Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation: Review ♥

Hello lovelies,

I bought the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation a few months ago as an alternative to my Estée Lauder Double Wear Light, as I wanted something that was a little bit more lightweight (as well as being cheaper) for the good skin days when I didn't need too much coverage or when I was only going to lectures or other day to day things that didn't require a full face of make up.

After it being recommended to me by my housemate and around 40 minutes in Superdrug swatching about a million other foundations I took the plunge and bought it. I was sceptical at first as I didn't think anything would  be comparable to the coverage or finish my Estée Lauder gives, but I was surprised at how natural and blend-able the make up was, whilst still offering a good medium coverage. I chose the shade 103, True Ivory as the closest match to my skin and I found that it applied really easily to my skin and didn't make me look caked in make up at all. I really like the dewy finish as it does make you look more awake and fresh-faced, it's also perfect for my skin which is sometimes prone to dryness and gives it a glow, so maybe those with oily skin wouldn't find it as good because of the dewy and anti-fatigue properties.

The smell is also lovely as it's quite fruity and refreshing for applying in the morning, and I find that it's pretty long lasting as well, which is a massive bonus for me, as I hate when I get half way through the day to find my make up has rubbed off. I sometimes set it with my MAC mineralize skin finish if I know that I need my make up to stay in place longer or I don't want the dewy effect as much and it stays put for the day. Overall a great high street alternative to my Double Wear Light :) and considering I wear it most days and I bought it a few months back, I've still got quite a lot left which is great because a little goes a long way.

This foundation retails at £8.99, and here's some pictures of how it looks on the skin with no powders or blushers on top :) *these pictures had to be taken inside because of the weather, but it will probably feature in most OOTD's which are taken outside*

Have you ever tried this foundation? What is your go-to high street foundation? 

Estée Lauder Day Wear: Review

Hellooo,

I recently gave in to temptation and bought the Estée Lauder Idealist Pore minimizing Skin Refinisher, I bought it online and chose the set, so that I could get a pot of the Day Wear moisturiser as well. I've been using my Liz Earle skin repair religiously since I took the leap and started using the Cleanse and Polish in April as I find it works amazingly on my skin. I have normal/combination skin and sometimes feel that the areas around my chin and nose get a bit dry so I like a product which is deeply nourishing and moisturising but not oily.

I've loved Estée Lauder since I bought my Double Wear Light and the mega-hyped-about Advanced Night Repair is amazing, so I thought I'd expand my collection and add a couple more beauties to the box. The Day Wear cream is just as lovely as I expected! It claims to diminish and prevent against early signs of ageing, which is always a bonus, even though I am only 21 it's never too early to protect against fine lines and dullness. It also contains SPF 15 which is perfect for the summer months and means I don't have to smother my skin in oily sun creams before applying my make up.

The moisturiser, although being super moisturising and hydrating, is really light, which again, is perfect for the summer months where my skin benefits from something a bit more lightweight rather than being slathered in a thick moisturiser which takes a while to soak in. It instantly hydrates the skin and leaves the skin looking fresh and glowing without it feeling oily on the surface, so make up can be applied pretty much straight after. It also has a refreshing cucumber scent so is lovely as a wake up in the morning, which is when I tend to use this cream. It can also be used in the evening, however, I still stick to my Liz Earle cleanse and polish routine at the moment because it really works for me.

I would recommend this moisturiser to anyone who wants a lightweight moisturiser which is still deeply nourishing and hydrating, and I think it's perfect for the summer months.

This retails at £37.00 for 50ml, but I got mine in a set with the Idealist Serum and also the ANR eye serum for £38.00 - well worth it!

Have you ever tried this moisturiser? What's your favourite?

x

Benefit Bad Gal Lash Mascara ♥

Hey beauts,

I'm sure I'm not the only one who jumped at the chance to get some benefit goodies with the Glamour mag this month, I loved that they were giving away freebies and I even treated myself to two of the same magazine to get two goodies! I got the Bad Gal Lash mascara and the Porefessional primer. I have already got the primer (mentioned here) but thought getting a little tester sized tube would be perfect for travelling or as a back up for when mine has ran out so I snapped it up.

I was expecting good things with the mascara as I had a Benefit mascara years ago and loved it, I just never bought it again, not sure why. I naturally tried it out as soon as I bought it and haven't stopped using it since, it really separates the lashes whilst lengthening them as well. I already have quite long lashes so length isn't a main priority of mine but I do look for something that separates them as I don't like it when my lashes look clumpy and recently I feel like my eyelashes are getting quite sparse so I want something that doesn't give this impression and makes my lashes look full and beautiful! This is definitely the mascara for the job. This little tester size has convinced me to buy the full size when this has run out and it definitely beats my L'oreal mascaras hands down.

Have you ever tried this mascara? Did you snap up the Glamour freebies? 

x

My Top 4 Lip Balms ♥

Hey lovelies,

I don't know about you, but a lip balm is one of my 'must have' beauty items. I get quite dry lips throughout the year so keeping them moisturised is essential, so that lipstick glides on and doesn't look all clumpy and patchy. 

