Along Came Betty Fix Me Quick Mattifier Primer Stick

Along Came Betty are a budget beauty brand exclusive to Tesco who make makeup and toiletries at very affordable prices. Recently I reviewed the brow kit and I have also recieved a few gift sets and have really enjoyed all the products.

Sometimes I see a product, see that it's interesting and cheap and buy it even though I may not need it! That is what happened with this product! I picked this up for £3.95 after testing it on the back of my hand and thinking it felt really nice. I don't have oily or shiny skin and don't need to be 'mattified' so this product isn't really aimed at me! That being said, I do like a primer and so decided to give this a go.

The product comes in a plastic tube and winds up like a lipbalm. The product is solid but melts easily onto the skin. I tend to need primer on my forehead and cheeks and so apply this directly to these areas them gently blend it with my fingers. This feels really silky on the skin and reminds me of the feeling that Porefessional gives. My skin is left instantly matte. This can also be applied over the top of makeup which woild be handy for people who get a shiny face as the day goes on. I love the feeling of this on my skin and my foundation applies easily and doesn't sink into my face as much. The problem I do have is I feel like the rest of my makeup doesn't sit right next to the primer patches. I have tried using this on my whole face but it makes my makeup crease or shift on my face.
I got this for £3.95 on Tesco however I have seen it advertised for various prices, up to £5.95. If you are prone to a shiny face then I woild suggest picking this up and seeing how it works for you. However for me, this isn't a product that I will be buying again.

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Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

I didn't jump on the Baby Lips bandwagon. To be honest, I haven't even tried them yet! I love my lipbalm but they just didn't really appeal to me and I'm not overly keen on tinted lipbalms. When I saw Baby skin however, I was slightly more intrigued and decided to give it a go.

Firstly the packaging. The tube is pretty cute and the colours straight away remind me of the Benefit Porefessional. I like the nozzle of the tube as it allows the product to come out slowly and in small amounts. Instantly I disliked the name of this primer. I understand it's the brand, like Baby Lips, but I just don't think that it suits the product. On both the front and the back of the packaging they have felt the need to print 'Only for adults'! If this was required then Maybelline should have realised the name was no use!

The product is designed to be used as a primer but can also be worn on it's own. It is a thick gel and has a similar consistency to Porefessional. I am not sure if this was made as a dupe of the Benefit primer but it claims to do the same thing and has similar packaging so it will obviously be compared. I have Porefessional and like it but it isn't something I use very often. My pores are not big and not particularly visible however application of this did nothing to mask them at all. It feels nice to apply but doesn't leave quite as silky a finish as the Benefit equivalent. My makeup applied well and didn't soak into my skin as much, meaning I was able to use less. It stayed put all day but I have that result with most primers.
This claims to be a pore eraser and in my opinion it just doesn't do that job. The tiny tube contains only 22ml of product, the same quantity as Porefessional. This is £7.99 which, although much cheaper than Benefit's offering, is not cheap enough considering it doesn't really do the job it claims to do. I will use this as a primer, because my pores are not big and don't bother me, but I don't see myself repurchasing.
Have you used Baby Skin? I'd love to know what you think!

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Smooch Cosmetics

Smooch - cosmetics with sex appeal

Smooch is a range of cosmetics designed in 2011 to merge makeup with lingerie! The lace designs and smooth feeling of the packaging make these really lovely, sexy products to have on your dressing table. The products are high quality but surprisingly affordable.
Bronzer - Bronzed £13.95*

The packaging of all the items is gorgeous and this one is no exception. Inside the box, the case is a lovely, rubber-coated feel with the name in gold letters. This also has the added plus of a mirror inside the case and it's own brush. I never tend to use the brushes included in products unless I am travelling but I did try this for the purpose of the review and find it is really lovely and soft and big enough to apply my bronzer evenly. The bronzer itself is fairly dark in colour but full of shimmer. I apply lightly on neck and chest for a bronzed glow or slightly darker for a contour. The powder is soft, applies easily and is very blendable.
Blusher - Duo Blusher £8.50*

