You Little Beauty - Optimum PhytoHydrate Micellar Tonic - £5 for 200ml

If you are a regular reader of my posts, then you will know how much I love (a) cruelty-free and/or vegan products, (b) Superdrug's own brand of skincare for effectiveness and price-point, and (c) using a toner in my cleansing routine.  Oh, and red wine, I LOVE red wine but you guys already know this.

Sadly, the last two toners I'd recently bought had left my skin very dry and uncomfortable (they went straight into the bin) and I didn't want to succumb to forking out £40 for my favourite one; Shiseido's WrinkleResist24 - money that I don't have at the moment so it meant a bit of investigative work online.  What was I going to buy?

As a regular purchaser of Superdrug's Optimum range, first of all, I was drawn to the colour of this Micellar Water - it is a lovely sage green and it said on the bottle 'anti-dehydration'.  Upon reading the blurb, it said that it contained pure raw sap from Nordic Silver Birch Trees (which are sustainably harvested) which is supposed to be super-hydrating for the skin and full of minerals, nutrients and antioxidants.  Also, the formulation is based on micellar technology which is oil and water combined particles (known as micelles) so when the micelles come into contact with the skin, the oil traps the dirt into the water.  

That evening in my bathroom, I cleaned my skin with Neal's Yard Calendula Cleanser, removed that with WaterWipes and then reached for the Micellar Tonic.  As I unscrewed the cap, I was immediately taken back to my childhood due to the scent of it - it smells of Love Heart Sweets!  Now, I don't like skin and body care products that smell of food so it took me a while to get used to the scent.  Also, be careful as to who much you use - you only need a smidge, as it appeared to have a foaming texture. How odd.  I checked the ingredient list for sodium laureth sulfates (the foaming agents that are used in shampoos, for example, which can be drying) but it didn't contain them.  Hmm, it had to be something so I checked the ingredient list with my Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and found that it contains cocamidopropl hydroxysultaine which is a foaming booster....ah, that would explain that then.  

So I was a bit concerned that this new Micellar Water would dry my skin out like the others had but it hasn't at all.  It's lovely to use, so long as you don't drown your cotton wool pad in it.  A little does go a long way so the 200ml bottle will last me ages.  I've been using it a month now, twice a day and I'm not even half way through it.  It fully cleans my skin after my cleanser and feels very comfortable indeed.

While researching birch water for this blog, I have found out that different countries use it for different ailments or conditions and apparently, some Eastern European countries use it 'against freckles' so I wonder if mine will diminish over time?  

Also, the benefits of drinking birch water is surpassing those of hydrating coconut water - although please don't drink this!  Oh and one more little nugget of information, you can make wine from birch water too!

So, it looks like this Sap is a winner and I will be purchasing this cleansing and refreshing little beauty again.  It is endorsed by the cruelty-free bunny logo so it's not (nor the ingredients in it) been tested on animals and the bottle and the cap are recyclable too.

For more information on toners, you can read my blog written 24/04/15 entitled "Cleanse, WHAT and moisturise?  The Elusive 2nd Skincare Step!" 

www.superdrug.com

You Little Beauty - The Ordinary Foundations - £6

What is so extraordinary about The Ordinary?  

There are a few companies out there that are redefining the beauty industry and The Ordinary is one of them.  It comes under the umbrella of the Abnormal Beauty Company Deciem.  They are producing good quality products that are equivalent to expensive brands minus pricey fancy packaging and marketing and they are using proven, basic active ingredients that we all know do perform (eg, Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C). The products are vegan and cruelty, nut, soy, oil, alcohol and gluten-free and they don't contain nasties such as parabens, mineral oils or sulphates to name but a few.  

When it comes to blogging, its very easy to get carried away with all the new products that get launched daily, which obviously can be expensive. With skincare, I prefer to see how a product performs over time but with make-up, you can see the difference immediately.  I am very happy with my Kat von D's Lock-It Foundation (glowy coverage so good that I don't need a concealer) but I was so intrigued by The Ordinary that I finally caved in and purchased.

