My Current Top 6 Products for Under £10

I have realised that the Nails and Teapots beauty blog can often get a little 'high end heavy' at times. Which, although admittedly I do often tend to splash the cash more when it comes to my make-up. There are a lot of gems on the high street that need to be shown a little more love. I have previously done a post like this before (here) which was very popular so again, I am going to give a rundown of my six favourites items from the high street that will not break the bank. 

First up, is the Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in Lovely Pink (£8.99) these entered the drugstore earlier this year and were a beauty blogger hype. They aesthetically appear similar to the Hourglass ambient lighting blushers, a Space NK favourite that costs about the same as all of the products mentioned in this post added together. Max Factor is probably one of my favourite high street brands as I often find their makeup is comparable with a lot of high end brands and isn't ridiculously expensive. Many a times I have found a mascara of theirs that has almost reached cult status. Their Creme Puff Blushers kill it in terms of quality, pigmentation and shade range. I feel there is a shade for everyone and all of which can be easily dusted onto the apples of the cheeks for a naturally flushed look. Each shade can be easily builded meaning it is difficult to overdo it and simple to manage. I have done a full review of a number of their shades which I will link here. 

Next, is the Soap & Glory Archery Brow Pencil in Hot Chocolate (£8) a product that is pretty much an identical dupe to the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Whiz - a Sephora favourite. This product has been redesigned and previously had the brow pencil on one end and a tint on the other which although was nice, never really fitted well into my brow routine. So instead they replaced the tint with a spoolie brush which is perfect for styling the brow hairs before applying the product. I love it when brands listen to their buyers and this was definitely a case for that happening. The pencil is waxy but pigmented and applies easily with minimal pressure. The product lasts all day and the ultra-fine end allows for extra precision when aiming for that perfect brow. The only downside is the lack of shades that really only cater for blondes and brunettes. 

The Bourjois Velvet Rouge Edition Lipstick in Nude-ist (£8.99) is easily one of my most favourite lip products from the high street. It is the perfect 'your lips but better' shade that is super easy to apply with the handy doe-foot applicator. The formula is incredibly matte but is easily one of the least drying matte products that I have ever tried. Once applied this honestly feels like velvet on the lips, hence the name, making it one of my most comfortable matte lippy's. This shade is really opaque and lasts for hours so no drinking straw necessary. There are a variety of shades available in your local drugstore so do go check them out if you are after a marvellous, matte lip for day-to-day. 

The Rimmel Scandal Eyes Liners (£3.99) are some of the best eyeliners I have ever tried. I actually prefer to use their black liner over brands such as Urban Decay and MAC as I find the shade to be perfectly pigmented, easy to apply and most definitely stays all day. The shade I have been using  the most recently is Nude as I feel this is perfect to brighten up the eyes for a more Summer appropriate look. After each application I am always amazed about how much colour payoff this pencil gives without transferring. I seriously would happily never use another brand of liner again. 

I have raved about the Topshop beauty many times but I have seriously been loving the Topshop Lipstick in Nevada (£8) since their limited edition release of their most celebrated products from the past 5 years. Nevada is a perfect nude and reminds me a lot of MAC's Creme D'Nude but for almost half the price. The formula is ultra-creamy creating an opaque finish whilst feeling heavenly on the lips. I wore this pretty much everyday throughout the month of May and still love it now. It is one of those lip products that tends to always be in my bag ready for application. I have done a MOTD post where you can see me wearing this lipstick here. 

Finally, the L'oreal Colour Riche L'Ombre Pure Eyeshadow in Golden Nude (£5.49) is one of my all time favourite 'go-to' eyeshadows when I am looking for a simple make-up look that takes a matter of minutes. Each shade in this range has outstanding colour pay-off due to their pressed pigment formula. I own a number of the shades, some matte and some iridescent and I can personally vouch for the fact that they are seriously blend-able and pretty much the definition of a 'buttery' eyeshadow. These are some of those products that I would happily pay more for as they are that good in terms of quality and colour. If you are after an eyeshadow that you can wash all over the lids and go, then seriously check these out. 

I hope you enjoyed this post!

