Review: W7 Candyfloss and Africa Boxed Powders (Benefit/Too Faced Dupes)

I hinted at these little beauties with a quick description in my February Favourites and promised a proper review, along with Rimmel Smoked Oyster blush swatches, read on for the full review.

The first I saw of these powders was on a make up retail website, I was quickly drawn to them and noticed how similar the packaging is to the Benefit products like Hoola and Thrrob. A quick google brought up a few reviews and also a few comparisons to Benefit powders. Being in the market for some new face powders, and having a strange obsession with bronzers (and with these having a price tag of £3.99-£4.99) I thought Id give them a try.

To start; the packaging. These little boxes do bare a striking resemblance to those from Benefit with their sturdy bottoms and high sides. Each has ingredients written on the bottom, and the W7 powders also have a little picture of the powder inside. Of course the W7 boxes aren't quite as well made, but we can forgive that for the price and we can also forgive the brush that comes with them which, although it looks pretty with its dip dyed pink and white bristles, is also pretty useless and doesn't pick up much product at all. While I do like pretty packaging, Ive always thought the box designs aren't all that practical when wanting to put a product in your make up bag, although they do prevent messy fall out.

Onto the products; Candy Floss Brightening Face Powder
W7 tell us 'This brightening face powder with its soft silky finish will leave your skin with a healthy natural glow' and I cant disagree! The powder is very soft, not as creamy as others but definitely not chalky,and has very fine shimmer particles that make it look pearly in the pan.

The colour is a soft pastel pink with as much pigmentation as you would want from a powder meant to be used on more than part of the face. Candy Floss can be swiped sheerly on the high and centre points of the face to give a subtle and healthy glow or built up on the cheeks as a girly blush. I think it's the brightening effects of this powder that prevent it looking cakey when built up on the cheeks. I have to say I really love this product and for me it lived up to its description.
As far as a Benefit dupe goes, this powder is incredibly similar to the boxed blush Dandelion (I don't own Dandelion but borrowed my friend's to compare). The ballerina pink colours are almost an exact match, but I think the Candy Floss has a touch more shimmer.

Africa Bronzing Powder
W7 say 'Go wild with this W7 multi bronzing face powder, lightly brush on for that all year round summer look' and I have just one disagreement with this- it isn't quite a bronzer!
I love the look of this product in the palette, it might be because Id just finished watching David Attenborough's Africa series, but I think its a lovely pattern with a girly twist. The powder itself isn't quite as silky soft as the Candy Floss but again definitely not chalky, it does produce a touch more fallout and because it's made of blocks of different colours I did get some unfortunate lost corners when I accidentally dropped the box during swatch photos.

As for the colour, this is a tricky one! Swirling your finger around the outside edges of the pan does give a shimmery pinky brown, but reaching around the edges isn't possible with a normal blush brush and it will pick up colour from the vivid pink centre of the powder. With all shades together, this powder is  quite a bright and shimmery pink- much more Mac 'Well Dressed' than Nars 'Casino' (I'm talking colours not quality!). The colour does look nice on the cheeks, it has more pigmentation than the Candy Floss so delivers a bright pink flush with bronzey brown undertones- definitely summery but not what I was expecting!
As for a dupe- this powder has design very similar to the Too Faced Pink Leopard Blushing Bronzer but a colour more like Benefit's Bella Bamba.


Sunlight L-R W7 Candy Floss, W7 Africa, Rimmel Smoked Oyster

Left- Natural Light, Right- Flash

As the photos show, Candy Floss is a pale shimmery pink which relects light to give a subtle glow. Rimmel's Smoked Oyster is much more of a bronze-y colour than the W7 Africa, even though it's actually a blusher (review here).

W7 do a range of boxed powders (which also includes Honolulu bronzing powder and Double Act bronzer and blusher) and although I cant find much information about the brand its been available in my local independent make up shop for years. I have tried a couple of their products long ago but they seem to have stepped up their game and even have their own BB Cream. Some of their products also have intriguing (but often a bit familiar!) packaging, eg the Light Diffusing Concealer, Kiss Me Plumping Gloss, Carnival Dust and Go Go Go Get Glossed.

In conclusion, I think the Candy Floss is a great product and my go to at the moment when my winter complexion is looking a bit dull, the Africa is a lovely warm toned blush but I think I'll stick to my Bourjois as a bronzer for now. The powder can be found for £3.99 and £3.40 respectively at Xtras-Online.co.uk (just wanted to say, I am not an affiliate of Xtras even though I link to them a lot, I just think they've got a great affordable range!).

