REVIEW // Soap&Glory Supercat Eyeliner

Potentially my favourite eyeliner i've ever used? I think so.. The Soap&Gory SuperCat Liner really does have a great status in my makeup collection at the moment, and there are many reasons for that. Firstly, the nib of the pen is sturdy, well structured and strong enough to withstand a flick; it doesn't feel flimsy at all either, so I know i'll get a good line with it. I'm definitely not saying i'm any expert what so ever, although, SuperCat does make eyeliner just that little bit easier.

As you can see above, the you can achieve different widths of your cat-flick with this eyeliner, so it pretty much covers daytime to night wear all in one. At a mere £6, I definitely suggest you pick this up on your next visit to Boots, see what the hype is all about, I understand the fuss.

Have you already tried and tested SuperCat? If so, what's your opinion? 

Tell me in the comments below!

BARRY M: RASPBERRY

I'm putting this out there, firstly, as one of my favourite colours; so expect high praise for Barry M's Raspberry as it really hit's the nail on the head as a ''deep berry'' (even though my pictures don't do it justice!).

This week I had ''Raspberry'' on my nails, despite the fact they chipped overnight (I know - overnight!), I do love this shade and pretty much wear it all year round. (Why should berries only be allowed in Autumn/Winter? The shade still exists in Summer!) I'd describe this shade a being inbetween a deep red and on the verge of plum. Potentailly, this nail varnish owns the title of "my favourite/most loved ever".. And that means it must be pretty good.

Find the Barry M Raspberry Nail Varnish (£2.99) here.

Currently Loving: Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer

Recently, I have been getting a whole lot of use out of the ever-so-coveted Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer (£5.49). Is it the dreamy consistency, perfect glow or easy application that ticks all the boxes with Wake Me Up? Read on to find out what makes this my go-to concealer..

I'll admitt now: I have terribly pesky - purple - under eye luggage (bags), which are undeniably hard to conceal even with the thickest camoflauge. But for some reason, the budget Wake Me Up was different. I applied around 2/3 thin coats of Rimmel's magic underneath my eyes (I know you're thinking "that much!", but trust me it works..) and pat down with my other recent fave: the EcoTools Foam Applicator (£4.99) (sponge-on-a-stick? - ha). 

I should have, really, done a ''before'' and ''after'', because I believe the results from this concealer are that noticable. My undereyes still aren't perfected, I know; nevertheless, Wake Me Up transformed the area and enhanced my eyes - taking the attention away from the blue-toned undereye gift my parents lovingly gave me.

In all seriousness, Wake Me Up has - for the time being - replaced my beloved No7 Match Made Concealer (which I've used for 6+ months straight, yeah). And that takes some beating.

I also used: Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, Benefit RollerLash (first impressions here) and the Maybelline ColourTattoo (On and On Bronze).

What's your favourite concealer at the moment? 
Is the Wake Me Up foundation one for me to try? Tell me in the comments!

Benefit Roller Lash: First Impressions

As many of you will know, this months ELLE magazine features a sample size of the upcoming Benefit Roller Lash Mascara - which curls, lengthens and thickens lashes. Intrigued? Of course.

THE EFFECT:
After using Roller Lash yesterday for the first time I can confirm I let out an amazed 'wow!' once I had applied just one coat. The results, in my opinion, were amazing and really transformed my eyelashes. Roller Lash makes use of a medium sized, fairly thin brush with individual bristles to ensure all the lashes are coated. Firstly I used my eyelash curlers to prepare my lashes, and then took a swipe with the mascara. (The wand was perfectly sized for me - and I didn't make a mess of my eyeshadow either!)

THE WEAR TIME:
I did my makeup at around 1 o'clock yesterday (I took me forever to me motivated to get ready..), and then removed it at around 9.30 o'clock. I'll tell you now: Roller Lash did not smudge (on myself) at all. And I have oily eyelids, but no - no smudging what-so-ever. If that isn't a sign of a winning mascara then I don't know what is!