What are your favourite products for under £10? 

MAC Casual Colour's

The Casual Colour's are a selection of products from MAC that are definitely not their most popular. In fact, I have literally never seen anyone talk about them, blog about them or even mention them but that might just be me. Like a lot of my past purchases, I discovered these when browsing through the MAC website trying to find things that I did not own. So of course, I didn't own these and naturally, I bought the majority - oops. The idea behind these little pots are meant to be easily convertible colours that can be used on either the cheeks or the lips. I personally prefer to use them as on-the-go lip options but patted onto the cheeks with the ring finger makes for a natural colour blush with a dewey finish that compliments a simple, summer make-up look.  Each colour is versatile and easy to blend but if you are planning on using these as a cream blush, I recommend setting these with a slight bit of powder blush for a more comfortable wear. I love how compact they are and make for great travel items especially since they're multi-purpose. My favourite shades are easily Lazy Sunday and Weekend Getaway for pretty and simple, everyday hues. Each pot can be purchased for £18.50 which may seem pricey but considering they can be used in two different areas on the face, I think they're worth the steeper price tag.

If you have tried any of these then please let me know what shades you love the in the comments!

What multi-purpose products do you recommend? 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipsticks

Just look at those swatches - I am OBSESSED. I ordered these from the Anastasia Beverly Hills website, which thankfully ships to the UK, as I couldn't wait any longer to get my hands on their Liquid Lipsticks (£13.05). The extra charge for international delivery is high but I like to think it is totally worth it. First of all, I have to credit the shade range of these beauties as it's honestly incredible. These have every shade you can think of and all of them are totally wearable. The pigmentation is also impeccable and honestly beats any liquid lipstick I have ever tried. The application is foolproof thanks to the doe foot applicator that distributes the product evenly and seamlessly for ultra defined lips that look absolutely gorgeous. As you probably know, these have a matte finish but thankfully the formula isn't overly drying and instead have a velvet feel that feel completely comfortable on the lips. I picked up the shades Milkshake, Lovely, Pure Hollywood, Baby Pink, Sad Girl and Heathers. These shades offer hues that range from light pinks, mid-tones, corals, extra-nude or deep purple-reds. I just regret not picking up more now!

Let me know what you think in the comments.

What shade takes your fancy? 

Make Up| L'Oreal Superliner Gel Eyeliner vs. NYX Gel Eyeliner and Smudger

Hi everyone!

Today I will be doing a product comparison review between the L'Oreal Superliner Gel Intenza Pure Black Liner and the NYX Gel Liner and Smudger.

I am a BIG lover of gel eyeliner as I feel my face doesn't look complete without me lining along my lashes. After trying and testing hundreds of different eyeliners from liquid to felt tip, having some that have worked better than others, I came to realise that gel was the way forward! I feel you get a more controlled effect and you can achieve a variety of different looks which usually wasn't the case with a liquid liner. 

These two have definitely become my clear favourite in the past year. I'll start by saying the packaging is very similar and both of them are convenient, travel friendly and come with no annoying problems (loose lids etc). I prefer the look of the L'Oreal Gel Eyeliner but thats really only because of the gold lid. 

I could not recommend the L'Oreal Superliner Gel eyeliner highly enough. It's very easy to apply and the actual product comes with a brush to assist you in doing so. I personally prefer to use one of my own fine liner brushes but this could be an added benefit for some of you. It's very similar to the Maybelline Gel Eyeliner but I preferred this one purely because my Maybelline liner seemed to dry out a lot quicker. Once the gel liner is applied it lasts well on skin, I wouldn't say the full 24 hours which the product claims to do as I have had bad problems with smudging but I usually set this with a black shadow to prevent this from happening. This being a common problem with most gel eyeliners! The superliner really has a glide on gel texture making it very easy to apply good looking lines, thick or thin! Priced at £9.99 it's definitely an affordable alternative to the Clinique or Bobby Brown Gel Eyeliners. 