What do you think of the look of these powders, and have you tried any W7 products?

Rimmel Powder Blush in Smoked Oyster

I'm a big fan of Rimmel as a highstreet brand and have been since I started buying make up, as their products are always quite reasonably priced I decided to have a quick look at the counter when I was searching for a coral peachy blush as a change to my usual girly pinks.

I came across 037 Smoked Oyster and fell in love, in the pan this blush looks like a light tawny bronzer but on the skin transforms into a lovely coral colour- just enough pink to stop it being orange, and tiny flecks of gold that subtly catch the light. 

The powder itself is silky and blends easily, I use a Real Techniques Kabuki brush to apply my blushers and I do find it needs a good swirl in the pan to get a dense enough colour on the cheeks but as theres barely any fallout and the blush is easily layered it doesn't look too powdery.
In the winter I do like a good amount of colour on my cheeks to brighten me up so in the spring/summer I reckon just a couple of swipes would do, and this will be a gorgeous colour for when the sun actually comes out!

I really like the Rimmel crown logo in the centre of these blushes, I think it somehow makes it look a bit more expensive and also means theres a bit of texture to aid getting the product onto a brush. For some reason I also really like the name Smoked Oyster, not sure Ive ever seen smoked oysters on a menu but it makes a nice change to the 'pink rose' and 'nude flush' type names that blushers usually have.

I have taken a few swatches of the colour on my hand but have used it to compare to a couple of W7 powders coming up in my next post, so will add a link in to that when it goes live.

Ive read a few reviews complaining about the packaging of the mono blushers but I find them quite easy to open despite being a bit of an uncoordinated type, I like that's its very easy to slip into a make up bag but do have a crack in the lid from dropping it so hopefully it will stand up to my abuse!

The Rimmel Powder Blush Mono in Smoked Oyster is available from Superdrug for £3.99.



This pinky coral is my new favourite shade, whats your favourite shade of blusher?

Review: Excellence Cosmetics Flare Medium False Individual Eyelashes

 
While unfortunately Ive never really got on with false eyelashes, I do love some individual lashes for a special occasion or evening out. I really like the Flare Medium Black by Excellence Cosmetics, they aren't too much longer than my real lashes but add great definition to my eyes.

Each of the flares is made up of 10 lashes which flare out (as the name suggests) and are held together by a knot at the top. I know some people prefer a spine on their individual lashes similar to a full eye false lash instead of the knot, but I find knots easier to position and with a good coat of mascara they're not too visible.


Ive been using about 6 of the flares, 4 in the outer corners where my natural lashes are a bit sparse and don't tend to curl well, and one or two in the centre of the eye to add a bit more volume. As they are more fanned than some other lashes Ive tried, they give a nice feminine shape to the corners of my eyes and I don't need to place them all along the lash line to get a voluminous effect.

Ive found that this pack has lasted quite a long time for me- each contains 56 lashes and I get about 2 or 3 wears out of each, so even if a few escape in my bed when Ive been naughty and slept in them a pack will still last me quite a while!
For maintenance I like to take as much glue off with my fingers as I can, float them for a few minutes in a shot glass filled with an inch or two of make up remover, rub the rest of the glue and mascara off with a tissue and brush them through with an eyelash comb. The lashes to tend to get a bit splayed out after being used a few times (you can see these on the middle and left of the bottom row) and these I reuse in the centre of my eye where my lashes are a bit thicker.

Overall I really like these individual lashes, they definitely add volume to my natural lashes without looking too unnatural or over-done.The only downside was that these packs don't come with glue, although for the price you cant expect everything! I have naturally long lashes but if yours are a little short I think these would be great to add length as well.


The Excellence Flare Medium Black Individual Lashes retail for £4.99, but I bought mine for £2.99 from Xtras Online (not in stock at the moment) and you can also find them at GlitterStore.co.uk for £2.99.

Have you tried any lashes from Excellence Cosmetics? And do you prefer individuals or full eye false lashes?





Most Loved: February Favourites

St Moriz Medium Self Tanning Mousse- Forgive me Vita Liberata for I have sinned!! I've tried the dark lotion but found the colour a tad strange, the medium looks more natural on my skin tone and with my purse a little empty I've been reaching for this mousse a couple of times a week!

