My March 2013 Favourites

Hey everyone. Can you believe that it is the end of March already???????

So I am back again with my favourite products of the month. These products are ones that I have been loving and have used a tonne during the month of March 2013. I hope you enjoy!

So first up is a product that I purchased end of Feb/start of March and have used it literally everyday since then. Its the Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation (I am shade Nude). I have by no means got clear skin and although this foundation does claim to have a "refreshingly light" finish it seems to cover up my blemishes and mask some of my discoloration pretty well. I do need to apply concealer in the areas where I have my acne breakouts but on good days I need very little concealer over this product. I love how it gives me a lovely fresh, glowing look to the skin. Although I do get breakouts I am really not a fan of heavy thick looking foundations. I would rather a fresh looking face with extra coverage in areas where I need it most.

At the same time as buying the Nearly Naked foundation I bought the Revlon Nearly Naked Powder and Oh My Gosh have I fallen in love with this powder. It gives me a finish like no other. It is such a finely milled powder that it doesn't cake at all on your skin and gives a really even velvety look to the skin. On my really bad skin days I would set my foundation with a translucent loose powder and then top it off with this bad boy and I am blemish free and good to go. On not so bad skin days I just use this product over my Nearly Naked foundation and that is enough for me. I love that it gives me a little extra coverage on top of the coverage of the foundation but doesn't look cakey or very matte. A definite staple for me my lovelies. 

I am a massive fan of Real Techniques brushes so I decided to check out the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush in March. This brush is so cool. Its like a mix between a traditional foundation brush and the kabuki/buffing type brushes. You can "paint" on the foundation with this or buff it in to the skin. I do both sometimes depending on my mood. 

I have been in work early every morning for the past few weeks so in the morning times I want a quick and easy makeup routine that wont let me down. To achieve this I have reached a lot for my Urban Decay Naked 2 pallet (especially shades chopper and bootycall). You can create endless looks with this kit from a really subtle daytime look to a dramatic smoky night time look. A must in everyone's makeup bag if you ask me. I do prefer this to the Original Naked pallet because the shades are much cooler which suits my skin tone better(aswell as alot of other irish and english gals).

To pair with my everyday eyelook I have been loving Mac's Big Baby Plushglass. This is a really sheer nude coloured lipgloss that just gives your lips loads of volume and sex appeal. Its great on its own or even nicer over a nude pink lipstick. Beautiful!!

Because my skin is acting up lately I make sure to clean my foundation and concealer brush daily and to do this I am loving the e.l.f daily brush cleanser. This stuff gets rid of all the product in the brush aswell as disinfecting the brush before my next use. 

I am obsessed with Balmi lip balm in mint this month. It has an SPF of 25 and is packed with great vitamins to leave your lips soft and kissable all day long. I love the fresh feeling it gives when I apply it. It has even replaced my holy grail rosebud salve which is a shock because I have loved that product for years!!

Next up is a perfume I have loved this month. Although the weather was a tad bit miserable this month this perfume has cheered me up every morning and made me feel like it was spring even when the weather said otherwise. The perfume is DKNY's Be Delicious perfume. It lasts a longtime on me and I have had compliments on how fresh I smell. A lovely everyday perfume if I do say so. I am dying to try the other perfumes in this line.I did receive this as a gift to try it out but this doesn't matter because I am only honest with my followers and if I didn't like it I wouldn't be mentioning it here. Next time you are shopping have a sniff and see if you like it as much as I do!

Last up is my all time favourite nail product. Its my gel polishes! Especially this one in shade "Old New,Borrowed Blue". I am in love with this colour this month and absolutely love the fact that you just apply this product every two weeks and it will not chip, fade or smudge. Its such an amazing invention. I cant get enough of these little lads.

Well that's it for this month. They are the products I am absolutely loving at the moment and would recommend you check out next time you are out shopping. I am looking forward to the month of April when I can test out more new great products and let you all know about them. Happy Easter to you all and enjoy your weekend. Lots of love and Easter cuddles xxx

Welcome to my Blog xxx

So straight off the bat I would like to welcome everyone to Kiss and Makeup with Me aswell as thanking you all for taking time out of your busy days to come and say Hi!!