Similarly, the Nyx Gel Eyeliner and Smudger has impressed me and my eye lids these past few months. The smudging quality of the product enables you to wear this also as an eyeshadow, I personally would rather use powder but for some of you this could be really beneficial. The colour payoff is amazing and it really gives a harsh, black colour which is exactly what I look for in eyeliners. Nobody has time for a dark grey like black! The first thing that I noticed about the NYX Gel Eyeliner which set it in front of the L'Oreal liner is how creamy and smooth the consistency of the product is. It glides on to the lids like a dream and is very quick drying meaning the smudging is limited (not gone completely but less in comparison to the L'Oreal Gel Eyeliner). They're also waterproof which is perfect! Especially when living in rainy England. Priced at £8 there is not a lot in it between this and the L'Oreal Superliner. It is definitely a product I would recommend all eyeliner lovers to get. The one main downside to the product is NYX is so hard to find in the UK, the only known place local to me who stock it is Next. 

Let me know what you guys think in the comments.

Have you tried either of these?

What's your favourite?

Make Up| Clarins Eclat Minute Instant Light Complexion Perfector

Hi everyone!

Today I thought I would do a review on a newer product that I've been using this past month or so and it's the Clarins Eclat Minute Instant Light Complexion Perfector. This is basically a primer which also doubles up to be a highlighter as the cream has a slight shimmer that gives a radiant look once on the face. I have mine in the colour Rose Shimmer 00 and I find it gives me a healthy, glowing look and a perfect finish, especially in photos! (I'm wearing it in my FOTD blog post which you can see here) It makes my skin tone appear smooth and even as well as illuminated. What more could you want? 

It definitely helps my make up stay on for longer and because of the silky consistency of the product, it glides onto your skin easily and helps foundation do the same! This can be used alone, just to give your skin a boost on a dull day, underneath foundation (which I usually do) or mixed in with your foundation to make the overall finish appear more dewey. 

I absolutely love the packaging! I don't know why but I got really excited over the fact that it was both a tube AND a pump! I don't think I've had/seen anything like it before. 

This is definitely one of those products were a little bit goes a long way. I've put a couple of pumps on my hand so you could get an idea of the colour and you can even see here how nicely it begins to dissolve into the skin. Priced at £26, it is definitely a high end primer but it's not too dissimilar in price to Benefit's Porefessional (review here)

Perfect for people with aged skin who would like to achieve the fresh, younger look.

It's a miracle in a tube! 

Have you tried it? What did you think?

Comment below what your miracle product is! 

Make Up Dupe| YSL Glossy Stain VS. L'Oreal Glam Shine 6Hour Lip Gloss

Hello everyone!

Today I am going to be doing a product comparison with two of my most worn and favourite lip glosses from 2013. I am a big lip gloss lover, I love to have a shine on my lips and don't like having to constantly reapply so anything that is long lasting is perfect for me. 

The first I'm talking about is the Yves Saint Laurent Glossy Stain Lip in the colour 16 Fuchsia. This was one of those products that I had to close my eyes and stick my card in the machine as priced at £23.50 it is a VERY expensive lip gloss/stain. So is it worth the price tag? First of all, it is very pigmented and the colour as well as gloss is extremely build-able.  This probably gives me the most shiniest, glossiest finish then any other lip product I have tried and it is very long lasting. Being a stain as well, the colour literally will not budge and it isn't sticky on your lips. I could apply this in the morning, eat a three course meal (not saying I do everyday!) and drink as many drinks as I wanted and the colour will still be there! I think the packaging is lovely and is quite a compacted size and there is an added bonus that the actual gloss smells AMAZING! 

The product I am comparing this to is the L'Oreal Glam Shine 6Hour Lip Gloss in the colour 405 Fresh Tangerine. Priced at only £8.69 this is a much cheaper alternative to the YSL Glossy Stain. This is also a very pigmented colour and very glossy, maybe not as glossy as the YSL product but not too far off! The product claims to last 6 hours which I don't know if I would necessarily agree but it is still more long lasting then the majority of other high street glosses out there. This also isn't sticky once applied and I do find the colour to be easily builded. The one downside to this product is the packaging. As the bottle is tapered it means it is almost impossible for the applicator to be able to reach all the product from around the edges meaning it does seem like some is going to waste. 

