Project Pan #5: 6 Months Of Makeup Empties

It's time for the results of another Project Pan! I've been doing a PP since around Feb/March, so this is roughly six months worth of makeup empties and it's been a challenge!

Whilst I find it relatively easy to use up skincare and body products (as you'll no doubt have seen in my monthly empties posts), finishing up makeup items is a completely different ball game. This is probably because I don't wear makeup every single day, and when I do, I like to experiment a little and reach for a different lipstick or blusher, so it takes me a long time to fully use something up.

I love doing Project Pans because they encourage you to use the makeup that you have (it's a fantastic way to cut down on those impulse buys!) and it allows you some time to properly rediscover a bunch of products that you may have neglected. You can check out my previous completed Project Pans here.

For this PP, I pulled out 10 full-size makeup products that I really wanted to use up, and a couple of samples/minis as well. Here's how I got on and what I would consider repurchasing again.

Superdrug Deep Action Mattifying Shine Control Papers (featured here)

Have used these for years and they come in very handy when you're out and about, so are perfect for keeping in your bag for a quick touch up. They blot away any shine and don't disrupt your makeup. Repurchase? I'm currently using some from Mai Couture at the moment which I prefer, but I'd pick these up again as a budget-friendly option.

MOSSA Skin Perfector BB Cream in Soft Beige

I wasn't a fan of this at all! I found the formula too thick and greasy, and the colour quickly oxidised on me. Repurchase? No.

Dr Hauschka Tinted Day Cream

This was OK and provided a little more coverage which I liked as it still looked fresh, however, I feel that it would be better suited for drier skin types than mine. Repurchase? No.

Juice Beauty Phyto-Pigments Illuminating Primer* (reviewed here)

It was a very sad day when this primer ran out as it's one of the best that I've ever tried! I absolutely loved using it and it created such a beautiful brightening base each and every time. My skin loved it as well as I never had any breakout or clogged pore problems from using it on a regular basis. Repurchase? As much as I want to, I have some other primers to use up first, though I'm sure we'll meet again in the near future! 

Giorgio Armani Skin Defense Primer SPF 50* (reviewed here)

Although I initially really liked this primer, I slowly began to fall out of love with it about halfway through the bottle because the formula began to get quite thick and gloopy, despite still being well in date. For such an expensive primer, I would rather spend my money on the Juice Beauty one above, rather than risk buying this again and being unable to use the latter half of the bottle. Repurchase? No.

NARS Audacious Mascara in Black Moon

This was OK, but it didn't impress me enough to want to purchase a full-size and I feel that there are plenty of much better mascaras out there that are half the price of this one. Repurchase? No.

Ciate Wonderland Mascara (reviewed here)

Case in point, if you are after a quality high-end mascara, buy this one from Ciate instead! I've repurchased it twice now (always when there's been a discount code or offer on though) and it's fantastic. Gives me big lashes and reminds me a lot of Too Faced's Better Than Sex Mascara. Repurchase? Yes.

GOSH Blown Away Mascara* (reviewed here)

Like I mentioned in my original review, I wasn't 'blown away' by this mascara at all. It's OK for everyday/natural looks, but ultimately, I prefer a much bigger and volumised lash so this wasn't for me. Repurchase? No.

Daniel Sandler Invisible Blotting Powder* (reviewed here)

Wow, this felt like it lasted forever! I remember hitting pan on it around Christmas time! This is a brilliant translucent pressed powder which is perfect for producing a matte finish. It never looks cakey or powdery, and really does live up to its 'invisible' name. Repurchase? Tempted! 

Lord & Berry Intensity Satin Lipstick in Brick

This was a gorgeous 90s brown-toned, reddy pink and had a similar formula to MAC's Amplified Lipsticks which I loved. I found myself wearing this shade a lot during the start of the year around Jan-April, so I was glad to have finished it up a few months ago as I've had it my makeup collection for ages! Repurchase? I have a couple of lipsticks that are a similar shade so it's a no for now.