Vaseline Rosy Lips- with Aloe Vera and Almond oil, and a lovely rosy colour I've been using this old staple throughout the day to give my sad winter lips some moisturising colour.

Rimmel Stay Matte Dual Action Concealer in 030 Classic Beige- this is my favourite concealer of the moment, it can be quite stiff on bare skin but blends wonderfully on top of foundation. It also has a green core (that includes Salicylic Acid, Cotton Powder, Cucumber and Chamomile) which helps to heal blemishes and works as a subtle corrector on any redness.

Opi Euro Centrale Can't Find my Czechbook- I've been wearing this colour constantly since receiving the mini set and and have been complimented on its unusual colour, read my review of the set here.

Stila Mineral Matte Eyeshadow in Makalu- My 'signature makeup' always includes a black winged out shadow liner applied with an angled brush and this shadow is the best I've ever used for this purpose. The texture is soft, silky and so easy to sweep along the lash line. The colour payoff is the best of any shadow I own and even though it is blackest black it has very faint warm undertones when blended so doesn't look stark or panda-y.

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Roach- I just love this rich metallic brown, if not blended out on my lid I've been using it as a thin line in the inner corners to give a metallic copper glint to the edges of a smoky liner. Urban Decay's X was also a big contender this month.

Maybelline 24hr Gel Liner in Black- I love this liner for its deep dark colour and the way it can be easily swiped along the lashline. Unfortunately it didn't pass the naughty sleep-in-makeup test so on me doesn't last 24 hours (but I do have oily lids).
 

 

W7 Candy Floss Brightening Face Powder and Africa Bronzing Powder-  The Candy Floss is a light sheer pink powder with a hint of light reflecting shimmer, a lovely colour to brighten and highlight the face. 

Despite being called a bronzer, the Africa powder comes out a bright brownish pink (looks much nicer than that description!) it does give a bronzed effect but ive been using it as a blusher and I love it for livening up the face. Reviews and swatches on both coming soon (possible Benefit dupe alert).

 

 

Stila Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser- I picked this up as a bargain and think Stila have stopped making it but this is the only tinted moisturiser I have ever rated enough to actually wear out the house. There's quite a difference in colours so I use light 02 and 03 mixed together and as its so bendable I can use an extra layer anywhere I need more coverage. With SPF 30 this will be perfect for the summer.

 

Special Mention to Alien by Thierry Mugler- this is my all time favourite fragrance and its been the only perfume I've used in February. It's a gorgeous deep warm scent and it comes across to me as a night time smell (if that makes any sense). Ive got a refill bottle and it has lasted me ages!


Have you tried any of these products? What's your most loved of February?



Review: OPI Euro Centrale Mini Collection

The Euro Centrale Mini collection is part of OPI's Spring/Summer collection for 2013 based on the countries of Hungary, Poland, Romania and Czech Republic.

The mini collection features 4 polishes presented in a lovely little box with a summery watercolour style illustration by swedish illustrator Stina Perrson.

The full Euro Centrale features 12 polishes with OPIs usual quirky names, included in this set is Cant Find My Czechbook, Suzi's Hungary Again!, You're Such a Budapest and Oy- Another Polish Joke.
These polishes use OPI's exclusive ProWide brush for ease of application and are DBP, Toulene and Formaldehyde free. I tend to look for polishes without formaldehyde as it is used as a tissue fixative and embalming agent (remember Damien Hirst's shark preserved in formaldehyde?) and the long term effects on the nails and fingers arent clear.
I own a few other polishes from OPI, including their Original Nail Envy but unfortunately dont use it regularly enough and my first 3 nails on each hand are thin, bendy and prone to peeling so I need to keep them short to avoid horizontal splitting. Ive used all types of bases, top coats and long wearing formulas but all have chipped or peeled within 24 hours so I was excited to see how these polishes would last on my problem nails.

These colours are perfect for spring, in the bottles they look quite muted and pastel-y but on the nails they really increase in vibrancy and dry to a lovely bright finish. 
Pink, especially bright pink has been my go to nail colour for about 5 years. My favourite colours are Rimmel's Shocker and No7's Pink Grapefruit, so I was fully expecting the pink polish (described on the box as warm and yummy) to be my number one in this set and I was surprised to find a new faouvrite when trying these polishes out.