THE REMOVAL:
Easy, easy, easy! Honestly, I thought I might have a struggle to remove every last trace of the Roller Lash (considering Benefit's They're Real is reviewed as a nightmare to take off).. Although, yet again, I was proven completely wrong, because a few swipes with a cotton pad and liquid (or a face wipe for the lazy people..me..) took away all the mascara ever to flutter on my lashes.

Was I overall impressed? You bet. So will I buy the full version when Roller Lash is released? Well, the £19.50 price tag certainly is off-putting, but this could be my dream mascara - I think so.

5 Products To Add To Your Wishlist

1. CAMOFLAUGING: The high-coverage No7 Match Made Concealer (£7) did not leave my face once last Year - well, I lie, I didn't wear it 24/7, don't worry. But you get the idea.. I wrote a full post on this back in June (read it - here) and have used it under my eyes forever since. Available in very neutral shades, Calico doesn't look to dark on me despite my pale skin. I'd recomenend you check this out during the Year; especially considering the small pricetag.

2. FOR THE BRONZE: The Body Shop Honey Bronzer (£13) was definitely my most used contour/bronzer product of 2014 and despite the fact it isn't a high-end product I love it none-the-less. Also, I bought this bronzer (which is in shade 01) early in the Year (around April) and have only hit pan in December.. I really doubt i'd like to go a day without having the option to use this. Full review - here.

3. THE EYES: If you haven't heard about the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in ''On and On Bronze'' (£4.99) - where have you been? 2014 was the Year for creams:  cream eyeshadow, cream blush and so on.. The Colour Tattoo does not fail to stay put throughout the day and is such an easy product to apply very early in the morning.

4. TO APPLY: Last Year, Real Techniques were big, in particular, the Core Collection which features 4 necessary brushes all designed to aid in applying makeup for the perfect finish. In my opinion, it's a great deal at £22 for four (meaning each brush is around £5) and one to add to your wishlist in 2015.

5. BEST WAY TO FINISH: During the end of 2014, I began to complete my makeup routine with a quick spritz of the Avène Eau Thermale Spring Water (£3.50) to ''lock'' in the look i'd created and essessentially blend everything together. I recommend you try this technique soon too.

Have you got any recommendations to add to my wishlist? Have you tried any of the products i've mentioned? I'd love to know!

REVIEW // Smashbox Cream Eyeshadow

Can I just start by mentioning the packaging? How beautifully simple is that glass jar? Very. Smashbox is a brand, in my opinion, that bases its aesthetics to be very monochrome and stylish (both appealing to their target market). 

When I was in Glasgow with my Mum last month I was browsing around the high-end brands (knowing I had my Advantage Card Points stocked up), Smashbox was a stand that caught my eyes many times and so, I was intrigued to swatch more and more of their products. The Smashbox Cream Eyeshadow in ''Stone'', which is fairly similar to the budget Maybelline Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in ''Permenant Taupe'', was particularly memorable and temped me to part with my points. After having, and using, Stone for around a month now I thought it was time I split the beans. Is the Smashbox Cream any better than the Maybelline offering (1/3 the price) or do I recommend you keep your cash for something else? Keep reading to find out..

Stone - A silvery grey sheen

Honestly, the Smashbox version isn't overly more buttery or easier to blend than the budget option, but, I do think it has a better wear time. Smashbox also have available a large range of shades compared to others (except in the US.. of course..) and so this could be a reason to splash out. By choosing Stone, the tone isn't incredibly different, and so, I wouldn't repurchase it. Nevertheless, it does feel special and expensive to use - and it looks good on anyones dressing table. Overall, for £16 I don't think I could justify putting it in my basket.

Bought with my Boots Advantage Card Points (lucky me, I know).

Budget Buttery Eye Shadow

Eyeshadow is a part of the routine that's hard (for some) to perfect.You need the right tools and, of course, the actual magic worker: the product. Often, drugstore eye products are cheap and chalky, but, I really feel like the 17 Eyeshadow (very creatively named: ''brown'' - couldn't they think of anything else?) is far from what is considered a typical budget option. ''Brown'' is a classic smokey sheeny light brown.