There is a shop in London but I bought online.  I know how difficult it is to find the perfect shade of foundation online - I probably wouldn't recommend it at all but The Ordinary have produced a shade guide that is pretty easy to figure out and they have a visual colour-swatch too, which helps. They have two foundations, Coverage and Serum and come in a healthy 21 shades.  Each one is numbered from 1-3 with variations of each shade in each; (1) Very Fair, Fair, Light, (2) Light Medium, Medium, (3) Medium Dark, Dark, Deep, Very Deep.  Further still, they have categorised the undertones; Yellow, Pink, Yellow Gold, Silver, Neutral and Red.

I plumped for Coverage Foundation in 2.0N (Light Medium Neutral) and the Serum in 2.0YG (Light Medium Yellow Gold).  Both have SPF 15.

The consistency of both remind me of Charlotte Tilbury's Light Foundation and KIKO's Second Skin.  A lot goes a long way so one pump is all that is needed.  I've always preferred to apply with my hands so you get a lovely natural finish with these two.  Shake the bottles well as they are quite fluid.

Coverage Foundation - £5.90

I always like to check out the main ingredients in a product and coconut aquanes (derived from coconut oil) is up there after Aqua, giving the product its spread-ability (no hiding in fine lines) and hydration.  It feels very comfortable on the skin and blurs my HUGE pores. I love the finish and it doesn't smell of anything really (oooh, pet hate of mine, pongy foundations - I hate the smell of Max Factor foundations, very pungent). Contrary to its name though, its quite light so I need concealer with this. In the photo, as you are looking at it, I have Coverage on the right side of my face (with no foundation on the left), from my beneath my eye, on cheek and chin.  I don't take very good selfies but in the flesh, this foundation does provide a lovely, natural finish.

Serum Foundation - £5.70

So much more weightless than the Coverage foundation but just as good (and little goes a hell of a long way).  This product contains Cyclopentasiloxane and this comes before Aqua in the ingredient list.  This is a silicone so it glides across the skin, filling in lines and wrinkles and forming a protective barrier.  Again, due to the lightweight coverage, I need a concealer.  In the photo, as you look at it, I have applied it on the left side (with nothing on the right) beneath my eye, on the cheek and chin.

I will be definitely be re-purchasing these little beauties.  They provide great skin, are vegan and cruelty-free and under £6!  

www.victoriahealth.com
theordinary.com
www.asos.com

You Little Beauty - Optimum PhytoFreeze Ice Wine Eye Cream - £13

I have read on numerous occasions, by people in the know, that buying eye creams are a total waste of money; its just another product you get bulldozed into buying from commission-crazed beauty counter consultants.  I disagree though.  I totally see a negative difference in the skin around my eye area when I don't use one so I will always continue to buy a separate eye product. Also, the skin around the eye area is delicate and thinner than the rest of the face, that a day and night cream will be too heavy.  My absolute favourites are Dior and Chanel but obviously they are quite expensive.  Luckily, I have found one that works impressively just as well as these fab French brands and costs just a fraction of the price.  

Superdrug sell a range of skincare that uses an active ingredient based on naturally frozen Swiss grapes and they use a fermentation process to extract this (amusingly, they've called it Vin-upLift...).  It is made in Switzerland and is suitable for vegans and veggies.  Okay, initially I was drawn to this product because it had the word 'wine' in the title (as all you little beauties know by now, j’aime mon vin). The sugars and polysaccarides help to lift, moisturise and plump fine lines so I'm having some of that.  

The cream also contains ingredients that fight against skin sagging and improves resistance to gravity.  Olive oil provides nourishment to prevent premature ageing and Vitamin E protects against free radicals.

The white cream is quite bouncy to touch.  Not sure why it has the metal applicator that looks like you are to use it directly onto the skin like a roller-ball but use your fingers. I apply it to my first two fingers, massage together and then press it onto my orbital bones, around my eyes.  Going any further inwards, towards the eye area will result in bags under the eyes (as soon as I stopped applying my creams in the wrong area, I have less baggage and less need for concealer).  The skin is like blotting paper so it will absorb and move around where its needed.  

The main thing I notice about using PhytoFreeze is that my fine lines are dramatically reduced.  I love it so much, I am going to buy another tube.  If you are coming to an end of your eye cream and want to try something different, visit Superdrug as Ice Wine Eye Cream is on offer at £6.45 at the moment!

