Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundations Comparison + Nail Favourite

I have been trying out these two foundations for several months now so I thought that I would share my thoughts with you. I think that Rimmel foundations are excellent value; good 'all-rounder' foundations at a reasonable price. I love the Wake Me Up foundation for the summer however it has oxidised in the bottle and is now way too dark for me. I have also loved the Match Perfection one for wearing to school for a natural medium coverage, but it is quickly running out! As these two were buy one get one half price, I thought I would put them up against each other and do a comparison.

So, what are the similarities between the two?
They both claim to be 'sweat, heat, humidity and transfer proof for up to 25 hours' which attracted me to them because I don't know what it is but make-up doesn't seem to last very well on my skin and I do not have a particularly oily skin type for a teen! However, I have seen a big improvement when I have been wearing both of these foundations; it seems as though it is water resistant (which is great for me as I have watery eyes) and lasts really well on the skin. In the evening I use an oil cleanser and a swipe of some micellar water on a cotton pad is effective too.
They also claim to be 'skin perfecting' and I would say that they definitely both give a really lovely even, flawless finish. I think that partly the reason for this is that they both have a slightly yellow undertone which cancels out my red/pink toned skin.
I use one and a half pumps for both foundations and this is plenty to be blended across the whole face and down the neck.   
They both have SPF 20 which I think is great because I like to wear SPF on my face every day all year round!

And what are the differences?

The one with the red lid is labelled as a full coverage foundation and has a 'comfort serum' and the one with the white lid is a medium coverage 'nude' foundation. The one with the red lid is much thicker in consistency and I can feel the serum texture as I apply it to my skin. I don't think that this one would be appropriate for oilier skin as the serum gives it a slightly greasy feel. I think that this is what makes it have more coverage as it doesn't absorb into the skin but sits comfortably on the skin to achieve a more flawless coverage. 

 

  

That is why I think that that you need to either use your fingers or a flat foundation brush for the best result. The one that I use is the Estee Lauder Foundation Brush 1 (Click here to buy!). I have tried applying it with a buffing brush and a stippling brush but it takes ages to blend into the skin and can look a bit streaky. It is also ever so slightly darker in colour than the other even though I got them both in 010 Light Porcelain (Click here to buy!). Light porcelain is the lightest shade that they do and it is perfect for me although the red lid one is a smidgen darker than I would like. I wear this when I am going out in the evening as I really like the high coverage but need to spend some time blending to get it perfect.

I thought that I would prefer the red lid one because I normally gravitate towards higher coverage foundations and prefer the effect it gives on the skin. However, I prefer the 'nude' formula of the white lidded one (Click here to buy!) because it blends so effortlessly into the skin to give a more undetectable coverage that is still flawless. I think that the coverage is slightly lighter and blends better into the skin to look more natural, but that is what I like for an every day foundation. 

I like to apply it with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush (Click here to buy!). This gives a perfect base really quickly. The lightweight formula also makes the foundation feel a lot more hydrating on the skin and in my opinion feels more comfortable to wear. I will definitely be repurchasing the white lidded one when I run out!

Just as a side note, on my nails I have Big Apple Red by OPI. It is a mini size that I got in the 'Best of the Best' set and I am absolutely in love with it. I sometimes get an urge to whack on some bright red nail varnish but always regret it because I am so pale, it makes my skin look even more alien-like than it actually is. One coat of this makes a lovely deep raspberry red colour that is still red enough to be Christmassy but pink enough to make my hands look normal...sort of! (Click here to buy!) 

And as for this little wonder product, where do I start?! I always hear bloggers raving about the Seche Vite top coat but could never justify spending the money on it. When I saw this Bourjois equivalent appear on the shelves of my local Superdrug, I snapped it up because it was a little cheaper and I thought that it would encourage me to paint my nails more during this festive season (Click here to buy!). Once you have painted the second hand, the next one is dry and there is virtually no drying time! One drop is all you need on each nail straight after you have painted it and...voila! The only negative is that it does give a texture to your nails but this does not detract from the appearance of them! 

