the next day seemed to have shrunk making them less noticeable.
Overall I don’t think sheet masks are for me, I didn’t like the cold slimy feeling as I suspected I wouldn’t and I didn’t feel the mask benefits were worth it, for my skin anyway. I can think of a few people that would love this mask it’s just a shame it made me so greasy!!! I’d love to hear what you think, have you tried this mask? What’s your favourite sheet mask?

Manna Kadar conditioning lash primer review

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

  
Hello my little buttons! 

Recently I have been reviewing a lot of mascaras so I thought after received this Manna Kadar Conditioning Lash Primer in my August Glossy Box it would fit in nicely. As next week I’ll be reviewing an eyeshadowpalette, while trying to use up all my new mascaras! I haven’t really dabbled with lash primers so wasn’t sure what to expect. I decided the test this with my current favourite mascara, Rimmel Extra 3d Lash, I thought the rubberised brush would be handy for separating my lashes if the primer stuck them together.

The primer applied smoothly and evenly with very little clumping, the product is white so although it was harder to see I could already tell it had added length. I left it for a few seconds to dry slightly then added my mascara. I instantly noticed a difference in volume especially towards the roots of the lashes as well as toward the ends. There was some added length and it really helped hold my lashes up almost like lash hair spray!!  I was really pleased with the finished look, it was just enough umph to make a difference. 

One tip for the product, don’t apply your mascara when the primer is too wet or too dry, the best result I found was when it was somewhere in between! This product was $24 for 4grams and is avalible from 

http://www.mannakadarcosmetics.com

 

The world scariest mascara ever???

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ Leave a comment

  
Hello my little buttons!

Welcome to the frightening world of Avons Mega Effects Mascara. I have been literally itching to try this for the longest time. The cute little brush and novelty of this mascara had me intrigued, I wanted to see how it would apply and if it was as fun as it looked. A good friend didn’t use hers to offered it to me, I bit her hand off!! 

I was surprised how small it was for some reason I thought it would of been bigger, which is a bit daft really as it goes near your eyes lol. After removing the grey lid it reminded me of a brush in a pot of paint, you give the brush a wiggle and out come the bristles with a flexible handle so you can get at the right angle. I thought this was awesome, in the same way you might like looking at a pointless little ornament or miniature dolls house furniture. 

I went straight the the mirror to try it out, it was then I realised how impractical this mascara is!! It felt as unnatural as pushing a new born baby back up yourself. From a young age you train you hand and eye coordination to use a mascara wand a certain way, it takes time, dedication and a lot of messy black dots on your face. Using this mascara felt like someone else was waving the wand near my eyes, I had to move super slow and couldn’t take my gaze off the mirror for even a second. Another thing that was irritating is there was no where to wipe the excess off so I was worried about big clumps but it was fairly easy to brush them through. I do have to say I did kinda like the end result, my lashes looked longer and the mascara itself was super black which is something I love in a mascara. I will definitely keep trying this crazy contraption out to see if I can get used to it but as it stands today im just baffled lol. 

I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts on this mascara! Please comment down below and subscribe if you’d like to read more! 

My July favourites!! 

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 2 Comments

  
Hello my little buttons!!

Here’s a count down of my favourite products from the month of July 2015. This month for me has all been about trying new things, as well as lightening up my makeup for the summer. I’ve been super busy with work and the kids so I’ve needed practical products that get the job done fast. 

  
The Pro Decadance Magic eyeshadow palette from Freedom Makeup London has been a staple in collection, I have done an in depth review on this on my blog recently so if you scroll down it should be there! To keep it short and sweet, fantastic quality all shades are pigmented blendable and just stunning I really can’t praise it enough. For £6 I was bowled over.

  
Blush highlight and contour palette from Makeup Revolution £3.50 I have owned for a while but rediscovered this month. Beautiful shades that are easy to work with, I would say use a light hand with the contour shade (I would use this more as a bronzer or for suble contour) as it’s highly pigmented. The highlight is pretty and also works very well as an eyeshadow, the shimmer is to die for! The blush is a dupe for the sleek blush rose gold, side by side there is very little difference. 

  
I might have found my Holy Grail liquid eyeliner, again a Freedom Makeup London product, the brush is perfection. It’s a rubber tip that is mainly firm to get your line straight but the end is flexible to get your wing on!! It’s really helped with my eyeliner application  and as you can do very fine lines with ease I can do for a lighter look without it going wrong and ending up super thick, you all know what I’m talking about!!!! 

  
I will have a review up soon on this product as I have bought a few other colours, this is the Bourjois Color Band eyeshadow and liner 2 in 1 pencil. I LOVE this pencil, the rose gold colour is so metallic and smooth to apply no matter how I wear it im always happy with the result. It’s sets really well and lasts most of the day even on my oily lids. Can’t wait to try more looks with the other colours they are quick and convenient, great for if your in a rush. 