Check out my other blog on eye cream entitled YLB - Chanel Le Lift Levres et Contours that I wrote Sun 14 Feb 2016.

You Little Beauty - B. Clean Melting Gel Cleanser - £7

I normally wait a few weeks (ahem, months more like, Sal!) before I feel the need to blog about a product as I like to give my skin time to adapt and see if I have any worthy results to spout about but I feel with this little beauty, I have to share tout suite!

A few years ago, a new 100% vegan skincare range was exclusively launched in Superdrug called B. and its gone from strength-to-strength, so much so they have recently introduced a new make-up range (again, totally vegan).  The 'B' stands for Beautiful and the products have been slotted into 'phases' depending on your age group so its easy to find what would suit you.

I have used a few of their products already and I am a B.ig fan: B. Pure Sensitive Micellar Cleansing Wipes (£1.50), Micellar Facial Oil (£7), B. Lifted Contouring Cream (£13) and B. Refreshed Essence Lotion (£7).

The product that I want to harp on about today is their B. Clean Melting Gel Cleanser.  It really does give a fabulous cleanse as its so frustrating (and not to mention disgusting) when you come to tone and find make-up remnants on the cotton wool pad...basically, the cleanser hasn't removed the make-up and grime of the day. Ugh. But not with this product - it removes everything.  Please note, I've not used it to remove my eye make-up as I prefer to use what I have used for over 20 years - I have super-sensitive eyes but on the tube, it states that it removes eye make-up and is ophthalmically approved.

B. Clean is a clear gel that once massaged onto the skin, it melts to become an oil to give a deep cleanse.  I have used facial cleansing oils before and because I do have an oily skin, I don't really like the feel of them but this one is so light that when you wash it off, it turns into a milky toner and you are left with hydrated, supple, clean skin once you have washed it off.  I have replaced the B. Micellar Oil which does provide a good cleanse but I think I prefer the consistency of the gel-oil of the B. Clean.  Also, I knew it was going to work when I washed my hands and the product removed easily so once you've washed it off, you are clean and ready to tone.

B. Clean is very similar to another cleansing product that I love, Oskia London Renaissance Cleansing Gel (Space NK, £29.50).  I bought some when I lived in Dublin a few years ago and it was a hefty €35 but I loved it!  It contains Vitamins A, C and E, chamomile and rose amongst other things and I really noticed my skin becoming softer and with a glow (probably down to the massage I was doing).   Admittedly, there's none of the wonderful ingredients as what's in the Oskia Gel but B. Clean's results are the same and its vegan/cruelty-free.

However, if you don't want to fork out nearly thirty quid then get yourself to Superdrug and grab B. Clean for £7. In fact, you can get two as its buy one get one free...

www.superdrug.com

You Little Beauty - Neal's Yard Remedies - Bee Lovely Body Lotion 295ml - £22

I recently visited the Neal's Yard Covent Garden store and I felt like popping open a bottle of champagne when I got my hands on this little beauty as its very hard to get hold of due to its popularity - its always sold-out online.

It lives up to its name as it really is 'lovely'.  Lovely for you, lovely for bees and lovely for the environment.

Let's discuss the bees first.  They are in decline and we need bees to pollinate summer crops and not to mention produce honey.  Neal's Yard donate over £10k a year to bee-friendly causes and sales of this product raise money for its charities and projects.  The honey comes from Mexico and is Fairtrade too.

The smell of this lotion makes it what it is - a have-to-have product if you love the scent of honey and oranges - as its infused with organic honey and orange and mandarin essential oils!  When I lived in Dublin, I absolutely adored the scent of Roger & Gallet's Orange Body Oil so Bee Lovely reminds me of happy days...admittedly mostly sat in Le Bon Crubeen for hours on end putting the world to rights with my sister. 

Honey has the ability to retain moisture, is an antioxidant and is antibacterial.  Once the scent of the honey has been absorbed into the skin on application, you are left with a fabulous subtle, uplifting and lasting orange scent, not to mention super-soft skin.