I just wanted to give you all a little intro into my new blog and let you know whats to come.

The first page of my blog a.k.a. Blogroll(where you are seeing this post infact)  is where I will add my blog posts. These will be daily, weekly, and monthly all depending on how much time I get in between working full time and studying part time. I do plan to do regular posts as I find it’s a great way to relax and drift off into a cute little world full of makeup, fashion and all things girly. For the most part my blog posts will be everything from fashion trend alerts right up to reviews on products(including some swatches)! If there is a new trend you like but would love to know how to make it more wearable or if there is a product you are lusting after but want to know if its worth the hype and money please let me know as chances are I will have already purchased this product or something relating to the trend and I might be able to give you some more info and let you know if I think you should spend your hard earned cash on these products. 

The second page “How to’s”, is a page where I will give guidance on how to create certain looks or apply makeup in certain ways or how to choose the best products for your skin type etc. This page is really for me to share any experience in makeup that I have gained by training as a makeup artist. The main reason for this page is to help people who have a love for makeup (but don’t necessarily have the knowledge) to develop an understanding of how things “should” be done and allow them to experiment and enjoy makeup the way they should. I know when I first started to take an interest in fashion and beauty I was overwhelmed by the amount of different products, techniques, and styles around and so I want to try help people to overcome that scary feeling and to build up knowledge and info on the different areas so that they can truly enjoy the experience of dressing up and being girly. This page (or any others) is not me boasting about how great I am; in fact it is quite the opposite. Anyone that knows me knows how critical I am of myself and I wake up every morning knowing that I do not know everything and look forward to discovering new products, trends or ways of doing things that will add to my knowledge and help me enjoy being a girl even more(if that’s possible!!!).

The third and final page (for the moment) is a little snippet about me. Not very interesting but I know I like to get an idea of what the blogger is like before I read some of their blogs so I can understand what type of lifestyle they have etc which will give me an idea if the products they use and recommend will fit into my lifestyle and skin type blah blah blah!!! Take a looksee!!!

I would absolutely love if you could all subscribe to me and also you can follow me by email by entering your email into the box provided on the left hand side of this page. This will allow you to get new posts directly to your email (how cool is that).

I have loads of great posts and competitions planned for my new blog but would love to hear if you would like to see anything in particular on this blog. You can let me know by commenting below. 

Also, please check out my facebook page (www.facebook.com/KissandMakeupwithMe) to keep up to date with my daily goings on.

Thanks again to each and everyone of you and I look forward to getting to know you all better very soon xxx

My recent Boots Haul

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all enjoying your weekend so far. I know I am. Before I head off into the land of study I thought I would do a little post on my recent trip to boots and let you know what products I picked up. I originally went over to get some hair products and came back with much more than I expected to or could afford but thats the joys of being a beauty addict I guess.

In this post I will only let you know what I bought but if you want a review on any of them please let me know and I will definitely do one or if I like them enough you may see them in a future favourites post.

A picture of everything I purchased (sorry about the picture, its pretty awful). 

So here is a list of the goodies I bought:

• Umberto Giannini Flirty Curls Scrunching Jelly 
• Umberto Giannini Shapely Curl Mousse (I have curly hair incase you didnt guess)
• Balmi Lip Balm in Mint (in love with this stuff already)
•  No 7 Eye Makeup Remover
• Dr Jart ++ Water Fuse Beauty Balm
• Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask
• Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Pore Purifying Clay Mask
• Clinique all about eyes Rich
• Clinique High Impact Mascara Black

Clinique also had a gift with purchase on so I got a beautiful bag with loads of lovely goodies in it. I was looking for an eyecream and when I seen that the gift had some great products in it I decided I would buy another product and get the gift free (as you do). The gift came with:

• Rinse off Foaming Cleaner
• Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
• All about eyes (normal formula)
• Quickliner for Eyes Intense Eyeliner
• Mini High Impact mascara
• Chubby Stick Moisturising lip colour balm (the main reason I wanted this gift)
• 
  

I have tried some of the products out from this haul but not all of them. I would love to hear your thoughts on any of the above products and please let me know if you would like a review on any of them. Have a great weekend everyone...xxxx

All about primers-e.l.f V Inglot

                                                      
I thought I would start with a review of one of the basics and review an under makeup primer. There are tonnes of primers on the market and I do like a lot of them but the reason I chose these two to review is because I have used them on myself and clients for a long time, they are both made from similar ingredients and both have the same textures. When products look the same and claim to do the same things its often hard to distinguish which one you should buy. My aim with this review is to give you my experience on these products and give you the pros and cons so that you can choose which one you would prefer to buy rather than wasting your money on both.

The two products I chose to review are:

1) E.L.F’s Mineral Infused Face Primer

2) Inglot’s Under Makeup Base

e.l.f Mineral Infused Primer

                                                      

Ingot Under Makeup Base

Both products claim to:

-Create a flawless and smooth canvas

-Combat excess oil

-Prep skin for easy application of foundation

-Make foundation last longer

I wouldn’t disagree with any of the above claims. Both products do their job well and I would repurchase both of them.

These products are very similar:

-Both are clear in colour- so no worries with colour matching

-Both have a greasy (not in a bad way) consistency when first applied to your fingers but then once they are applied to the face they give a lovely velvet feel which makes foundation application much easier.

-Both products appear to have silicone in them which is fantastic for smoothing out the skin and filling in any fine lines on the face.

This is the amount of primer you need for your entire face and neck
Before primer is applied-notice the lines on my hand 

Leaves your skin really smooth and matte ready for foundation application.
After primer-notice how much smoother the lines on my hand appear

There are however some differences between the two products:

-The packaging- ELF comes in a pump bottle while Inglot comes in a tube. This to me is the main reason why I like one product over the other. The ELF pump gets clogged and then cannot be used so you then need to open the bottle and scoop out the product with the tube from the pump (which can often break away) so I feel you do loose some product at the end of the bottle.!! Inglot’s packaging on the other hand allows you to get right down to the last drop of product. Its not the most glamorous packaging (especially when compared to ELF) but it is practical and allows you to get the best value for your money by squeezing out every drop.

-You only need a tiny amount of either of these products as they spread fantastically. If using the ELF pump it dispenses too much product which not only wastes the product but also makes you apply too much of the product to your face which can make you oily and make your foundation clumpy. Inglot’s primer would do the same if too much was applied but the tube allows you to dispense only a small amount….problem solved.

-The price is also another difference. ELF primer is around 7.50euro (less p&P) and Inglot is 22euro. For this price you get 14g of ELF and 30ml of Inglot. When you compare the cost per ml/g there isn’t much of a price difference so it really does depend on how much excess cash you have at that particular time.

-I do feel at times that the ELF one can cause a slight breakout on my super sensitive skin but the Inglot one doesn’t seem to do this.

- The Inglot primer seems to controls oil more than the ELF one which is only really important if you have skin prone to oiliness. Neither primers make your skin produce more oil, the Inglot one in my opinion just controls the oil produced naturally by your skin a little more than the E.L.F one.

E.L.F primer pump packaging (14g) 

                                         
 

Inglot primer tube packaging (30ml)

Which one I would buy first would depend really on the following:

YOUR MAKEUP EXPERIENCE: If you are new to primers I would recommend the E.L.F primer simply because you get to experience a really high quality primer that gives high end brands a run for their money for under 8euro. Also some people do not like the texture of this type of primer so instead of splurging your money this product is great way to see If you like it before buying a more expensive product.

YOUR BUDGET: If your budget won’t stretch very far I would recommend E.L.F. If you fancy splashing out a little I would go for the Inglot one (although 22euro isnt alot consondering the amount of product you get and the quality of the product).

YOUR SKIN: If your skin is super sensitive like mine I would recommend Inglot as I do believe E.L.F can cause break outs on some skins.