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Creme Cup (reviewed here)

Creme Cup is one of those classic MAC shades and it's such a perfect pale pink nude that looks amazing with a smokey eye. It's also one of the few MAC lipsticks that I've ever repurchased which goes to show how much I must have liked it! Repurchase? I'm holding off as it takes me forever to use up a lipstick, and I do already have shades that are probably dupes. I will save this for Back2Mac though!

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner & Ink Liner 

I finished up two mini liquid eyeliners from Kat Von D. I didn't find that there's much difference between these two - they're both pigmented, easy to use and long-lasting, but perhaps the Tattoo Liner lasts a little bit longer? Repurchase? I would definitely buy the Tattoo Liner again.

Benefit Ready, Set, Brow!

I don't get the hype for this at all - it's basically just a clear brow gel! It does the job and does it well, but there are much cheaper products that are virtually identical to this, so I'm glad that I picked it up as a magazine freebie because I wouldn't pay full price for it. Repurchase? No.

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolour Cheek Gelee in Poppy Paradise (featured here)

Remember when these were all over blogs and Youtube?! I've gotten through a pot of this Poppy Paradise shade before and I still love it! Very easy to sheer out and it looks so pretty and fresh on. Repurchase? I have too many similar products to justify buying another one right now :(

Eylure Brow Amplifier in No 10 Dark Brown (featured here)

I've repurchased this before and still like it a lot. Super easy to use, it has a teeny tiny brush so that you can fill in small gaps for fuller brows. Doesn't smudge, looks natural and stays put all day. Repurchase? I'm trying out some different brow products at the moment and I think I've found one that I prefer over this - sorry Eylure!

Have you ever done a Project Pan?

Have you tried any of the products that I used up?

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Project Pan #4: 6 Months of Makeup Empties!

Last Summer, I set myself another Project Pan target to see if I could use up 15 makeup products before the 7th January 2018 - here's how I got on!

I've been doing regular Project Pans to declutter my makeup stash for a while now (check out my previous posts here), and they've been a great way to help me rediscover forgotten favourites that have been hiding at the back of my collection. It's also a good way to save yourself some money and is a real motivator to keep you going when you're on a 'No Buy'! 

If you haven't heard of a Project Pan before, you basically pull out all the makeup that you want to use up, set a time frame, and well, use it up! You can follow the rules/goals of someone else's Project Pan (check Instagram, Youtube or Facebook groups), or simply make up your own like I did which was to use up 15 makeup products before 7th January 2018. 

I fell short of the mark by one product, but I'm still pretty pleased that I managed to use up 14! Below is everything that I finished off and whether I would repurchase them again:-

Base Products, Foundations & Concealers

• ILIA Vivid Foundation in F3 Santorini* - (review & swatches here) - This has been my go-to foundation for the past few months, especially since the weather started to turn colder as it's quite moisturising. I love the dewy, 'fresh face' finish that this foundation gives, it blends well and I would recommend it to anyone who wants buildable coverage, but doesn't want to look like they're caked in product. F3 Santorini was a great match for my olive skin and I didn't have any problems with oxidation or anything like that. It's expensive though which is the only downside! Repurchase? I would love to buy this again when I've used up some other foundations, but it's definitely a treat purchase!

• La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC Creme SPF 30* - (review here) - I used this CC a lot during the Summer, and it's ideal for toning down and helping to cover up any redness. I found it gave me a lot more coverage than most CC style products, so it's a nice one to have in your makeup stash for those days when you don't want to wear a foundation. Repurchase? Maybe when it's Summer again as I didn't reach for it at any other time.

• Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturiser Tint SPF 30* - Another Summer favourite was this beauty from Perricone MD. I really loved this tinted moisturiser as it feels so silky soft on the skin and gives a lovely, healthy hint of colour that's perfect for 'no makeup days' and holidays. Repurchase? Yes. 