I absolutely love this product and the range is safe enough to use from the age of 3 years so perfect for the whole family.  Also in the range is the Bath & Shower Gel, Hand Wash, Balm, Hand Cream and Body Butter.  I wish I'd bought some Hand Cream and Shower Gel at the time while I was in the store as well!

If you would like further information, purchase products or receive samples, please contact me via email youlittlebeauty2017@yahoo.com.  Offer at the moment is buy two Bee Lovely products and receive a free tote bag!

You Little Beauty - The Body Shop's Skin Defense Multi Protection Essence SPF 50 - £16

This little beauty is a life-saver and perfect for UK urbanites who may get caught out without SPF while out and about.  Oh and it's 100% vegan.

I'll be honest.  I'm not a fan of sun cream.  Obviously I use it in a hot climate, on my holidays.  I am very freckly for a start and can burn within 10 mins of being in the sun without it but I don't like the consistency of sun protection - it makes me feel claustrophobic and sticky, no matter how 'light' the companies who sell them say they are, they still have a gooeyness to them.  As I associate a sun cream with a holiday, it feels very strange to me wearing one in Blighty without access to a pool!

Another issue I have with sun cream is that I don't want forgo my favourite moisturiser (which doesn't contain sun protection) and this is where The Body Shop come in - they've produced an essence with a whopping SPF 50 that you apply over your moisturiser so you are getting the best of both worlds. 

A lot of people think that you won't get a tan wearing a high SPF.  You can.  All it means is that you can safely spend longer in the sun before you have to reapply.

Now this is not new, popping a lightweight SPF over your normal moisturiser; Dermalogica have been producing these type of products for years (ever since I can remember, back when I trained as a beauty therapist in the 1990's) and Clarins do their UV Plus UV+ SPF50 Neutral and I can't believe that there are not more on the market.

Thank goodness for The Body Shop's Skin Defense (and the price-point is good too).  Not only has it got the all important UVA/B protection and SPF 50, it also contains red algae and my favourite ingredient, Vitamin C.  Red algae is a rich source of polysaccharides which help the skin to hydrate and retain water.  Vitamin C provides radiance and resilience to the skin by preventing and treating UV-induced photodamage. 

It's not just overexposure to the sun and dehydration we need to safeguard ourselves against either. Environmental pollution and free radicals can damage the tissue, so Essence contains antioxidants (nutrients that work with our body's enzymes) to keep the skin cells healthy and strong.

So after I've applied my favourite moisturiser and eye cream (I let them sink in - I put my underwear on at this stage), I pop on the Essence.  It's a lovely white, light-in-texture lotion and doesn't interfere or react with my skincare.  Then I put my make-up on and voila!  My freckly skin is protected to the max and I can't even feel its there.

Now we need an SPF essence for the body so we can wear our favourite body lotions underneath too!

There is an alternative if you felt that applying an extra layer of product is 'too much'.  If you normally use a serum, you can replace it with The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Fresh Emulsion SPF20 (£22) and pop your moisturiser over the top and you're SPF covered!

If you have any questions, want to buy The Body Shop (there is currently a 30% sale on until 16th July) or receive some samples, please email me at youlittlebeauty2017@yahoo.com.

The Body Shop Facial

The Body Shop (‘TBS’) Facial

Spurred on by the fact that I have now dropped down to part-time office work and have more time for me and starting up my own business, called You Little Beauty, last week I became a Body Shop at Home Consultant and was very excited to receive my new starter kit.  I instantly gave myself a facial to test them all out.

Camomile Waterproof Eye & Lip Make-Up Remover 160ml, £10

If you have read my blogs before, you'll know that I have stuck to one eye make-up remover for the last 25 years due to the fact that I react to everything else so I was a bit nervous about using TBS!  However, all was good: no lids swelling, no stinging and it smelt rather nice too.  I doused a damp cotton wool pad with the remover, held it against my eye for a few seconds (so the product lifted up the make-up) and then wiped off.  Another benefit was that it didn’t leave an oily residue, as with a lot of these bi-phased products.  Good to know that there’s no alcohol, no added fragrance or colourings in this (it does contains natural camomile though).