Where's Mollie been?
I am sorry that I haven't blogged recently but mock exams and UCAS applications have got in the way! Thank you so much for putting up with me and taking the time to read my posts!

The Luxury Cupboard!

So, I have a cupboard in my bathroom where I keep my most treasured skincare products. They are products that are over £10 and currently, there are only three because I don't usually splurge on skincare and prefer to find the more affordable products that are just as good. I have been using them for a while now (sparingly!) so I thought I would review them for you.

First up is the famous Pixi Glow Tonic (Click here to buy!). I first heard about this acid exfoliator from the amazing Caroline Hirons (Click here to view her blog!). I really liked the sound of acid toning as an alternative to exfoliating with beaded cleansers. I also thought that the acids would help my spot prone skin. Then, for Christmas I got given the Clinique Clarifying Lotion which I mistook for an acid toner. In fact it doesn't have any skin beneficial acids in the ingredients (as far as I can see) and has a high alcohol content. I have heard that alcohol is not good for teenage skin so as soon as I found this out, I stopped using it and purchased the Pixi Glow! I have seen a big difference in my skin; I don't get so many blemishes anymore and when I do, they don't look so raw and heal much quicker. I have even noticed a fading of my blemish scars since using this. My skin looks A LOT healthier and my complexion is in better condition as it is radiant and more even. I don't feel the tingle like I used to with my Clinique one but I am definitely seeing a difference so I know that it is working!
         

 

This next one is the Neal's Yard White Tea Facial Mist (Click here to buy!) and it is a re-purchase. I first discovered this at a Neal's Yard party and absolutely fell in love with the scent. It is so refreshing and calming. I use this in the evening to help me sleep and sometimes during the day to stop my skin from drying out. I use it after I have toned with my Pixi Glow Tonic give my skin a boost of hydration. It also has antioxidants which my skin loves. At £11 I don't think that it is too expensive but feels really luxurious to use.

 

 

When I went for my Clinique skincare skin consultation, the lady recommended the Moisture Surge (Click here to buy!) to me to help with my dehydration. I was originally put off by the price, but my lovely Ouma surprised me at the airport before our holiday and bought it for me. It is a very thin consistency so you only need a pinkie-finger- scoop for the whole face. It feels so thirst-quenching on the skin and makes my complexion look perkier in the morning. It is also a really versatile product because you can use it under or over make-up. 

 

In my opinion, all three of these higher end products are totally worth the money. All of them are part of my evening skincare routine if I am going 'all out' and I can definitely see and feel a difference in the morning. 

 

Thank you so much for reading! What higher-end skincare products do you think are worth the price?          







TK Maxx Brush Haul

There is nothing that I love more than rummaging through the beauty part of TK Maxx. There is not a store close to where I live so when I get to one, I spend ALOT of time looking at all the beauty bits. I love that every time I go, there are new brands, often fairly premium, that have been reduced by a considerable amount. I lust over the make-up brushes at the high-end counters but can never summon the courage to pay the luxury price. I have been wanting to try a stippling brush for ages because I have heard that it is a make-up artist's secret to flawless foundation application. I know that Real Techniques do one (Click here to buy!) but I delayed buying it before I knew that I really liked the effect it gave.

 

I saw this one from the brand ProFinish which was just £3.99. I had never heard of the brand but it is a duo fibre one so I thought that it was well worth the money. Stupidly, I didn't open the packet it came in before I bought it. The synthetic bristles at the top of the brush are reasonably soft. However, the natural fibres at the bottom are very coarse and rough. Also, when I buffed in my liquid foundation with it for the first time, lots of the natural fibres were falling out and sticking to my face! I have used it a couple of times since then, and it has never been as bad as the first time. I do not regret buying it though because it has showed me that I really like the flawless effect it creates and it has made me decide to buy the Real Techniques one. However, I don't think I will ever use it again because it is such bad quality and is scratchy on the skin. At full price, it was £7.99 and I definitely don't think it is worth that sort of money especially as it starts falling apart after one use!