• RMS Beauty Un-Cover Up in 22* - (review & swatches here) - This little pot of multi-purpose goodness lasted for almost a year thanks to its 'a little goes a long way' formula. You can use it as a foundation or as a concealer, and it works well both ways, though I tended to use it more as a light-medium coverage base. Repurchase? Yes.

Bronzers

• Vita Liberata Trystal Self-Tanning Bronzing Minerals* (review here) - I finally used up a bronzer! This loose mineral-based bronzer from Vita Liberata contains DHA which gives you a light, buildable, gradual tan in the process, and can be used on both body and face. Gives a gorgeous, healthy-looking glow which looks great all year round. Repurchase? Yes.

Eyeliners & Eyeshadows

• Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Eyeliner (review here) - I've lost count of how many times I've repurchased this as it's one of my favourite liquid eyeliner pens. I love how easy it is to use and it has a beautiful glossy sheen to it. Stays put all day on me! Repurchase? Currently using Kat Von D, but I'm sure I'll go back to this at some point!

• Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Black Amethyst - When I don't want to wear straight up black, I found myself constantly reaching for this liner instead which comes in a gorgeous blackened-purple shade. Adds a little something different to a smokey eye and pairs incredibly well with dark brown eyes. Smudgeproof and long wearing. Repurchase? Yes.

• Daniel Sandler Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner in Black Velvet - (review here) - An old time favourite of mine, I've been using this seriously underrated Daniel Sandler eyeliner for years and must have gone through at least three or four of them. Affordable (less than a tenner), pigmented and can be used to create a wicked, thick and grungey smokey eye. Repurchase? Yes.

• ILIA Silken Shadow Stick in In Between Days* - (review here) - Oh how I enjoyed using this eyeshadow stick for about a month or so, and then it started to dry out and crumble! This shade was a pretty warm golden shimmer for everyday wear, but it needed a primer underneath to stop it from creasing on my oily lids. Repurchase? No.

Mascaras

• GOSH My Favourite Mascara* - (review here) - I'm definitely a big lash kinda gal, so natural looking mascaras never really do it for me. This was fine for casual days, but I didn't use it very often and then it dried up. Repurchase? No.

• Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara* - (review here) - Now this is my favourite mascara! I love everything about it - it makes my lashes look thicker and bigger, doesn't smudge or flake, and stays put until I want to take it off. Perfect! Repurchase? Yes.

• DHC Double Protection Mascara* - (review here) - Despite enjoying this mascara and putting it into a favourites post last year, I've since changed my mind because it dried up so quickly. The formula itself is great, but I'm so disappointed to see it dry out so fast. Repurchase? No.

• PUR Fully Charged Mascara - I picked this up in a GWP and was excited to try it, but sadly this mascara was a fail for me. It flaked, smudged and just turned into a mess within hours of wearing it. Repurchase? Nope!

Lip Products

• Korres Lip Butter In Wild Rose - I didn't manage to use up any lip products this time around, but I wanted to include this tinted lip butter from Korres as it's very pigmented and can easily pass as a lip stain in my eyes! Provides a super pretty rosy red tint to the lips and feels really moisturising. Repurchase? Yes.

Have you ever done a Project Pan like this?

Have you tried any of the products that I used up?

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July Beauty & Lifestyle Favourites

It's time for my July favourites and this month, I've included an extra lifestyle/gym product for good measure. Here's what I've been loving lately!

Activbod Turn Up The Heat Roller Gel* (50ml, £12, link)

I usually like to stick to all beauty products in my monthly favourites, but I've been so impressed with this product from Activbod that I just had to include it. I discovered it in a Fitty London box that I recently reviewed for All Subscription Boxes, and it's awesome! It's basically a roller ball gel that you apply to any aches and sprains after intense workouts and it contains ingredients such as Arnica, Rosemary, and Ginger to warm and soothe aching muscles. I do a lot of Pilates and Yoga so this really helps if I've overstretched something! 