There is no shade name printed on the box and two are available, however from the photos on the website I think this is Peachy. This is a duo blush with the colours different but side by side. They are both very similar and I have been using it as one colour and blending the shades. This makes a gorgeous peach shade which is very natural looking. Although very neutral, this is highly pigmented and shows up really well on my skin. The colour lasts all day without fading. I really like this product and think it would be lovely for anyone with a similar skin tone to myself.
Duo Eyeshadow - Wag £9.50*

Again with this eyeshadow duo and the blusher, a mirror is inside the case which is really handy and a nice touch. The mini palette contains two shimmer shades, a dark navy blue and a lighter grey blue. I will admit firstly that I rarely wear shades that are blue or as dark as these. I do however wear grey shades and so began making use of the lighter shade. I applied a base of another shadow with no primer and then used this shade in the outer corner and smoked it out. The colour did not fade or smudge and stayed in place all day! It is very pigmented so there was a little fall out but that was easily tidied up with some under eye concealer.
Liquid Eyeliner £6.95*

If there is one beauty thing that I fail at, it's liquid eyeliner. I'm just absolutely rubbish at applying it. I don't have a steady hand and I struggle to get a neat line. The packaging of this one is really lovely and the tip is a nice size. I have only tested this on my hand but it's very pigmented, dries quickly and doesn't smudge.
Kohl Liner £4.95*

Eyeliner pencil is a product I use every single day on my waterline and occasionally on my eyelids. This pencil is soft and doesn't drag when applied. The other end of the pencil has a smudger which I have used, especially on my eyelids. Since I'm not great at applying a smooth line, a smudger is always handy to blend away any mistakes! I applied this first thing in the morning and after a busy day the liner was still in my waterline however it had smudged under my eye and I had to wipe away to avoid the panda eye look!

Lipstick - Commando £7.50*

I love love love this! Firstly the packaging is my favourite of all the products. The tube of the lipstick looks like it is wearing pink lacey stockings. The colour is a perfect nude, great for any occasion. It is a very sheer colour but shows up well on my lips. This feels instantly moisturising on the lips and doesn't dry them out at all. It doesn't provide very long lasting colour but I'm used to reapplying my lipstick several times throughout the day anyway and this doesn't bother me.
I am seriously impressed at Smooch cosmetics and will definitely be picking up some more products from the website, especially another lipstick!
To find out more or to purchase, see the website at www.smoochcosmeticsuk.com
*PR Samples

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Benefit Tan About Town - Review

I spotted this wee set at the till in Boots and it kept tempting me! Eventually I gave in and picked it up in a recent haul. At £9.50 for 3 mini sized products this is by no means a cheap purchase but they are Benefit and the full sizes well set you back a lot more.

Firstly the set is really cute and would make a nice little gift for someone. It contains 3 mini products; Some Kind-a Gorgeous foundation in the shade medium, Hoola bronzer and Bad Gal Lash mascara.

The packaging of the items itself is fairly decent. The foundation is in a sturdy little pot and the mascara is in the usual packaging, just small sized. The only slight let down is the bronzer which is in a very flimsy, thin plastic package.

Some Kinda-a Gorgeous is a foundation but it looks more like a concealer. The shade is medium which is perfect for me however I didn't see it available in other shades. This is fairly limiting for the people who can buy the set however I suppose the idea, as the name suggests, is that you use this when you are tanned. This is definitely a light to medium coverage foundation and best applied with fingers. Personally I don't use this as an all over foundation and instead take it in my bag to use for touch ups.

Hoola bronzer is a lot of bloggers favourite and is highly talked about. I love the colour of this as it's not too dark for my fairly pale skin. I use this for contour and don't think I would use it as a face and neck bronzer as it isn't shimmery enough. As a contour it works well for me and I apply under my cheeks, my temples and my jawline.

The thing I love about the Bad Gal Lash mascara is the brush. I do like plastic brushes but I seem to get a better result with a bit bristle brush like this one. Although the tube is small size, the brush is full size and basically fills the tube. This is a lovely volumising mascara and works well for me if I apply a layer of lengthening mascara as a basecoat.

Overall I am really happy with this little set and think it was well worth the £9.50 I paid. I noticed recently that Boots have another similar set, also £9.50 but with a mini High Beam and I think I will pick that one up next!