 

 

One brand that I often see in TK Maxx is Ecotools. I have been looking for a powder brush for ages. I was tempted by the Real Techniques one but thought that it was too stiff and wanted a fluffier one for patting powder on the t-zone and under the eyes. I am now in love with this brush! It is a slightly flat shape which makes it perfect for setting under-eye concealer without ruining any blending you have done. It is also great for accurately patting product around the nose. In terms of aesthetics, I love the tapered handle and the wood effect. It does exactly the job I wanted it to do and I would definitely recommend it. It was £6.99 and the original price is £9.99 so quite a good discount but I would still be willing to pay full price for this brilliant brush.

 

 

The final brush that I bought was also ProFinish. I had been looking for a slanted brush to practise my contouring with but this is definitely not the one! It is so very rough and scratchy. It feels like straw on your face!!! I couldn't tell whether the bronzer had actually gone onto my skin. I think that this one was also originally £7.99 which is absolutely crazy because it feels so cheap!  

 

Thank you so much for reading and feel free to leave a comment with your favourite budget-friendly make-up brushes! I would love to hear your recommendations!  

Where's Mollie?...Portugal!

Hi there! I am back from my holiday and ready to share with you the beauty bits that I picked up while I was away in Portugal! I went to a couple of pharmacies out there and saw some lovely things but I ended up just buying from the Intermarche!



I spotted this brand called 'Golden Silk Natural Cosmetics' which has no parabens and was reasonably priced. I bought the Green Clay and Cucumber Cleansing Milk (€3.99) and the Green Clay and Cucumber Mask (€5.98).

I also noticed the new Baby Lips Electro and I didn't think they are available yet in the UK (Now I know they are!!!) so I picked up one in the colour Berry Bomb (€2.99) as well! (Click here to buy!)

 

So first up is the cleansing milk! It claims to be a purificante and a hydratante which appealed to me because it seemed to be the best of both worlds for spot prone skin and dehydrated skin! It also says that it is suitable for both sensitive and damaged skin so I thought that it would be gentle as well as healing. I also thought that it would be good if I got sun burned on my face (although thankfully I didn't!) The cucumber makes it smell very fresh and clean which I like. It is a creamy milky consistency which I applied in circular motions all over the face. I also didn't have any problems rubbing it over my eyes. I really enjoy using it as it makes my skin feel really clean and it helped to prevent my skin from drying out in the hot weather! My skin looked really clear on holiday and I used this alternately with my Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil (Click here to buy!) It was good at getting rid of the residue from my sun cream and the Max Factor CC cream that I took with me on holiday, however since being back I have tried using it to remove foundation and it is not very effective. I also found it cooling and calming on my face so great for a summer holiday!

 

 

 Next up is the mask! I absolutely love trying new masks so I couldn't resist this one! It claims to leave the skin soft and hydrated and to even help treat acne and rosacea! It is a very thin consistency so not the easiest to apply evenly. The directions say to leave it on until it dries out. On my first attempt, I think I applied it too thickly because I left it on for ages and it showed no signs of drying out!

 

First Attempt!!!

The second time, I applied a much thinner layer and it dried slightly but not completely. I didn't feel any tingling like I do with a lot of my other masks but it did feel really refreshing on the skin and extremely gentle. I really like that it has no parabens and lovely natural ingredients that are beneficial to the skin like green clay.

 

Second Attempt!!!
 

The jury's out on whether it does amazing things to my skin but I think that I will definitely reach for this when my skin needs calming down after angry spots breakout!

 

 

I have tried the original Baby Lips and really liked them. I think that the formula for this Electro version is slightly different; it is a little more watery which makes it feel really smooth on the lips. I think that it is also a little bit more sheer than the original, which it needs to be with the  selection of bright neon shades! It smells really fruity and the colour is a lovely light purple tint.