KiteNest Organic Dry Shampoo* (150g, £10, link)

I use a lot of dry shampoo in the warmer Summer months to freshen up my hair in between washes and to keep excess oil at bay, and this new one from British brand KiteNest is one of the best that I've tried in a long while. It's 100% natural, cruelty-free and organic, and it's also talc-free which is really interesting to see in a dry shampoo. Instead, it uses a blend of clays and natural powders to soak up any grease and dirt, and there are also some essential oils in the formula which makes my hair smell lovely and fresh. There are two types available; one for Light Hair tones and one for Dark (I've got the latter) and it really works a treat without leaving a white or ashy/grey cast. Definitely a brand to look into as they have some great eco-friendly ethics.

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Liquid Blush in Angel (15ml, £16.50, link)

A few weeks ago, I decided to 'shop my makeup stash' and in the process, I rediscovered a lot of favourite products that I'd been neglecting. One of them was this beautiful Watercolour Liquid Blush from Daniel Sandler. I've got a couple of these in various shades, but my favourite is definitely Angel, which is so pretty and suits practically all skin tones. It has a hint of shimmer in it so it's perfect for a little Summer glow on the cheeks.

Spectrum Collections Small Fan Brush A10* (£4.99, link)

From this month's Glossybox, I've been loving this super cute Fan Brush from Spectrum. Not only do I love the colours, but the synthetic bristles are wonderfully silky soft on the skin and it applies powder highlighter exactly where you want it, plus you can use it to apply setting powder underneath the eyes without it upsetting your concealer. I need to pick up some more of these Spectrum brushes ASAP!

Urban Veda Soothing Body Wash* (200ml, £8.99, link)

The scent of this body wash is just heavenly. It's packed full of natural essential oils such as Sandalwood and Ylang Ylang, and the SLS-free formula is really moisturising too. Fantastic for dry skin that needs a soothing pamper in the shower. Lovely stuff indeed.

Oribe Dry Texturising Spray (75ml, £20, link)

Yes, it's ridiculously overpriced (luckily I snagged this in an awesome GWP!), but I've still been unable to find anything that works equally as well for my flat-as-a-pancake fine hair, as this bad boy does. I use it very sparingly and thankfully I don't need much to guarantee a good hair day every time I use it.  If you haven't tried it yet, you need to. Just take my money Oribe!

What are your beauty favourites this month?

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Budget Beauty: You Beauty Box - December 2016 review

December's You Beauty box has arrived, and I cheekily decided to upgrade to the Gold membership thanks to an awesome shortlist of products being featured this month.

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Beauty Tips: 5 Ways To Keep Your Face Looking Matte & Flawless This Summer

Summer is officially here (hooray!) and the weather is slowly but surely heating up. Keep your makeup looking flawless with one or two of these mattifying heroes, and you'll look picture perfect in all of your holiday snaps.

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Makeup Edit: My Current Favourite Black Eyeliners

A trusty black eyeliner is a must have item in my makeup bag, as it makes a huge difference to the appearance and definition of my eyes in a matter of minutes (plus it's a really easy way to look more polished and pulled together if you're feeling hungover...!).

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November Favourites

November was another great month for discovering some new beauty favourites and there's a little bit of everything in this post, from makeup to skincare to haircare. Enjoy!

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Review: Latest In Beauty - 'Get The Gloss Beauty Insider's Kit' 2015

I don't know how they do it, but Latest In Beauty have managed to release another stellar beauty box.  This time around, they have teamed up with Get The Gloss to create a special Beauty Insider's Kit featuring products picked by the GTG team.  Let's have a look inside!

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Shopping My Stash: Easy NYE Makeup for Eyes & Lips

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!  I've been shopping my makeup stash for tomorrow's NYE celebrations and have rediscovered some new and old favourites for eyes and lips.

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August Favourites

Here are the products I've been particularly head over heels in love recently.

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What's New in my Makeup Bag

I try to reshuffle the contents of my makeup bag every now and again, so I thought I'd share some new additions that I've been loving lately.

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GIVEAWAY! Win a Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush of your choice!

I recently added a new Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush to my collection and I'm so enamoured with it, I thought I'd do a cheeky little giveaway!