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December Empties

Firstly I have to apologise for how late this post is. I have been struggling to get any decent light for photos and so decided to order some lighting. I held off writing this post, waiting for the lighting to arrive however it arrived broken! I have not yet managed to get a replacement and so I have to take the photos in my terribly lit bedroom so I apologise for the poor quality!

I am always pretty good at using products up before I move onto a new one and so my empties posts are usually fairly long. This one is exceptionally long and I can only put that down to being on holiday from work and having more time to use products. 

Hair

How have I managed to use up 4 shampoos?! I think I started 2 of them at the shame time and my boyfriend was also using one but that still seems like an awful lot of shampoo!

Alberto Balsam Mandarin and Papaya and Sun Kissed Raspberry 

This is usually our shampoo of choice and appears in most of my empties posts! It smells nice, is cheap, does the job and keeps my scalp in nice condition. 

Repurchase? Yes

So...? Dry Shampoo

I used this once and it ran out so I'm not impressed at all!

Repurchase? No

BiOrganics Replenisihing Treatment*

I enjoyed using this and got a good result as it left my hair full of volume and healthy feeling. As I began to get near the end of the bottle though, the design of the packaging made it impossible for me to get the product out and loads was wasted. 

Repurchase? Maybe, as a treat.

Phil Smith Be Gorgeous Moisture Rich Shampoo*

I adore the Phil Smith range and have recently bought some more products to try. This shampoo smells absolutely amazing and left my hair clean feeling and shiny. I took a break from using it as I felt it was drying out my scalp a little and so decided not to use it as a daily shampoo. 

Repurchase? Yes

Bath and Shower

Faith In Nature Aloe Vera & Ylang Ylang Shower Gel & Bath Foam*

I used this as a shower gel to make it last longer than it would as a bubble bath. This smells lovely and has the same soothing scent as essential oils. It foams up really well, especially on a shower puff and a little goes a really long way. 

Repurchase? Yes

Anovia Berry Burst Shower Gel*

This is a really affordable shower gel and suitable for all the family. This smells really nice, fresh and sweet! What I like about this product is that it's a really thick gel, almost like jelly and so you only need a small amount. It lathers up really well and leaves your skin squeaky clean.

Repurchase? Yes

Lush Snowman Bath Bomb

I picked this up in the half price sale after hearing great things about it. Although it isn't as exciting as some of the bath bombs, this leaves a residue on the skin and adds moisture.

Repurchase? Yes

Tranquility Bath Cool Detox Bath Soufflé*

Another lovely bath bomb that, although not spectacular to watch, really feels like it does something for your skin. These are also really affordable and so great for treating yourself.

Repurchase? Yes

Jelly Belly Top Banana Bath Salts

The wee one got these for Christmas last year and we started using them so as to get them out of the bathroom. They smell horrible and don't dissolve into the bath very well!

Repurchase? No 

Body and Perfume 

Carex Cola Bottles Hand Soap

I love love love these amazing sweets hand soaps! They sounds like they would be sticky and not clean but they are actually amazing and I find them really fresh smelling. 

Repurchase? Yes

Soap & Glory Hand Food

I'm addicted to Handcream and apply it several times throughout the day. This is a lovely, hydrating cream but I'm not overly keen on the smell.

Repurchase? Yes

Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan

I am a huge tan addict and have tried many products. To date this is by far my favourite and I really don't think I can fault it! Definitely worth a try!

Repurchase? Yes

Sure Clear Pure

Sure is my favourite deodorant and I can't fault it.

Repurchase? Yes

Perfume Samples - Nina, Ghost, Juicy Couture 

These all came from my Boots advent calendar and it's been lovely to try some new perfumes. I woild maybe buy Nina again in the future as I have had it before and love it.

Face

Face Wipes - T-Zone and Tesco 

I only really use face wipes to sort makeup mistakes or wipe my foundation fingers onto! I like both of these though and they are really cheap.

Repurchase? Yes

Botanics All Bright Toner

I really enjoyed this actually and loved how it felt on my skin. It doesn't sting at all and is lovely and fresh feeling. 