 

   

 

Thank you so much for reading! 

Summer Cheeks!



As the weather is getting warmer, I have been experimenting with my make-up to achieve that 'summer glow'! I absolutely love make-up but I am really not very good at applying it and blusher was my limit when it came to cheeks. But recently I have tried really hard to master contouring and highlighting and although there is still a long way to go, I feel that I am happy with the result that I create!  

As you can probably tell, this blusher by GOSH in the colour 'Flower Power' is well loved! (Click here to buy!) I think it was a mixture of travelling with it and months of vigorously tapping my brush on the side that made it like this! I am reluctant to waste it though because it is just the perfect natural blush colour for me. It is really pigmented and long-wearing and I have not used any other blush for about a year!!!

My little technique for applying blush is to smile and push the product onto the apples of my cheeks first. I then blend it out in circular motions. I find that this avoids a stripe of pink on my face and creates a really natural flushed effect. I use the Estee Lauder Blush Brush which is the perfect cheek shape and size. It is super soft and just really great at applying blusher. It should be because it is £30! (Click here to buy!)

For highlighter and bronzer, I use the Sleek Face Contour Kit (Click here to buy!). I don't use the blusher in the kit as often because I prefer a blusher without very much shimmer.

I use the powder brush from the Models Own 5 Piece Brush Set (Click here to buy!). It is small enough to accurately apply the highlighter onto the cheekbones. I especially make sure to tap off the excess product because the Sleek highlighter is extremely pigmented and shimmery. It reflects the light beautifully and brightens the under-eye area. My technique is to sweep the highlighter under my eyes and along my cheekbones.

I also use the Models Own brush for the bronzer which is not ideal. I think that it would be better if it was angled and more tapered. I find contouring the hardest and I am still practising but my technique is to suck in my cheeks and turn my head to the side to find the shadow in the hollows of my cheeks. Then, I take a tiny amount of product on the brush and starting at the top of the ear, I brush backwards and forwards in the hollows of my cheeks. The angle of my brush is from the top of my ear to my mouth. I do not let my brush come as low as the corner of my mouth and try to concentrate more product on the side of my face rather than the front. I then apply bronzer in circular motions to my forehead and temples and on my neck and under my chin to bronze up the parts where the sun would naturally bronze.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed watching my attempts at creating summer cheeks! 
Please feel free to leave comments with ideas for improvements!     

June Beauty Favourites!

I have been loving my new purchases from my trip to London and some other bits-and-bobs as well, so I thought that I would show you what I have really enjoyed using in the month of June!

As you may have guessed from my Volumising Haircare post (Click here to view it!), I am on a mission to make my hair thicker. I thought that I would give this Heads & Shoulders Thick & Strong Shampoo and Conditioner Click here to buy!) a go and I am so glad that I did. It makes your hair and scalp feel completely clean. I have also noticed that my hair is more resilient to brushing and that it helps with oil control as the weather is getting warmer. There is also a visible difference in the thickness of my hair and therefore I feel that it absolutely lives up to its claims and improves the condition of my hair. It is slightly more expensive than I am used to paying for shampoo and conditioner but it's definitely not high-end and I think that it is worth it! 

(You can tell that I am new at the blogging game by the state of this powder!) As you will know from my previous post (Click here to view it!), I fell in love with the Kiko store on Regent's Street when I went to London. I picked up this Colour Correction Powder (sorry, can't link to it as the website is currently under maintenance!). It's a baked powder that evens out your skin tone, brightens your complexion and fixes your make-up into place. I think that it is a lovely powder as it is not heavy or cakey which I find that some are. In terms of reducing redness, I am not sure but I think it is really hard for any brand whether it be high-end or low-end, to do colour correction really well. Never the less, I think that it gives my make-up a lovely finish and makes rushed make-up look good!