Vitamin E Cream Cleanser 250ml, £7.50

TBS’s Vitamin E range has been around since 1977.  Vitamin E is an antioxidant that protects and repairs the skin, helping to neutralise free radicals (sun, pollution, stress, smoking etc) that causes cell damage which leads to premature ageing. 

Now, I am a water baby with an oily skin and I’ve been using foaming facial washes ever since I can remember but I’m getting older (and skin becoming less oily), my skin is responding better to cream cleansers (which are less dehydrating) so I was happy to give this a go. 

It’s presented in a lovely dusky pink bottle with a lift-up cap top and I used a one pence sized blob onto my wet hands and massaged it into skin.  The white cream feels like a silky, pliable cushion.  I do like a good massage morning and night so my cleansing routine probably takes a bit longer than normal.  Once it had lifted all the make-up, grime and whatever else I have taken from the day, I then used a warm damp TBS Muslin Cloth (£2.50) which not only removed everything but is a great way to gently exfoliate the skin. You can wash the cleanser off with warm water too (or if you’re lazy like me on some occasions then use a WaterWipe!).  My face felt very comfortable, silky smooth and clean.

Vitamin E Hydrating Toner, 250ml, £7.50

As you know, I LOVE a toner and this one didn’t disappoint.  Again, like nearly all the products I have tried and tested, there’s a sponginess feel to it, like its protecting you before you start, if that makes sense.  I squirted a few drops onto damp cotton wool pads (by dampening the pads, you use less product) and swept it away from the centre of my face outwards (basically towards your lymph nodes to eliminate toxin build-up).  Now my face is completely clean and the pH balance restored, ready to accept the next product.

Now if you were to use an exfoliator (scrub, peel etc), now would be the time to use it, before the mask (so that the mask penetrates a little deeper into the skin and you reap it's benefits) but seeing as I’ve used the Muslin Cloth, I don’t need to exfoliate.

Mineral & Ginger Warming Massage Clay Mask 100ml, £11

Oooo, now this little beauty is fab.  I feel the cold terribly so any excuse for a bit of heat is heavenly.  I wet my face and squeezed a generous amount in my hands and then applied it to my skin and instantly I felt warmth.  The mask also contains Ginger, a powerful antioxidant and inhaling the scent was great too.  I left it on for ten minutes and then jumped in the shower to wash it off.

Due to the mineral clay content, impurities are drawn out and pores refined, leaving the skin revitalised.  I really liked this product, as did my skin and my HUGE pores.

When I had finished in the shower, I toned my skin again with the Toner, just to make sure my skin was clean of mask.

Drops of Youth Concentrate 30ml, £26

Its boast is that it contains stem cells from three resilient plants known for their regenerating properties: Edelweiss, Criste Marine and Sea Holly.  Used daily, to counteract the first signs of ageing (too late for me then!), it’s said to activate healthy, plumped, hydrated, luminous skin and not to mention refining those pores (which is a big thing for me as mine are HUGE and I hate them).  From personal experience, when looking for a product range, you know when you've found the right one because you end up using less product (and in turn, save money in the long term) as they can change the surface of your skin for the better.  Due to its concentrated oils and extracts, this little beauty is said to do just that.  

It comes in a lovely green bottle with a dropper, so I used one drop of concentrate all over my skin – a little goes an awful long way.  It’s instantly absorbed into the skin (as with all these serums, concentrates and oils) and you’re ready for your moisturiser.

Vitamin E Moisture Cream 50ml, £13

To complement the cleanser and toner, this cream contains Vitamin E, hyaluronic acid and wheatgerm oil. I thought it might be too heavy for me, what with the wheatgerm oil in it (good for dryness) but it’s extremely lightweight and I rather like it and love the smell.  Apparently, its TBS’s best-selling product.

The Moisture Cream doesn’t contain sun protection so make sure your foundation has SPF or use TBS’s fabulous Skin Defence Multi Protection Essence SPF 50 on top of your moisturiser.  I am so going to buy myself this Skin Defence and I will write a blog on it - all you need to know for now is that its a fabulous necessity.