Repurchase? Yes

Max Factor Facefinity Foundation

I actually really enjoyed this and will be looking to pick it up again soon. With this foundation you really don't need concealer as it acts as primer, concealer and foundation in one.

Repurchase? Yes

Vichy Serum Samples

I enjoyed these but I'm not sure if they are as amazing as they claim to be! I didn't enjoy the smell and I'm not sure if I would splash out on a full bottle.

Repurchase? Maybe 

The Body Shop Born Lippy

I got this for free and I did enjoy it but it's a bit slippery on the lips and not as hydrating as I woild like.

Repurchase? Maybe

Melvita Fresh Micellar Water

I got this at an event and actually haven't heard of this product before. I will have to look into it as it does a lovely job and smells really nice.

Repurchase? Maybe, if it's not too expensive 

 

 

 

 

No7 MakeUp Brush Cleanser - Review

I picked this up on Boxing Day using my points. It wasn't in the sale but I have heard great things and really wanted to try this out. I will hold my hands up and admit that I haven't always been good when it comes to cleaning my brushes. I'm fairly lazy and I don't have a warm enough house to allow my brushes to dry overnight. What attracted me to this product is it cleanes your brushes when they don't need a deep clean.

This cleanser is £8 which for me is fairly pricey. The cleanser is for daily use and still recommends a monthly deep clean of your brushes. I haven't been using this daily but have managed to use it at least once a week. 

I find a tissue too thin for this job and so I use kitchen roll. I dispense one or two pumps of the product onto my kitchen roll and lightly rub my brush on the damp cloth. The makeup and dirt simply melts away from the brush onto the cloth. The brush is left clean feeling and clean smelling. The bristles aren't soaked and so they dry after a few hours. The bristles are really soft after being cleansed which is a real bonus. I love this product and the result is better than I could have hoped for.

When I first bought this bottle, I cleansed all of my daily use brushes. I use 3 complexion brushes and 4 eye brushes on a daily basis however it took me nearly a fifth of the bottle to lightly cleanse these. I can't see this bottle lasting me for a long time which isn't great considering the price. 

I really like the result of this and I will be repurchasing but I would love to find something that does the same job for a smaller price. 

HealGel Face - Review

HealGel Face £48*

This step-changing complex acts like HealGel Intensive to rescue unhappy skin, but then takes its transformative effect to the next level.  Arnica and Madecassoside are suspended in liposomes with powerful peptides and biodynes to initiate a uniquely soothing and collagen boosting process.  HealGel Face also contains a unique blend of Omega Oils to replenish dehydrated skin and restore elasticity.  To this another vital dimension is added; a powerful three part hyaluronic acid complex provides a plumping and tightening effect. 

As always I will start with the packaging. When I first saw the box I wasn't sure what to make of it. For a high-end priced skincare product, I didn't think the box looked very impressive. The box has gone for a very simple, almost medical look. It reminds me of the instructions that come on prescription drugs. When I opened the box I found that this theme continued onto the bottle. On the bottle however, it looks interesting and smart because the bottle is really high quality. 

Although called a gel, the product is actually like a serum or a light cream. If you have tried the Vichy serum, I would say the texture is very similar and they looked the same on my hand, with a slight sheen running through the product. 

One thing I am not sure of is where this product is supposed to come in your skincare routine. It isn't really a moisturiser so I have been using it as a serum. I cleanse and tone, apply the HealGel and then wait until I am going to bed to apply my moisturiser. 

The HealGel is really lovely to apply and feels like a treat for your skin! I use two pumps of the product, dab it on my face then massage it into my skin. The product absorbs well, hydrates the skin and leaves a luxurious feeling. The gel is lovely to apply under makeup as it creates a nice base and doesn't leave an oily finish. 

After 3 days of using this twice daily, I really began to see the effects on my skin. My skin looks healthy, hydrated and even. I don't have many blemishes but I do have a small amount of redness and it was here I noticed the difference the most. My skintone seemed to be very evened out. 

This product comes with a fairly hefty price tag but contains 50ml and I'm only using a very small amount daily. I may try to cut down to one pump instead of two so as to make it go further. From the website I see that an eye version is also available and I would be really interested to try this!

For more information or to purchase, see the website  http://healgel.co.uk

*PR Sample