This is just one swatch of both product and as you can see there really isn't a lot of difference (excluding the colour) in the products shine and pigmentation. The main difference being that the YSL Glossy Stain (left) did stain the skin longer whereas the L'Oreal (right) Glam Shine was easily removed which backs up my claim that the YSL Glossy Stain is more long lasting in comparison. 

They both have very similar sized and shaped applicators that are fixed at an angle which means they are perfect for picking up a lot of product. The YSL Glossy Stain's (right) applicator is also patented meaning it is perfect for precise and smooth application. 

All in all, both of these products are very similar. I wouldn't go as far as saying that I'd never purchase a YSL Glossy stain again now I've found the L'Oreal Glam Shines but I do feel that splashing my cash on the more expensive product could be easily prevented if I found the perfect colour in the L'Oreal Glam Shines.

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Have you tried either of these products?

What did you think? 

Make Up| MAC Lipstick Dark Side

Hi everyone!

Today I'm reviewing one of my all time favourite lipsticks which I have been reaching for a lot over the Autumn/Winter months. This is one of Mac's Lipsticks in the colour Dark Side (£15) which is a very deep and dark plum- red. This colour is perfect to vamp up any look wether it be daytime or evening. The colour is very build-able so you can either dab it on and wear it as a stain or layer it up to make it amplified and exceptional. I am very faired skin and usually I find red lipsticks don't suit me as much but I think it's something about the dark tones of this lipstick which make it work for me. I also love the name 'Dark Side' it creates connotations, to me, of fairy tales which is understandable because I can definitely see the Queen of Hearts rocking this, don't you think? 

                                                         

As you can see when swatching this, the colour is VERY pigmented. This is only one or two layers of the lipstick and already it shows as a deep blood red. I don't find the formula particularly moisturising in fact even though it lasts a long time it does feel like it slightly dries out my lips through out the day but nevertheless I love it and it doesn't put me off wearing it. 

Whats your favourite Mac Lipstick? Let me know in the comments!

Make Up| Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation

Hello!

Today I am reviewing my all time favourite foundation the Estée Lauder Double Wear. I, like I suspect most of you, have tried many different foundations from drugstore to high end and have tested powders, gel-based, liquid, mousse the list goes on! I'm not saying that I have never liked another foundation but it always seems no matter how long I have ventured away I always end up coming back to this one because it is just perfect for me! 

                                                   

Mine is in the colour 1C0 shell which I find to be a perfect match. They have a large range of colours that are broken down into three groups: cool, neutral and warm and which offer different undertones for each and every person and all contain SPF 10. It is definitely a medium to high coverage so for those of you who prefer something a bit natural, this might not be for you. It's said to have 15 hour lasting power and to be honest I don't disagree, I would be able to put this on in the morning before a long shift at work or a day at uni and not have to really touch it again at all. I feel it gives a flawless finish and despite it being a heavier coverage it does look natural on the skin. It also doesn't feel to heavy once applied and considering it's both heat-proof and water-resistant it's still suitable in the hot conditions as it doesn't just feel like it's melting of your face like some foundations I have tried! 

The packaging is glass and looks as well as feels expensive. The only problem I really find with it is that it has no pump as such so the liquid is there to pour out freely meaning there's a threat of wasting some of the product and priced at £28.50 this is really not ideal!

All in all it is a great product and I could not recommend it highly enough!

                                                 Have you tried it? What do you think?

                               

                                                                            xx

Make Up| Mini Cosmetics Haul

Hello again!

I accidentally did a bit of shopping today (which of course was necessary) and I thought I would do a quick post on what I bought. Obviously I won't be reviewing the products as such because I haven't properly tried them yet but watch this space as there probably will be comments on all of them in the near future!!

My first and favourite product from today is the Clinique 'take the day off' Cleansing Balm. I've seen loads of reviews for this and I was stuck between this or the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm but I felt for almost £8 cheaper and it being my first time even using one, I thought this would be a good place to start. I love the packaging, it feels luxurious and expensive and I'm a sucker for the colour purple. I can only describe the consistency of the product as 'magical', is that sad? It's a solid balm that dissolves quickly into a silky, oil thats perfect for taking off foundation and hard-to-budge eye makeup. I can't wait to try it! 