I have a few bits from the Superdrug's own brand, Simply Pure but have been reluctant to share my love for them because I bought them at a very reduced 'clearing' price. So I think they may be discontinuing some of the products that I absolutely love which is really annoying. One of the things I love about this brand is that they have different skincare for different types of skin; they have ranges for sensitive skin, combination skin, spot-prone skin and dehydrated skin. I don't know which ranges they are discontinuing and which they are keeping. I think they are keeping everything for the sensitive skin range as those products seem to dominate the Superdrug website and my local store. The most amazing things about these products is that they don't have any nasty ingredients which is rare for an affordable drugstore brand. Anyway, if you see anything from the Simply Pure range going dirt cheap at Superdrug, BUY IT! I got this day cream for 47p and thankfully it is still on the website (for £4.59 though - still a good buy!). It is called the Aqua Hydrating SPF 15 Day Cream (Click here to buy!). I hope that they are not going to discontinue this product or anything from the hydrating range because I find that if you want uber hydrating, you have to do uber expensive! I use this day cream before my foundation. It is excellent for the summer because it has an SPF and I find that my foundation goes on really nicely and doesn't cling to dry patches. I don't know if it has improved my skin's hydration on a long term basis but I think it is an excellent quick-fix for dry skin and an excellent base/primer for foundation.   

 If you are able to get to the Kiko store in Regent's street or anywhere else that sells Kiko products, go and have a feel of this brush. It is the Boulevard Rock Face Brush (Sorry I can't link it!) and it is the softest brush I have ever felt. It is designed for baked, compact and loose powders. To be honest, I mainly bought it for its softness and its beauty however, I use it with my Colour Correction Powder and it works amazingly. Even though it is very dense, it doesn't leave streaks and seems to airbrush my face! I think that it would also be amazing with loose powders because you can easily use circular motions to blend it into the skin to create a flawless finish. So now I am on the hunt for affordable mineral make-up! I got this brush in the sale so I hope that they are not discontinuing it!

I had an eye operation a couple of week ago so my eye has been very sensitive and watery. I have avoided wearing mascara because I didn't have any waterproof ones. My lovely Grandma got the No.7 Set for Summer Gift free with a purchase and kindly gave it to me. Inside was this mini Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara (Click here to buy!). I had wanted to try a No.7 mascara for ages because I had heard good things about them. It really does lengthen your lashes to the extreme! You can also build up the layers to get an even more dramatic effect, without it getting clumpy. However much I touched my eye or wiped it with a tissue, it didn't smudge. I think one of the reasons that I haven't purchased a mascara from No.7 yet is because of the price. I wish make-up brands did mini's alongside their full sized make-up for a reduced price so that people can properly try before they buy.

 My 'find' of the month goes to the 2True 3in1 Concealer in 'Light 1' (Click here to buy!). I have finally found a concealer that is great for concealing spots and I am in love with it! It is not too creamy that it doesn't bind to the skin and conceal the spot, and it is not too drying that it clings to it and draws attention to it. It blends nicely into the skin with a small fluffy brush as well as with your fingers. It has light reflecting qualities which means that it is also good for using around the nose, down the nose and across the forehead to highlight and brighten. Best of all, it is £1.99 which is cheaper than the Collection Lasting Perfection one, and in my opinion a lot better! 

And yet another Kiko purchase! I cannot get over how much of a bargain this was...are you ready?...wait for it...it was £3.90!!! That is cheaper than most of the lipsticks that you find from Boots and Superdrug and I bought it from the Kiko store in the prime location of Regent's Street! Besides the price, I fell in love with the colour; its a bright candy purple colour. You can either make it a really intense pop of colour by layering the colour or you can blot it out to make it more daytime appropriate.

   

It is a really lovely creamy texture and goes on smoothly. I don't think it is terribly long-lasting but it wears off evenly to create a lovely purple stain. It also smells like vanilla - mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed hearing about my favourite products of June!