Cant Find My Czechbook / Youre Such a Budapest

Cant Find My Czechbook- In the bottle this colour looks a pastel blue-green but on the nails transforms to a bright aqua colour that seems to change in the light, sometimes looking like a vivid pale blue and other times like a greeny turquoise. I was surprised to like this colour so much, given my love for pink polishes, but i think it looks gorgeous on the nails and really catches the eye in sunlight. This colour took 3 coats to make it opaque.

Youre Such a Budapest- Again this polish looks muted and a pastel colour in the bottle but really comes to life on the nail as a shiny lilac. OPI described this colour as a 'peri-winkle purple' and it has a very very faint amount of silver that is only apparent in the first coat but makes it glisten in the light. All four polishes dried quickly between coats and, again, this colour took 3 layers for opacity.

Suzi's Hungary Again! / Oy- Another Polish Joke!

Suzi's Hungary Again!- This colour is indeed a warm pink, it's noticeable but quite muted so looks sophisticated rather than garish. This polish also took 3 coats to create an opaque colour.

Oy- Another Polish Joke- Im still a big fan of the 'accent nail' trend as you can tell by the stripe of shimmering gold on the ring finger and Oy- Another Polish Joke certainly doesnt disappoint in creating a bright and bold statement. This polish took just 2 coats to stop the pink peeking through and dries to a lovely smooth finish, not scratchy and bumpy like some other glittery polishes. Because of the small size of the shimmer particles this polish quickly builds in opacity despite being the thinnest in formula and gives a beautiful light catching sheen. This polish does look lovely as an all over colour but personally I dont think it matches well with my skin tone so have worn it as an accent over the other colours, and it looks great with each.

Overall, I think each of these polishes has its own charm, they are like a new set of staples to add to my sea of pinks and magentas and I'll definitely get wear out of each of them. And for the big question: did they chip? Unfortunately yes they did but no quicker or worse than even the long wearing formulas Ive tried, so I think if you have 'normal' nails these should definitely stay put for a while.


The OPI Euro Centrale Mini Collection is available from LookFantastic.com for £13.95 with free UK and Worldwide delivery.


Have you tried the Euro Centrale collection, or do you have other OPI favourites?

Review: Astor Perfect Stay Lip Tint in Pink Bloom




I love buying products on a whim, Id wanted to try out a lip stain but none had really jumped out at me until I saw the Perfect Stay Tint from Astor. Astor says '2-step Perfect Stay Lip Tint & Balm offers weightless colour that won’t rub off or smear. Lips look flawless and feel great – and they’ll stay that way throughout the day'. This tint has a chunky marker pen style with a felt tip nib on one end and clear vitamin Anti-dryness Balm on the other. The thickness of the pen makes it really easy to control where youre putting the product and the lightweight waterbased formula can be used in a thin coat to give a bitten lips effect or built up for a more vibrant colour.
The shade I purchased was 105 Pink Bloom which is a gorgeous raspberry colour, half way between a bright pink and red. When I received it I immediately tried it out on the back of my hand and was greeted with pigmented colour that flowed easily from the nib and dried quickly. Because it's so easy to control where the colour goes and it stays in place Ive found I dont need to use a lipliner with this product, and the balm lasts a long time on the lips so having it on the end of the product is really handy.




The lip tint pen gives us two easy steps to application- 1. Apply the lip tint pen on clean and oil free lips. No transfer- all day. 2. Anti-dryness balm: extra comfort and shine.
Ive found that applying to clean dry lips is a really important step, dont be tempted to apply balm before you use the tint or it'll interfere with the nib and the product wont apply properly. Similarly any foundation or powder on the lips will stop the flow of product from the nib and it needs to be wiped on a clean tissue until it flows properly again. Ive found that holding the or standing the pen with the nib pointed downward for about 10 seconds before applying helps the product flow properly after its been stored sideways, helping the tint get right to the point of the nib so you can get a precise line to the lip edges before filling in with the nib on its side.

I was really interested in the 'transferproof' aspect of this product and was sceptical whether it would really last all day without smearing or fading. It took me a few attempts to perfect the application technique but, once I did, I was really impressed with the longevity of the tint on my lips. Even though the balm did wear off, the tint colour was still vibrant after hours of wear. For increasing the wear time of the tint I would recommend: as above, making sure the lips are clean and dry, waiting for a few minutes after application to let the tint dry properly then blotting with a tissue and repeating if needed, applying the balm once the tint is completely dry.

left- without balm / right- with balm (daylight)

Cheesy Grins: Left- camera flash / Right- daylight

Overall I was really impressed with this product and am so pleased with the colour. Astor's website shows the tint available in 26 colours ranging from bold to subtle and nude. I love the look of some of the nude colours but will have to seek out some reviews as my lips are naturally quite dark and Im not sure how the payoff would be from some of the lighter colours.
Astor Perfect Stay Lip Tint & Care has an RRP of £4.99, I bought it from Fragrance Direct for £2.99 (I would first google the colour youre interested in, their shade images are a little off) and I think even at full price its well worth the money!