Overall both products are very good and I would recommend either of them depending on how much money you can and are willing to spend on a primer. If I wasn’t concerned with money though I would tend to choose the Inglot one. It’s a well rounded product with great value for money and I haven’t had any problems with it and as stated before I have used it excessively on both myself and clients. However, thats not to say that if you buy the E.L.F one that you will be wasting your money because this really is NOT the case. The E.L.F primer is a really good quality product. Inglot are a more luxurious brand so they have probably spent more money into the development of this primer hence it has an edge over the E.L.F one.

E.L.F Cosmetics can be bought at www.eyeslipsface.co.uk while Inglot Cosmetics can be bought at Inglot shops nationwide. Visit http://www.inglotireland.com/our-stores for a list of Irish stores.

Thank you for reading my review and please feel free to share this review with your friends. I would love to hear your experience on these primers or any other primers so please feel free to comment below. Also if you have any questions please comment below or contact me via facebook or email. xxx

My Favourite e.l.f Products

Hey everyone,
So I think its safe to say I am an absolute makeup and beauty addict. I am like a magpie when it comes to cosmetics and cannot control myself on payday when I know I have "excess" cash to treat myself with. I absolutely ADORE high end makeup and never think twice about splurging on the latest makeup craze no matter how much it costs...although I sometimes regret it afterwards but I think that's all part of the fun of being a girl. However, I love nothing more than getting a bargain and finding products that really work but don't break the bank. I believe I have definitely found what I am looking for in the brand e.l.f. This brand is really inexpensive but alot of their products really do give high end brands a run for their money and deliver high quality and reliable products. I have not tried everything in the range and have not LOVED every single product I have tried but there are some products that I absolutely love and some that I actually would find it hard to live without. In this post I want to share with you my favourite e.l.f products and give you an honest insight into the brand as a whole.

So lets start with the basics. e.l.f is a web based cosmetic brand that is not available to purchase in the shops. The delightful goodies can be purchased from www.eyeslipsface.co.uk.
E.l.f have three ranges:
-Essentials Range: This is their most inexpensive range and prices start at £1.50. This range features products that are in simple packaging but there are alot of great products in this range.
-Studio Range: This range includes some of my favourite e.l.f products. Prices start from £3.75 and the products come in very sleek, sturdy and sophisticated packaging,
-Mineral Range- This range is packed with 100% Natural Mineral based products that are so luxurious and high quality. Prices in this range start from £3.00.
(B.T.W for all my Irish readers I have stated prices in Sterling Pounds above as thats how they are on the website....sorry!!)


OK so now that the basics are out of the way lets get on to the exciting stuff...my all time favourite e.l.f products.
When I think of e.l.f three products come into my mind and these are the three that I will feature first. Two of these I use absolutely EVERY day in my own makeup routine and start to have panic attacks when they run low.

First up is the Studio eyebrow kit in Medium Shade...
I cannot rave enough about this product. I am a fanatic for eyebrows and this is 100% my go-to eyebrow kit.
This kit contains a brow wax and a brow powder. These products work so well with my eyebrow shade and keep my eyebrows so defined and in place all day long. I never see colour fade or smudging with this product. It's simply amazing and would recommend it to everyone.
Here is the link if you would like to check it out:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/eyebrows/studio-eyebrow-kit/invt/81300/


My next e.l.f hero product is Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder in shade Caicos
This kit contains a peach blush and the most amazing bronzing colour. These are both great dupes for NARS Orgasm Blush and Laguna Bronzer. Both of these products contain a slight shimmer which would usually really turn me off a product but I don't feel like these reflect bad in photos or make the face over shiny or greasy looking. Instead they both give an amazing sunkissed glow to the skin. Really adore this product. I'm quiet new to this product but am addicted and will definitely repurchase when the product runs out which probably won't be anytime soon as you get a decent amount of product for your buck (£3.75 to be exact).
Here's the link...check it out:

http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/blush/contouring-blush+bronzing-powder/invt/83600/