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The Black Eyeliner Stash

Black eyeliner has been a staple of mine for as long as I can remember.  Whether I want a sexy cat eye flick, a thicker, more grungey/smokey line, or a subtle touch of definition for everyday, black eyeliner is where it's at. 

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The One & Only Make-Up Tag

I was tagged by the lovely Ana from Anagoesgreen to do the One & Only Tag that's currently circulating on the blogosphere.  It was tough going through my make-up collection and compiling what's essentially an ultimate favourites list, but here we go - these are my final picks to the question "If you could only have one.....what would it be?".

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August Favourites

My August beauty favourites are reflective of some of the very best products I've been loving over the summer months.  When I gathered them up, I thought they looked like a rather happy bunch, don't you think?  Let's take a closer look.  

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Review: Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer in Beige

 Daniel Sandler Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer in Beige* (30g/3g, £25.19, link)

Ever since falling in love with Daniel Sandler's Watercolour Blushers, I've had my eye on a few of his other products (as well as the rest of the shade range of those blushers!).  I've recently been trying out his Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer, a product which has been on my wishlist for a very long time since I saw the Pixiwoo girls recommend it. 

Daniel Sandler's Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer comes in a chunky but ultra 2 in 1 compact which is packaged in a high quality plastic that almost looks like glass and metal.  The concealer is situated on top and it has a little mirror inside the lid.  Turn the whole compact in the middle and there you find the liquid foundation...

...with a strange little spatula!  For some reason I was expecting to see a mini pump of some sort, so when I saw this tiny little flexible spoon, I was rather intrigued by it at first.  However, after using it a few times, the novelty soon wore off for me as I find it a bit fiddly and time-consuming to use, but I guess it's good for hygiene reasons or something?

The concealer and foundation are matched perfectly to one specific shade, so you just choose whichever foundation colour looks best for your skintone.  I can say that Beige was a good choice for my light olive complexion.   It's a tiny bit dark for me right now as we're in winter, but as soon as Spring starts up, this will match me perfectly.

Concealer
Creamy and blends easily under the eyes and over any blemishes.  Coverage wise it's light and will sheer out the more you blend it.  If you do use it under the eyes, you may want to use it with another concealer or corrector as well if you have very dark circles like I do, as this alone doesn't completely cover them up.  So personally I find it better for concealing small blemishes with a little powder over the top to set it, and it lasted a few hours before I needed to reapply.

Foundation
Blends beautifully into the skin and looks flawless when used with my Real Techniques Buffing Brush, but good results can be achieved with just using your fingers too.  There's not much of a noticeable scent either which I like.  It has a decent light-medium coverage range and feels light as a feather on the skin.  Gives a fresh and dewy finish which I usually steer clear of given that I have oily/combination skin, but I just powdered my t-zone down and was good to go!  If you do have just oily skin though, give this a miss, as it's much better suited for those with drier skintypes as it's very hydrating.  This lasted on me without a primer, for around 7-8 hours before it started to fade.

Whilst this isn't my HG foundation, I do like it a lot, and was surprised by how well the concealer and foundation shade matched.  It's a handy compact to have in your make-up bag, but I do wish the concealer gave better coverage.

Available from Hairtrade.com

Have you tried Daniel Sandler's Invisible Radiance Foundation & Concealer?   

Do you like 2 in 1 products like this?

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Best of 2012: Part 1 - Make-Up

I'm back from my internet-free festive break and I hope you all had a lovely Christmas!  As we're in the very last days of 2012, it seems only right to have a beauty recap of the year.  There were so many products that I wanted to include, so I've split my 'Best Of 2012' into two parts; one for make-up and one for general skin/hair/bodycare.  So without further ado, below are some of my favourite make-up products that I enjoyed using in 2012:-  

2012 saw the much anticipated UK release of Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butters.  I loved the hype across the blogosphere for these lip balm/lip stick hybrids and rushed out to purchase a handful like everyone else.  You can see swatches of my favourite top 5 shades here.  I also began to grow my little collection of Korres Lip Butters!