Basically, this 17 offering is buttery smooth and much more of a quality eyeshadow than you'd expect. Personally, I like using this over the Naked Basics palette to add a neutral sheen (there ain't no clumps of glitter in this) and complete the look. (The photo, in the packaging, is from when I first bought this weeks before Christmas..) No on line link - but, have a look at the other 17 eye products here.

Do you have any recommendations for budget eye shadows to try? I love to know in the comments!

''Out with the Old, in with the New''

A camera upgrade. As you may know, I recieved the Nikon D3200 24.2 megapixel DSLR - and I love it. After having my DSLR for almost a month and having used it very often, I'm going to give my impressions and thoughts.. By the way, I use my DSLR for both blog product photography and i'm also a photography enthusiast (I enjoy street photography (despite the fact I've never done it..); landscape; fashion/styling and macro).

The D3200 is a newer version of its predessesor: the D3100 (which, honestly, didn't sound too amazing); nevertheless, all former thoughts about the D3200's brother have been amended, because the D3200 really is a great beginners camera (and a brilliant buy considering the budget price tag!). The Nikon DSLR comes with a standard 18-55mm lense, which, in my opinion, is sturdy and feels like it's built to last. Therefore, I think the quality of the NIKKOR lenses really are quite high, I feel like I can also trust Nikon with spending my money on their products (because camera accessories and lense are not cheap).

The features on this DSLR are all chosen well and all have a purpose. Positioned well, the buttons (record, play, etc) enable settings are quickly selected and changed with ease. This ensures, even for beginners, that the setup for your photos is easy as pie. Previously, I had thought ''DSLRs will be to hard to control'' and ''I'll have no idea how to get used to it'' but, my doubts have been reversed as I couldn't be happier with my new camera!

Find the Nikon D3200 DSLR here.

REVIEW // Benefit Delecta-Belles Perfume

Benefit Delecta-Belles Gift Set (£29) was another beauty related present I received for Christmas and one which I think is a very clever idea. Literally, 4 (mini - cute) perfumes at 10ml each for the price of one! Why have one scent when you can experiment with four? Just don't mix them together.. My personal favourite is ''Laugh with me Lee Lee'', which, I think, smells both fresh and intriguing.

Many online places have this out of stock, so if you look in-store 

at House Of Fraser/Boots you might be lucky to find this bargain!

REVIEW // Max Factor Miracle Touch Cream Blush

I bought the Max Factor Miracle Touch Creamy Blush (what a mouthful..) months ago and used it sparingly, but, recently I have been opting for it more and more often. Applied to the apples of my cheeks (after bronzer/contour - I always bronze up my pale face..), this cream blush looks stunning and creates a dewy, fresh result. I prefer to use the limited edition Real Techniques Cheek Brush (from the Nic's Picks Set) to apply; because just the right amount of pigmentation is dispensed.

Drugstores and highstreet shops, in my opinion, totally lack natural cream blushes; but, Max Factor's version is clever in the way it initiates a very genuine glow.

Do you have any recommendations? I'd love to hear them.

Eyeshadow Sorted In Seconds

Literally, one quick swipe over the lid with Rimmel's ScandalEyes Shadow Stick gives more pigmentation than needed and creates, in my opinion, perfected eye makeup in under a minute! Rimmel really have produced a winning product here: due to the pure strength of the shimmery taupe-brown shade.

EXTRA (If you have a minute spare): With ease, you can quickly blend the eye crayon with another eyeshadow to form further dimensions and then sweep neutral colour in the crease of your eyelid to complete the smokey eye look.

Rimmel's ScandalEyes is stocked at both Boots and Superdrug with change from a fiver - meaning you can save time in the morning and still have money in your purse!! What's not to love?

Are you interested in eye crayons? Let me know any of your recommendations by leaving me comment below!