How do you feel about lip tints/stains? Have you tried any products from Astor Cosmetics?

Review: Epicare Wand

 The Epicare in Red

If, like me, you're blessed with hereditary face-fuzz you will have tried waxing, depilatory creams, sugaring and any other manner of fuzz removal you can think of. I don't have particularly sensitive skin but have reacted to all the above with redness, soreness, dryness and usually an angry and widespread breakout.

The Epicare has been available since 1999, but I think its one of the least known facial hair removal products and I don't see it mentioned very often. The Epicare Wand is in essence a long, tight spring with a rubber handle at either end, it is based on the technique of threading and requires no batteries, cables, heat or really any skill either! Its also one of the least expensive ways to remove facial hair- for me a wax a local salon every 4 weeks (although id probably need it more often) would cost about £240 a year.

This method of hair removal is really simple:

Hold the Epicare by the handles

Bend the spring to make an inverted U shape

Place spring against your fuzzy face and roll the handles in between your fingers

The spring catches the hairs and pulls them out while you roll!

The 'Inverted U' (look at those kitten scratches!)

Im not going to lie this method does hurt, however its much less painful than waxing and you get used to the feeling very quickly. The wand can be used on the cheek, chin and upper lip, I've also used it down my neck and very very carefully along my forehead in a thinner U shape to get into tight spaces (although Epicare advise against this). Unfortunately I've never been able to get it to work for my upper lip, maybe the hairs are too short here but this is the only place I still use cream.

Having tried quite a reasonable amount of other methods I've found this the easiest and least problematic, it's definitely my favourite and this is why:

Buy once, use for years / easy to clean (just pull outwards on the handles to release trapped hair) / no preparation/ no mess / doesn't damage the skin / very little pain or irritation / no need to wait before going over the same area or using again / range of colours!

Ive had my epicare for about a year and it still works the same as it did when it was new, sometimes I'll give it a wipe if it gets make up or moisturiser on it but apart from that its pretty maintenance free. My only gripe is that it doesn't work for me on very short hairs, such as upper lip mentioned above, but generally the shortest are the least noticeable anyway.

The Epicare Wand is available from Epicare UK for £9.95

March Wishlist 2013
1. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush- The Expert Face Brush is very similar to the Buffing Brush which is included with the Core Collection and is slightly bigger, with longer bristles and a rounder shape. The Expert Face Brush, despite being smaller has been reviewed as being perfect for buffing in foundation and using powder products as well. 
Even though I love the Real Techniques brushes Im not sure Id use all of the Core Collection so this seems a perfect option. Im also looking at the Deluxe Crease Brush, only available in the starter set, bah!

SALE! BeautyExpert.co.uk is having a 15% off sale on Real Techniques brushes: use REALTECH15 at the checkout

2. It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye- Ive always had dark circles under my eyes, even when Ive had plenty of sleep and have tried just about every high street concealer I can get my hands on.
The Bye Bye Undereye concealer was developed with plastic surgeons in Brazil and is now used to conceal bruising and swelling on the face and body of surgery patients. According to It Cosmetics, their Bye Bye Undereye is a 'full coverage, waterproof, yet moisturising, concealer with anti-ageing ingredients to combat dark circles while it conceals'. I'm sold! I can only find it online and it is quite pricey but from the reviews it sounds like it could be in the running for a HG product. Unfortunately Ill have to guess my shade from the online options, which range from light to deep. It Cosmetics also tell us on their website that '70% of skin stones are neutral medium' (Im hoping thats a typo!).

3. Maybelline One by One Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara- I just cant get enough mascara! Maybelline is my go to brand for mascaras and I own 5 different types, but after seeing photos and reviews of the separation this formula and brush can achieve Ive decided I have to have it! 
This Mascara has a 'lash- catcher brush' with 300 bristles which sounds ideal as my lashes are very prone to sticking together with absolutely every mascara. I also prefer waterproof mascara because when I go out I tend to sleep in my mascara (its a sin I know!), and with a non waterproof formula I usually wake up looking like a panda with 3 eyelashes because theyre so stuck together. Ive also got my eye on the Volum' Express Colossal Smoky Mascara (love the brush of the original Colossal) with collagen and matte shadow pigment, I told you I cant get enough mascara!

4. NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk- The Jumbo Eye pencil has been reviewed as the perfect eyelid base for making shadows look more vibrant and keeping them in place, a highlight for the inner corner of the eye and as a liner for the waterline. It sounds like a mixture of all the things Ive been looking for recently, and for £4.50 it wont break the bank either.

5. Stila Convertible Colour for Lips and Cheeks in Petunia- Ive seen this shade on a few people and it looks lovely, so natural and healthy. Recently I had a brainwave and have been using (youre going to laugh at this) lipbalm and lipstick on my cheeks as blush, it actually looks pretty good! I swipe a few times then blend in, because the formulas are quite glossy it gives a nice healthy highlighted sheen as well as colour without being shimmery. Probably best not to try this out with a matte lipstick but my favourites for the cheeks are Bourjois Sweet Kiss in Rose Innocence and Rimmel Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake. A product that is actually designed to go on the lips and cheeks sounds perfect, and the packaging is so sweet too.

6. Bourjois 123 Perfect Foundation in 52- I bought this foundation in shade 54 when it first came out and had never tried a Bourjois foundation before. As sometimes happens, the colour that looked perfect in the shop turned out to be completely wrong in daylight. I'd been happily wearing Healthy Mix Serum in 52 and Healthy Mix in 53 until I tried the 123 again the other day, the colour is still too dark for me but I thought the coverage and finish were lovely. The 123 Perfect is a matte foundation with yellow, mauve and green colour correcting pigments, and a velvety almost cream-to-powder style finish. Usually I find matte foundations a bit too drying and dullifying (is that a word?) for my skin, but it would be lovely not to have to powder and then repowder the centre of my face.

7. Mac Correct and Conceal Palette in Light- I saw a video review of this product and new I'd love it- I love correctors and use my Fraulein 38 corrector palette everyday, and I love Mac concealers but sometimes the NC20 just looks a little off in colour compared to my skin tone or foundation. The palette contains 4 different shades of Studio Finish concealer and two corrector colours, a peach and a yellow. Im toying between the light and medium, my nc20 concealer sometimes looks quite light for my skin, especially as I fake tan my face so am never truly the same colour every day, but the pictures Ive seen of the medium look really quite dark and I think shades that are too dark look much more strange than shades that are too light.

8. La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo- Maybe Im a little late on the bandwagon with this one but after seeing gorgeous Tanya Burr's results using this cream I dont think I can ignore the hype any longer. The Effeclar Duo contains Niacinamide and Piroctone Olamine to purify the skin and prevent breakouts, and LHA/Linoleic Acid to eliminate dead cells that clog pores.
Not everything works for everyone, but for a lot of people this has been a miracle product and at the moment my skin is blemish free for just a few days at a time, so I think this is definitely worth trying.

9. Sigma E25 Blending Brush- I only have a couple of blending brushes and theyre getting quite old and a bit scratchy so had a look for something new. Everyone's heard of the Mac 217, its been used in just about every pro tutorial Ive ever seen and it really is meant to be an essential bit of kit but not everyone has £17 to spend on a little brush.
The best alternative Ive come across is the Sigma E25 which sells for about £10 and is also available in travel size which is really handy. If youre on an even tighter budget then the Coastal Scents Pro Blending Fluff Brush (made from goat hair) has some great reviews and sells for about £5, making it a great alternative to the Mac 217.

Do you have any of the products on this list, what do you think about them? And whats on your March Wishlist?

 

Hello Again! It's been a while...

Hello again everyone!

Ive taken quite a break from blogging lately due to illness, unfortunately the illness is still with me but Ive decided to start blogging again! I've been wearing makeup a lot more recently and have been working on some new posts and reviews, Ive got some interesting new products Ive discovered and am very excited to be announcing a giveway soon.
Im working on a few bits of the layout of the blog and the header, so sorry if everything goes wonky for a bit!

If youre not already Id love it if you followed me on Instagram, theres a widget to the right and you can find me at @taupeandpearl. I post a lot of photos of my kittens (well cats now!) but I do have a few of me hiding in there amonst the fur and filters.

And finally if any of you ladies are also living with illness, stay strong and Id love to hear from you.