The third product I think of when I think of e.l.f is from the Mineral range and its the Mineral Infused Face Primer.
As primers go this is very inexpensive at only £6.00 and I have loved this for many years. Its a clear primer which I love because you have no problems with trying to match colours. This is a very hassle free primer that creates a great canvas for makeup application and does give some of the high end silicone based primers a run for their dollar.
This isn't my go-to primer at the moment as I found a similar product that I like slightly more but that doesn't mean that I don't love e.l.f and feel that its well worth the money and a definite one to try.
My full review on this product can be found here:
http://kissandmakeup1.weebly.com/1/category/product%20reviews/1.htm
and the product can be purchased here:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/primer/mineral-infused-face-primer/invt/83401/
OK so the above are my top three e.l.f products and the ones that sum up the brand for me. However, I have many more favourites which I adore as much as the above.. These are more general lines of products I love rather that one specific colour.



I love all of the elf Studio Blush'. You get a great quality blush for a tiny price and they really do last all day and have great colour pay off. You can't actually ask for more from a blush. The range of colours is fantastic although I do adore blushing rose the most....
You can find these for £3.75 right here:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/blush/blush/invt/83130/



The range of Nail Polishes offered by e.l.f is amazing and the quality isn't bad either. Lets face it they are only £1 at the moment so they are not your high end OPI or Essie nail polishes but they have an excellent range of colours and really are long wearing so what more can you ask for. I love the fact that you can buy the latest nail colour trends for little or nothing and if you don't like it or you feel it doesn't suit you then you don't feel you have wasted too much cash on them. Also you can build up your nail collection pretty fast.
A must see for sure:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/-sale-/nail-polish/invt/1500/


This product is the e.l.f super glossy lip shine. These products genuinely amaze me. I adore lipgloss and love them even more when they actually give my lips some colour. These are one of my favourites. They taste amazing and the colour pay off is exceptional. For only £1.50 they are a must for every makeup bag. My favourites are Goddess and Pink Kiss but I would wear them all together everyday if I could.
These yummies are available right here:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/gloss/super-glossy-lip-shine/invt/2800/
I also adore the Hypershine Gloss. The packaging is so convenient and as the name suggests they give an amazing high shine. Another great product available here:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/gloss/hypershine-lip-gloss/invt/9000/


My favourite range of lipsticks from e.l.f would have to be theMineral Lipsticks. They are so creamy and high;y pigmented and are amazing when teamed with a beautiful gloss. My favourite colours are party pink and runway pink. They are both very natural shades but great for using when you are opting for a smoky eye look.
Have a look for yourself:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/lipstick/mineral-lipstick/invt/6700/


The Studio line's High Definition Powder is another must have for all makeup addicts. I always loved the Makeup Forever version of this and didn't believe anything could come close to that until I found this product. To be honest there isn't much difference between the two products and as this one is only £6.00 I would recommend trying this if you want to try a HD Powder product.
You can use this directly over foundation as a setting powder but as my skin produces some oil during the day I prefer to use this after my setting powder. It gives a flawles look to the skin and really is amazing under the camera lights. I use the translucent colour and although it has a white colour it doesn't have a flash back on cameras. You can find this product at this link
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/powder/high-definition-powder/invt/83330/


If you are ordering from e.l.f I would recommend popping the Essentials Wet Gloss Lash&Brow Clear Mascara in your basket. This little beauty is only £1.50 and amazing for taming unruely eyebrows or giving your lashes a natural look on those no makeup days. Its a dual ended product that has one end for mascara and one for eyebrow gloss.
You can't go wrong for the price
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/mascara/wet-gloss-lash+brow-clear-mascara/invt/2201/


Eyelid Primers are such a big craze in the last few years as people want to get the best out of their eyeshadow. E.l.f have two eyelid primers one from the essentials range £1.50
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/concealers+primers/eyelid-primer/invt/7500/
and one from the studio range for £3.75
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/concealers+primers/eye-primer+liner-sealer/invt/81701/
Both products work well in keeping your makeup in place and for the price compared to others on the market I would say they are worth trying out.