Vitamin C Energising Face Mist 100ml, £12

The final stage of my TBS facial was the Face Mist.  Now, I am a true believer in Vitamin C - it is a powerful antioxidant that revitalises and strengthens the skin to protect against UVA/UVB and improves hydration, amongst a host of other things.  However, I am not a face mist kinda gal.  I once came out in small red spots from spritzing myself with a facial mist back in the 90’s when I worked on one of the skincare beauty counters (and the brand I spritzed wasn’t the one I was working for thankfully but I wasn’t a great advert for great skincare that day!).  This one contains aloe vera, which has a soothing effect on the skin and I haven’t broken out yet!  I am sat here an hour on and my skin feels very comfortable, soft and springy.

I don’t like to smell of fruit but I have to say, the orange scent quickly evaporated and I was left with a rather classy non-fruity fragrance.  Great to have in your bag if you're out and about for a good old pick-me-up (less dehydrating than wine, Sal!) and you're knackered and your skin is tired.

I have been using two more Body Shop products in the evening, which I can honestly say has changed the condition of my skin in a very short space of time and I will be buying full sizes of these but I will have to leave you in suspense with regards to these two… until next time!

For further information on anything I have written about or want to host a party/purchase products, please get in touch. You can email me on youlittlebeauty2017@yahoo.com

www.thebodyshop.com  

28 Day Lipstick Challenge

Spurred on by *Lisa Newport’s most enjoyable 21 Day Style Challenge in January (she gave a group of us a task of wearing specific items for 21 days), I embarked on my own little experiment and thought because I have 28 lipsticks in my personal make-up kit and there are 28 days in February, I would sift out the ones that I truly love (and suit me) and transfer the rest into my pro-kit as who needs 28?  Really?  One in red, pink, nude, burgundy and a brown should do?

I do prefer matt and long-lasting so I don’t own many sheer, glossy lipsticks.  I also want my lipstick to feel comfortable (which is very important seeing as ‘long-lasting’ usually means ‘drying’) and one that needs one touch-up per day (preferably after lunch).

So here we go.  The truest place to test a shade is actually your fingertips as this skin is the nearest to the texture and colour of the lips but I’ve gone for the inside of my arm as I can show more than 8 shades!

I have sallow, freckly skin but my undertones are cool so anything yellowy just disappears into my skin (and I look grubby, ill or worse: dead) so I’m better with blue-ish tones to my lipsticks which give my skin a pop.  I love the Jo Wood/Kate Moss rock-chic look but I do find it hard to find a ‘nude’ lipstick that suits me so this has been an interesting challenge (and I didn't realise how many reds I had either).  

The lipsticks that I thought suited me don’t!  One way of finding out if a rock-chic nude suits you is to cover your lips with your foundation.  If you look like a corpse (like moi) then don’t go there.

Below are my photos and all the lipsticks are photographed Right to Left:

Day

1             Charlotte Tilbury KISSING – Nude Kate - KEEP

A bit on the yellow side but I do like it and it just about suits.  Looks good with a navy eyeshadow on me.

2             NARS Satin Lip Pencil – Rikugien – PRO-KIT

Too satin/sheer and didn’t stay on.  Plus there's no sharpener, its a twist-up and its now blunt; hard to do a perfect lip-line.

3             Kat von D Everlasting – Lolita - KEEP

Stays on all day and is so comfortable to wear.  Fabulous colour.

4             MUA – Shade 11 – PRO-KIT

          Too sheer and had to keep applying it.  Doesn’t really suit me (yellowy).

5              MAC Lipstick – Diva – KEEP

Love MAC due to their longlivity.  Can’t stand the smell of them though – too sickly sweet.

6             Makeup Revolution Lip Hug  – I am Reddy – KEEP

Love the colour but its not that long-lasting or comfortable throughout the day.  It seems to be a true red on me, better than Rimmel’s #1 – I need to road test it again to make sure.

7             Catrice Crayon – Mauve - Discontinued - PRO-KIT

Due to its finish, its not long-lasting.  Good neutral though.

Days 1-7

Day

8             Dr Hauschka Lipstick – Soft Sandy Brown #3 – KEEP

It’s gritty in texture but it smells like a spa.  I'm on my second so I must like it.