REVIEW // Naked Basics 2 Palette

 One of the beauty products I received for Christmas was the impressive Ubran Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette (adored by everyone). Featuring 6 neutral toned, full-sized eyeshadows, the Naked palette has been loved by me and used on my eyes (almost) every day since the 25th.

SKIMP: A champagne highlight
STARK: A light red-toned matte brown (and the surname for Iron Man..)
FRISK:  A matte taupe
COVER: A medium red-toned matte brown
PRIMAL:  A medium brown
UNDONE: A smokey (so-dark-it's-almost-black) brown

The quality and pigmentation of these eyeshadows, in my opinion, definitely sets the product apart from cheaper alternatives and justifies the price-tag. My favourite combination at the moment is: using Frisk all over the lid and then Primal in the crease (blended outward seamlessly).

Overall, I would hands-down recommend the Naked Basics 2 Palette.

REVIEW // Hydraluron

If there's one skincare product you need this Winter: it's something that will enhance the power of your moisturizer and increase hydration to the maximum. That's where Hydraluron comes in.

Designed by the brand Indeed Labs, Hydraluron ''increases skin hydration from below the surface with an ultra high-quality hydraluonic acid that holds up to 1,000 times its weight in water''. Basically, after using Hydraluron your skin should be ''plumped'', refined and glowing. In my opinion, I think this is a fabulous product to really amplify my daily moisturizer - thumbs up from me!

Find Hydraluron here via the Boots website (and check out the other products in the range..).

That Pink-Purple Nail Polish Hybrid

Is this the perfect ''in-between'' shade? I think so. Riotous by Formula X (Sephora) is a new polish to my collection but it certainly has been loved already!

8 words: Formula X does live up to the hype. Yes, I said it, the consistency, the glossy shine and the colour range are all perfect - so I definitely agree with the praise already given to Formula X. "But Rachel", I hear you say, "What makes this shade any different to polishes half the price?". Well, most brands have few options - it's either: a proper purple purple; a pink or a berry, and I was in need of something inbetween them all...

I think that this particular Formula X polish is especially well designed to be worn all year round. Yeah, all year round. Winter; tick - it's part berry. Summer; tick - it's that muted bright shade. Etc, etc.

If that hasn't proved what an awesome shade this is, then I don't know what will. Find the Formula X Riotous nail varnish - here via Sephora.

REVIEW & Discount Code // The Body Shop Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream

This was possibly the only foundation I wore day-to-day on Holiday, yes, I think so.

Positives: Lightweight, long-lasting (from 10am-9pm in 30 degrees..) and blendable - literally, your fingers would work good enough as a brush (if not better - but I prefer to use brushes so I know they would buff the product in well).

Negatives: I can't seem to notice the difference between this BB Cream with Tea Tree VS one without - which is the most important and biggest selling point.. Also, the coverage is, in my opinion, most definitely not the highest (it's quite light, which is I guess the point of BB Creams, but I like something with a little more to it).

Overall, I'd say this is a fabulous mid-priced base product (£8.00 / $13.00) that couldn't have a creamier texture (it is fab-you-lus). Find the Tea Tree Flawless BB Cream here and 40% off across everything with the code: 14672 - you're welcome.

The Book Review #1 // Divergent

Yes, I'm pretty sure that all book-worms know this book already exists, but.. this post is here to tempt the minority of people who just haven't yet found a book they love. (Hopefully, if this is you, then after you've read my post then you'll be rushing out to the bookstore right away!!) Enough about the introduction, lets get down to the book.

Divergent (book 1 of 3) is a dystopian novel set in Chicargo (in the future), through the perspective of Beatrice Prior (also known as Tris). Tris unravels truths, faces difficult problems and en thrills on a complicated relationship with her instructor Four (SPOILER: later revealed as Tobias Eaton). In Divergent we follow Tris in their controlled world in which there are 5 completely different factions (based on human virtues): Candor (honesty); Erudite (intelligence); Amity (kindness & peace); Dauntless (bravery) and Abnegation, Tris's original faction (which abides in selflessness).