The Essentials Liquid liner is an absolute steal at £1.50. They have a great range of colours and the product lasts a very long time on your eyes but my favourite one has to be the copper colour. I adore this for adding sparkle to the eyes for a glam nightime look.
Make your eyes twinkle by buying this must have...you won't be sorry
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/eyeliner/liquid-eyeliner/invt/4200/



The Studio Makeup Mist & Set Spray is the very last step in my daily makeup routine. This locks in all the makeup I have applied and really does help keep my makeup in place all day long. I adore makeup setting sprays and this is one of my favourites. I also love to spray it on during the day as a pick me up for tired and dull looking skin.
Take a look you won't be disappointed. It only costs £3.75.
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/tools/studio-makeup-mist+set/invt/85023/


E.l.f offers a really wide range of brushes and tools that are great products for the price. If you are looking to add to or update your brush/tool collection and don't want to spend a fortune then I would highly recommend trying the e.l.f range out. These are not always my go-to brushes but that is because I am a professional makeup artist and so have spent a massive amount of money on my brushes as they need to last me years so I tend to go for my professional brushes over these. However, I have many friends who do use these brushes everyday and are happy with them. The essentials range has a wooden handle and so can tend to chip and break but I have MAC brushes that have done the exact same thing. The trick is when you are washing your brushes to only allow the actual bristles to get wet and not the whole brush as the water will cause the wooden handles to break away.

Some of the brushes and tools I would recommend from the e.l.f line are as follows:
From the Essentials range I like the eyeshadow brush, blushing,bronzing and blending brush, smudge brush, blending brush and eye crease brush. These brushes start at £1.50, seriously how could you go wrong.

The Studio range is made from synthetic hair and although they are a little more expensive (start at £3.75) they are better quality. I prefer to use this range for cream type products such as lip liner foundation, eyeliner etc. whereas the essentials range is great for powder products such as eyeshadow and blush etc. The ones I like from this range are the Retractable lip brush, angled foundation brush, the stipple brush, concealer brush and small angled brush which I use for cream liner. I also love the powder brush.

E.l.f also have a bamboo range of brushes which I haven't tried but I will be sure to check these out and give you all my feedback on them.

The tools I adore from e.l.f are the mechanical eyelash curlers, the tweezers and the dual pencil sharpener.
All of these products can be found at this link:
http://eyeslipsface.co.uk/en/restofworld/shop/tools/icat/tools/

OK so I think that's about it. As you can see I adore the e.l.f range and really have found some great products. As I said I haven't tried all of the products yet but I have tried ALOT and the ones I haven't tried I plan to do so very soon and will have a blog update as soon as I have fully tested the,m.

Everything I mentioned above are products that have really worked for me. I have a very busy lifestyle and often do not get to touch up my makeup during the day so the products I use must withstand the test of time and these products most certainly do that.

If I have not mentioned a products from e.l.f (or any other brand ) that you are interested in please feel free to contact me and I will definitely try help you and give my honest opinion.
My opinion is 100% independent so you can trust my judgement on these products. However, I would like to say that they may not work for everyone although I do believe that they will.

One last thing to mention is that you really need to "LIKE" e.l.f's facebook page and regularly check their website as although their products are ridiculously inexpensive already they often have amazing money off promotions which makes trying the products even more fun and affordable.

Thanks a mill everyone for taking their time to read this and I hope you found this helpful.
Happy Shopping my beauties
XXXXX

My February 2013 Favourites

Hello There,
So I have kept my new years resolution and am trying LOTS of new makeup and beauty products. During February I tried a fair few products, both brand new products and some I have tried before and just gave them another go in February. This post is all about the products I loved most and products I would recommend. I hope you enjoy

The First Product I am in love with is the L'oreal Expert Intense Repair Shampoo for Dry Hair. I don't necessarily have dry hair but I do tend to get frizzy hair as my hair is naturally curly. I bought this at Christmas time and I have to say it is amazing. I have seen a really big difference in my hair and have had alot of compliments. I feel it really does hydrate my hair without weighing it down so it allows my curls to stay bouncy. I know some people do not believe in spending money on expensive haircare but I recently have become a firm believer in good haircare. You just cant beat it. I also got the mask in the same range and this is great. I use it as a normal conditioner and if I want a more intense treatment I leave it in for longer. These products smell amazing and really have given my hair great body and nutrients.