9             Bobbi Brown Lip Color – True Rose – KEEP

Looks a lovely dark red on the lips but on my arm it looks browny/orange.

10          Rimmel London Lasting Lipstick Kate Nude Collection - #48 – KEEP

Very glossy but long-lasting.  Love these lipsticks as they are so comfortable, fab shades and long-lasting.

11          MAC Lipstick – Retro – KEEP

Lovely colour, a red-brown and doesn’t smell as sweet as the others.

12          Primark PS Pro Sheer Shine - Marvellous Mauve – KEEP

Perfect for Summer.  I didn’t realise how pink this was and I quite like it.

Days 8-12

Day

13          Rimmel London Lasting Lipstick Kate Nude Collection - #45 – KEEP

Seeing this one and #3 side-by-side, I realise that this one suits me better.

14          Rimmel London Kate Lasting Finish - #3 – PRO-KIT

A bit too yellow I have realised.  Shame, as I have two of these!  Lovely shade, very comfortable and great long-lasting finish.  Everyone should have a Rimmel Kate in their collection.

15          MAC Lipstick – Viva Glam I – PRO-KIT

Suddenly realised that I’ve not been wearing this much lately.  Great lippie just don’t like the smell and I’ve always thought it was a bit on the pink-side.  There are other reds I like more.

16          NARS Velvet Matt Crayon – Infactuated Red – KEEP

Colour is divine!

17          Catrice Ultimate Shine Gel Colour – Better than Nude – KEEP

Very glossy finish and perfect moisture.  This is discontinued so I better keep hold of this.

18           Primark PS High Sine Lipstick Crayon – Amethyst – PRO-KIT

This is such a shame as I love the colour, finish and it’s a comfortable wear.  It just goes patchy after a while and its hard to do a good line as its gone blunt.

Days 13-18

Day

19           MAC Lipstick – Myth – PRO-KIT

Oh dear, you can’t see it on my skin! Don't know if you remember the Instagram photo, but I looked dead. 

20           NARS Velvet Matt – Consuming Red – KEEP

This is very similar to others I have but I love the crayon, colour, comfort and finish.

21           Kat von D Studded Kiss – Lolita – KEEP KEEP KEEP!

Fab shade, long lasting, comfortable.  Also comes in the Everlasting too so would love to try that texture.

22           Kat von D – Studded Kiss – Underage Red – KEEP

Thought this was a bit too bright for me but I quite like it.

23           MAC Velvetese Lip Pencil – Reddy to Go – KEEP

Stays on, great colour – one of my favourites

24           Lancome Lip Lover – Framboise Etoile #355 – KEEP

Such a surprise as I don’t like bright pink but very comfortable and suits me.

25          Rimmel London Kate Lasting Finish - #1 (Red)

Do go out and buy one.

26          Primark PS Velvet Matt Lip Crayon – Shameless – KEEP

Unlike the last one in Amethyst, these little beauties stay on and don’t go patchy.  I bought two more of these because I kept losing them!  They are only £3!

27          Chanel Rouge Coco Shine – Satisfaction #89 – BIN

The only good thing about this is the packaging which is awesome.  Everything else is neither use nor ornament…hmm, I take that back, it looks good as an orname.nt  For such a sheer lipstick, its not moisturising enough.  It’s a huge disappointment and its £28 (the most expensive lipstick in the bunch)… Get yourself to Primark.

28          Kat von D Everlasting – Outlaw – KEEP

I met Kat von D while wearing this so this little beauty ain’t going anywhere.  I am not sharing!!!!!

Days 19-28

Therefore, it looks like I’m only going to transfer 8 of my lipsticks to my pro-kit.  OK, not many but I'm a sentimental old fart and I’m not great at getting rid of things so it might be a while till I get to my dream of 5 lipsticks!  (The key to this is not to buy any more, Sal!).

I hope you’ve all enjoyed my journey on Instagram over February!  For more tips on how to find the perfect Lipsticks, you can read a Blog I wrote back in 2015:  http://youlittlebeauties.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/lipstick-tips.html

For more information on Lisa Newport - Stylist and Image Consultant, please go to Lisa's website http://myrubyslippers.co.uk/