After trying lots of different types of lip balms, I've narrowed down to my top 4:

Carmex - This claims to give long-lasting relief for dry chapped lips, and I love it! I find that it first tingles when applied and feels quite cold when you put it on your lips but it soaks in well and doesn't just feel like it's coating your lips as some do, it actually moisturises them and leaves them feeling smooth for a long time after. Perfect for preparing lips for lipstick all year round! The only thing I'm not keen on with the one I've got this time, is the fact that it's in a tub as I feel this can spread germs more easily, although it does also come in a handy squeezy tube which is better for me I find and easy to apply.

Burt's Bees Replenishing lip balm - This claims to be both nourishing and hydrating and again it does what it says on the tin! This comes in many different 'flavours' and I like the one with Pomegranate oil as it tastes and smells really sweet and being pinky/red in colour it leaves a nice little tint on the lips. I also love that it comes in a twisty tube form as it's really easy to apply. It soaks into the lips really quickly and leaves them feeling instantly moisturised and soft. Again, perfect before applying lipstick.

No7 Protect and Perfect Lip Care - I love this one as it's so creamy and moisturising. It also has a real vanilla-y sweet smell and taste which is addictive. It claims to smooth and hydrate lips for 24 hours so I like to apply this before I go to sleep or in the morning to give my lips a moisture boost for the rest of the day. This is in a squeezy tube too, and comes in creamy form as opposed to the other two which are more oil based, but it's perfect for when your lips need a little bit of TLC, and is a nice little treat to apply at night. 

Nivea Essential Care - Out of all my top 4, this one is my least fave but still good enough to be up there! The reason it's my least fave is because I sometimes feel it just coats the lips rather than soaks in straight away but it does soak in eventually after rubbing it in slightly. This is another twisting tube lip balm which I like, and leaves quite a whitish sheer colour on the lips as opposed to the glossy colour from the others which I quite like some days when I don't want to wear a lipstick as it tends to leave a nudey sheen on the lips. Obviously it does work well and really reduces the dryness to leave softer lips so it's a good one to have in the make up bag. 

Have you ever tried any of these lip balms? What are your fave 'go to' lip balms?

x

Let's get Wavy ♥

Hey beauts,

So a month or so ago I got a little crazy with my online shopping as the weather was so grim outside and I hadn't stepped out the house for a whole weekend!! I needed perking up so took a peek online, then one thing led to another and before I knew it I was a few pennies down and waiting for my new goodies to arrive!

I came across Wavy Handmade Jewellery  and there were so many things I wanted. I ended up buying quite a lot as I originally ordered some things and then found out more had been added to the shop so I made another cheeky little order too - no willpower. I wanted something a little bit different as I have a lot of jewellery already and I found some lovely pieces to add to my collection. I thought the prices were amazing too as they were all relatively cheap which made me feel less guilty about buying quite a lot! I was also really impressed with the service, as the packaging was really cute with a little sticker with my name on, and because my order took a while to get to me, due to having to wait for some parts, I was sent some freebies to make up for my wait! I was so happy with them all as each freebie was really my style as well and I liked that thought and effort had gone into my order to make sure I was a happy customer! :)

The freebies I was sent were the: Skull ring, the Red stone bracelet with the little hand charm, and the Purple Cross bracelet, all the rest I ordered  myself :).

I love all my jewellery, and you'll be seeing them in lots of future outfit posts as they've been making an appearance in lots of my outfits lately! :) Will definitely be buying more jewellery soon! :)

What do you think of my new goodies? Have you ever bought anything off Wavy Jewellery?

x

Back in Business ♥

Hello loveliess, I'm back! My exams are finished and I'm free as a bird (for now anyway). I have so many different posts lined up I couldn't decide what to start off with but then I thought I'd just do a little Instagram post to show you all some of the things I've been up to since my exams and my blog break! 

I'm relatively new to Instagram but I love it, the nosy person inside me loves being able to look at what people are getting up to, and I really enjoy it when bloggers do Instagram posts as I love seeing lifestyle related posts as well as beauty. So here is a little snapshot of what I've been up to since my last post, as well as 4 exams and lots of revision! 

1) Mid-revision treats 2) Face of the night 3) Cocktails with the girls 4) Pimms Royale 5) Estee Lauder goodies 6) OOTN before our meal and new blazer 7) Sisters OOTN 8) Fillet Steak mmm 9) Last night with uni friends 10) Same again 11) Snugburys on the way home 12) Polished it off 13) Jubilee cakes 14) Club Tropicana theme at Pangaea 15) Outside stage at Pangaea festival 16) Day after pizza lunch with the bestie

Are you on instagram? What do you think of instagram posts?

P.s. If you want to follow me on instagram and see my latest updates then feel free :) my username is @zoenaylor1

x