Out of all the make-up related purchases that I made throughout the year, my best investment was definitely getting two sets of Real Techniques brushes.  I received the Core Collection for my birthday and soon purchased the Your Eyes / Enhanced Starter Set afterwards.  I use these brushes virtually everyday and couldn't imagine being without them now! 

One make-up collection that really stood out for me in 2012, was the release of Liz Earle's full capsule collection.  Everything that I have tried from this range, I've just simply loved, and I already have my eye on a few more bits that I'd like to try in 2013!  You can read my reviews of Liz Earle's make-up here. 

Aside from the Lip Butters mentioned above, Revlon also released their amazing Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, my favourite shade being Honey (pictured above).  Another big 2012 hyped product came in the form of a pink pot of magic nail polish remover by Bourjois which I reviewed and raved about here.

I also discovered lots of products for the first time in 2012 that quickly made my coveted Holy Grail list.  Some of these include bare Minerals Original Foundation, MAC Sheertone Blush in Blushbaby, MAC Powder Blush in Harmony and Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Cherub.  Other mention-worthy favourites were MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Shy Girl, Essential Care Mineral Lipstick in Praline and terre d'Oc Sublime Lip Gloss in Rose Ubud. 

I'm sure that there are many more make-up favourites that I've forgotten to include, so check out my general favourites tag for more fab products that I loved throughout 2012.  Will post part 2 tomorrow!

What make-up items would feature in your Best of 2012?

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November Favourites

It's been another good month for discovering new beauty favourites.  This selection features a bit of skincare, bodycare and of course, make-up!  So without further ado, here are the products I have been loving throughout November:-

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Review: Daniel Sandler Watercolour Liquid Blush in Cherub

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Liquid Blush in Cherub (15ml, £14.49)*

Oh Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blushers, where have you been all of my life?!  Wait, I already know the answer to that question - you've been stuck on my enormous beauty wishlist for far too long, that's where you've been hiding, d'oh!  But yeah, this dinky little tube of liquid blusher is AMAZING.

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October Favourites

I know I say this every month, but doesn't time fly? I usually try to pick just a handful of favourite products, but October was such a good month for discovering some new (and old) ones that there are about two handfuls here. Oh well! Here's what I loved:-

Purity Conditioning Cleansing Lotion - my new make-up remover that is incredibly gentle and just lovely to use. I have used Lush's Ultrabland for around two years but feel that this light Purity one may replace it. We'll see. Purity Facial Exfoliator - so, so good! One of the best exfoliators I've ever tried. Korres Body Butter in Quince - I wasn't sure of this at first but the scent has really grown on me, was from my Boudoir Prive box. Montagne Jeunesse Sauna Masque - amazing self-heating mask that smells great and leaves skin feeling thoroughly cleansed, and they're so cheap!

Dermalogica Lip Complex - my favourite Dermalogica product out of the three sent by Glossybox, I've nearly used it all up (well it is tiny!). L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - a go-to hand cream that I've used for years and was happy to pick up as a magazine freebie. If you have dry hands, using this will make them all soft and supple again. Ceteum SCR Gold Illuminating Mask - a great exfoliating mask that makes skin look visibly clearer and brighter, I was very impressed with this. Another Boudoir Prive fav! Daniel Sandler Eye Delight in Peach - I was so unsure of this to start with but when I tried it, it just suited my skintone beautifully and is really easy to blend with, from my Carmine box.

The Balm Blush in Fratboy - this has soon become an all time favourite blush of mine, it's just so nice and subtle to add some colour to your face, also from the Carmine box. Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel - Snow Fairy is back and I still love using it, smells like cotton candy! Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Moray - gorgeous olive/khaki green with a gold undertone and it stays put until you remove it, my favourite item from Glossybox. StudioMakeUp Line Styler Pen - I was worried that this would be quite smudgy but it stayed put well with primer underneath and its fine tip makes doing flicks and cat eyes super easy, another Boudoir Prive fav.

What have been your favourite products recently?

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