  

Another Boujois product that I can’t believe I’ve not mentioned sooner in a favourites as it lives in my handbag and this is my second one!! Color Boost Lip crayon in Proudly Naked. Balmy, creamy this glides on the lips with just the right amount of colour. It’s sheer but packs a punch it’s my perfect pinky nude and the best thing is you don’t need a mirror to apply, it also goes with nearly every makeup look so it’s very diverse. 

  
 
I have an in depth review on this product too which I wrote recently. The swatch speaks for itself, if I could paint my whole body in this I would. Super affordable, the cream to powder formula feels good on the skin and works well over liquid and powder foundations. 

  
Last but defiantly not least is House of Glam Dolls lashes, here I’ve used the half strip. I’ve always struggled with applying lashes, mainly getting the glue tackiness correct. The glue that goes with these lashes is the bomb, it applies blue and is ready to be instantly applied. It also holds them in place all day with zero slippage. The lashes are made with natural hairs and are light and comfy to wear there is also a huge range of styles to suit everyone and anyone. At £5 a set these were my deal of the month! 

Freedome London Makeup Curl Mascara Review

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 1 Comment

  
Hello my little buttons!

Here’s a quick review on Freedom Makeup Londons ‘Curl Mascara’ £2. There is also a volume mascara and lengthen mascara in the range. The first thing I noticed was the gigantic size of the wand, I photographed it next to a lipstick so you could see how long this thing is! I have big eyes but even on my peepers it wasn’t the most comfy mascara to apply, I really had to watch what I was doing so not to ruin the rest of my makeup. I do have to say though true to its name it did curl my lashes, really lifting them up and holding them up for most of the day. It’s super black and the end result was soft fluttery lashes that did look fairly natural. This would defiantly be a ‘no makeup day mascara’ as it opens up the eyes and isn’t chunky or clumpy.  This was a good few coats and as you can see its layered up nicely. Think I’m going to get the other two mascaras and review them all side by side. Might even try them all together for crazy huge lashes! Overal like this mascara for natural days and light summer looks, great price for £2 and oddly enough it smells gorgeous, just annoying the wand is so huge. Please subscribe for me reviews like this! 

Disclaimer: I received this mascara while on a Freedom Makeup London makeup course, curtesy of Freedom Makeup London but that doesn’t remotely effect the honest review I have given I have not been sponsored or paid to promote this product. I would not sell my soul for makeup. 

Makeup Revolution Pro Hygiene Anti Bacterial Brush Cleaner Review 

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 2 Comments

  
Hello my little buttons!

For years I have used the Bare Minerals brush cleaner paying about £10 for 110ml, a friend recommended it and it seemed to be doing the job just fine. I then noticed one day on the Makeup Revolution website they sold brush cleaner, which was £5 for 200ml. I love Makeup Revolution so thought it was worth a try! I let my brushes get nice and dirty to really  test out this product. 

The first thing I noticed was the smell, it was lovely! Really sweet and pleasant I couldn’t smell the alcohol at all, nothing worse than a boozy smelling brush cleaner lol. The next thing I noticed was the spray, it was a fine wet mist which was great for covering all of the bristles. It also had a special top that made it possible to spray from all angles which was really handy. The first time I used it I could not believe how much product came off the brush , way more that would of come off with my bare minerals cleaner. As I went through all the brushes and more and more product came off it really got me thinking, how much was left on my brushes before finding this cleaner?! So gross the thought of rubbing half clean dirty brushes all over my face. I’ve had the bottle for about 2 months now and there’s still product left. Favourite brush cleaner ever, I just love it! 

Here’s the link to super drugs site of your interested in this product:

http://www.superdrug.com/Makeup-Revolution/Makeup-Revolution-Antibacterial-Brush-Cleaner-200ml/p/246410

Essence ‘soo glow!’ Highlight review!

~ buttonnailslovesmakeup ~ 1 Comment

  
Hello my little buttons!

I bought this lovely little highlighter for £2.80 from the wilkos website, I’ll put a link in at the bottom of the review! Let’s start with the shade, I own number 10 ‘look on the bright side’ which is a beautiful gold shimmery light reflective colour. The formula is soft and creamy that once rubbed into the skin turns into a soft powder. It can be used with a brush or fingers it’s very easy to work with. You can either go lightly in for a real subtle shimmer or go to town layering it up. I love that there isn’t any glitter in this at all, but it is super shimmery so if you prefers matte highlighters this might not be for u!!  

 
Here’s a photo of the highlight in natural light over a bb cream. Ignore my weird eye lol! But had to use this pic as it shows off the highlight perfectly! I think this highlight is a bargin, for £2.80 you get 4g of product which is a nice big pan. I’ve been using it for weeks now and I’ve still hardly made a dent, whenever I wear this every time I catch a glimps in the mirror I do think ‘Ooo look at that highlight!!!’ It’s also a really pretty inner corner and brow bone highlight so it’s multi purpose, which is great for travel when you have limited space. 

To me this product is a big win! What are your favourite highlighters I’d love to hear below! 

If your interested to buy this product online heres a link to the Wilko website:

http://www.wilko.com/essence/essence-soo-glow-cream-to-powder-highl-10/invt/0410093