I also picked up 3 face mask from Superdrug's own brand. There's no particular reason why I chose these specific ones but I felt they looked interesting and priced at only 99p I felt it would be silly not too try! Each mask does a different job as one purifies, another's cooling and the other is a heating one - my favourite! I really want to incorporate face masks into my skin care routine as I feel they're an affordable way to make you feel pampered and give you that post-facial feeling.  

The last 2 items I picked up were one of the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's in the colour Pink Gold and a Max Factor Miracle Touch Cream Blush in 03 Soft Copper. I already own 3 other colours in the Maybelline Colour Tattoo range and I absolutely love them for a quick and easy yet effective eye make up look. I haven't had a cream blush in my makeup collection for years and I liked the look of the Max Factor ones and priced at only £6.99 I was easily convinced. I chose this colour as I feel like it's more of a bronzed blush meaning when I'm feeling lazy I can just apply this without having to worrying about my usual contouring along with blusher. 

Have you tried this products? How did you find them?

Comment below!

xx

Skincare| Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser

Hello again!

Today I will be reviewing the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser which is definitely a revolutionary product, I would say, in the skincare world. Perfect for all ages and skin types, it's the perfect cleanser that actually seems to make a visible difference.

It's a plant-based creamy cleanser that is perfect for taking off all types of make up including waterproof mascara (yay!). It works in two phases: cleansing and polishing. The polishing is done with a muslin cloth that actually comes with the cleanser (bigger ones can be bought from the baby section in Boots!) this, in effect, exfoliates your skin and removes all the dead skin cells that may have been lodging there.

What I like most about this product is that you're always guaranteed to be left with smooth and clean-looking skin. I owe the disappearance of many spots to this bottle. There's also the added bonus that it smells great too!

Have you tried it? What cleansers do you like it?

Make Up| Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Hello again! 

Today I'm reviewing a makeup product that has taken the beauty world by storm... the Clinique bottom lash mascara. This Clinique mascara is here too.. well it's in the name really. The idea of this cosmetic product is to eliminate clumps and smudges that would usually be the case when using a full size mascara wand. Gone are the days of lashes like spiders legs. 

Armed with a tiny wand, this mascara is perfect for getting in all the hard to get to places including the tiniest little lashes in the corners of your eyes! The packaging is super pretty with the silver detailed floral pattern and the size is perfect for travel! But with all the positives with a good product there is usually one or two negatives. The formula of the mascara seemed to dry out quickly for me meaning if you were to be a lover of this bottom lash mascara you may find yourself buying it sooner then you hoped.

Priced at £12 for a 2ml bottle, it does fit it in to the high end side of the spectrum as products go. But I think the price tag is only a minor problem for such a unique product. All in all it's definitely one to try. 

Have you tried it? If so what did you think? 

Lifestyle| New Years Resolutions

Hello!

It's that time of year again where we all promise to be healthier, happier version of ourselves. I'm aware this post may be somewhat delayed but I thought I may still get away with telling you all my New Years resolution for 2014. 

I, like I suspect most of you, always set myself goals which I never ever fulfill. I tell myself each year 'this will be the year I will get physically fitter' yet, again maybe like you, this is never the case. This is why this year I decided to try something completely different. Introducing... 

One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Book! This unique and stupidly cute book was introduced to me thanks to Instagram and as soon as I saw it I knew it was something I had to have. This book is basically a diary but instead of writing page long ramblings of your day to day life you keep it to just a few sentences. This enables you to keep track of what you were doing or how you were feeling every day, all year long, for five years. 

The layout inside is set out in such away that allows you to compare each passage to the one before or the one after in a five year gap. Perfect for people who love anything nostalgic or sentimental. 

I thought this would be an obtainable goal to complete by the end of 2014 and hopefully the years following from that. I feel it would be interesting to see how I evolve as a person as time goes on. 

Is this your kind of thing? What's your New Years Resolution?