Tris, and all other sixteen year olds, must go through with the aptitude test. The aptitude test gives the young adults choices which will determine their faction (despite, they still have their own decision).Although, Tris is warned she is ''Divergent'' because she received 3 possible factions due to her test: Dauntless, Abnegation and Erudite... What does she choose and what do her choices mean for her? People who are Divergent are both feared and threatened, and some particular people would rather just wipe them out. Will Tris and her partner Tobias understand what this means and survive? You'll just have to read the book..

You can order Divergent via Waterstones - here, or via Amazon - here. And if you do pick up a copy I'd love to know what you think.

Lovin' Lush #3 REVIEW // LUSH Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask

Do you ever find yourself repurchasing one particular product over and over? Because it just works so well for you, well this is my product, which I guess I'd call a staple and ''holy grail''. Whenever I run out of it I just don't know what to do except for thinking - RUN TO LUSH NOW. I really am that desperate for this face mask.

The fresh garlic LUSH use in this face mask is key, because of the antiseptic properties. Tea Tree is also included due to it being antibacterial, and green grapes are not only refreshing, but, cooling too.

Minus the wet dog smell - due to garlic, I think - this is a fabulous face mask for spot-prone and oily skin. Got spots? Try this out. Got angered skin? This could be perfect for you. And it's nice to know that the lovely staff at LUSH are always happy to help.

Find the Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask - here.
To view my other Lush posts in the Lovin' Lush series click - here.

A Waterproof Mascara That Actually Is Waterproof

Waterproof, waterproof, waterproof. Have you ever had the disappointment when you discover that a mascara you just bought claiming to be "waterproof" really isn't? I had high hopes for the Max Factor False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara, again, "waterproof", so I was, yet again, intrigued to find out if this mascara would phase any differently...

1 hour after application.. no budging. 3 hours after.. no smudging. Many more hours afterwards.. still nothing. Finally *hallelujah* a mascara that lives up to its name. The only (minor-ish) problem is: removing it... Haha! Anyone got any recommendations, so that I don't have to scrub at my lashes for any longer? Thanks in advance!

REVIEW // "Silent Treatment"

 The name describes this Eye Shadow Trio by Wet'n'Wild perfectly, simply because the colours are completely so sophisticated and underrated. The three shades are a mauve-y purple (shimmer), a matte almost black and a champagne-y highlight (wow, fabulous description Rachel..). Wet'n'Wild cleverly label (on the reverse of the palette) where each shade has been intended to be used, for example: the darker brown can be applied in the crease for definition, etc, etc. This is useful for "Makeup First-timers" or just as a reminder, and of course you don't have to play by their rules...

I picked this up whilst on Holiday (check out my full haul once I upload it) and I have used it many times since, it's just such a timeless collection of colours, and I'm sure I'll have it handy to use for a while longer. Oh and at under a £5 there's no excuse for me not to try other shades in the range! (But they don't stock in the UK, yeah..).

The Sephora Brush

Before I post my entire Holiday Makeup Haul (which will be soon..) I just had to put the spotlight onto one of my favourite purchases. Sephora is a well known branch of Makeup Stores primarily found in the US and Europe. Sephora make some damn good brushes as well - two of which I had to pick up (on separate occasions..), but for today, I will be focusing on the ''Mineral Powder Brush''.

This brush is so silky and soft, it's the kind of brush that you just can't help but run along your hand for minutes straight. The brush is densely packed so it will, with ease, pick up pigmentation from even the weakest of powders. Furthermore, the circular brush head would be fab for swirling in products to achieve the most natural finish. It seems like such a versatile brush that can handle almost every product, I mean - if you can name it, this brush will cover you.

At around 18 euros / £14.00 (ish), I'd definitely recommend taking a look at the Mineral Powder Brush on line or - if you are lucky enough to live by a Sephora - in store.. Link - here.