Next up is the Sigma Mrs Bunny Essential Brush Kit. I use this kit everyday and love it so much. For my full review please check out my review in my product reviews.

I always love a fresh peach glow to the skin in Spring/Summer. So I decided I would get ahead of the game and try the Benefit Coralista. This product is around for a few years now but I never tried it before now. I had read so many great reviews on this product and so I decided to give it a go. I have to admit I wasn't disappointed. The minute I opened the box the beautiful sweet smell hit me and I was sold. Then it got better when I tried the product. It gives me the most amazing "glow from within" look that is very hard to find in a product. It is a little pricey at €34 but you get ALOT of product and it really is worth the splurge!

I have always suffered with dark circles and blemishes(sometimes really angry acne) so I am always searching for a great under-eye concealer and a blemish concealer but I never expected to find the two products in one as usually you need a light consistency for under the eye and a thicker one for covering redness and blemishes. However, I do think I found it in this product. Its great for under the eye area as it gives you great coverage but doesn't sit in fine lines. The product is just as good for covering blemishes, it has a great thick consistency but one that spreads evenly. It seems Revlon have made another great base product. I just love this brand!!!
I am not currently using this for my under eye area as I am road testing something else at the moment but I have used it and use it on clients and it stays put all day and night and doesn't crease like so many other products(even high end ones). I am using this everyday for blemishes though and it has become my holy grail blemish concealer. Its around €10.99 so it is very reasonable especially if you use it for both areas.

I am an addict when it comes to black liner. The blacker the better I say. I love the intensity of gel and liquid liners but as I am up early every morning I don't have time or energy to apply these products perfectly. I have been using pencil liner for years now and have loved Avon's Supershock Gel Liner for many years. I have tried many high end brands and nothing comes close to this product. It comes in a pencil which means it is extremely easy to apply. This stuff literally glides across the eye and the finish is exactly like a gel liner(just like the name suggests). I can 100% verify that this product doesn't smudge as I often wear it for 15 hours at a time. I mostly wear it on my top lash line and would wear it on my waterline on nights out and it has NEVER let me down. I think the full price of this is under €8 but its almost always on special offer in the Avon catalogue.

Every Christmas I get the big Soap and Glory gift set as a present. When I received it this year I was slightly disappointed when I seen there was a mascara in it so I left it in my drawer until the beginning of February when I decided to give it a go. I have to say I was amazed by this product. I love the way it makes my lashes look. It gives me loads of volume and length and doesn't clump or flake which is exactly what you want from a mascara. The wand is quiet thick (reminds me of the Diorshow mascara) which is great for coating your upper lashes but requires control to apply to the bottom lashes so be careful when doing this. Also the product does tend to try out quick as I feel I need a new one and am not using it that long. However, all that said its a fantastic mascara and I will definitely be repurchasing this.

I have used the e.l.f brow kit for ages now and when MUA had a 50% sale on I decided I would try some (or alot) of their products and this was one of the products I definitely wanted to try. This kit contains a light and dark brow colour, a wax and a highlighting shade. It also contains a mini dual ended brush and a mini tweezers. I use the dark brow colour everyday and its a perfect match for my eyebrows. If I am having a "no makeup day" I will use the lighter brow colour(would also be great for blondes). I also set my brows everyday with the wax. The powder is so pigmented and soft and glides on effortlessly but has amazing staying power. When combined with the wax your brows will stay in place all day long. I don't like the highlight colour as I feel it is way too dark to higlight so I dont use this. I dont use the brush either but I have tried it and its a really dense brush which is ideal for perfecting your brows. I really like the little tweezers. For such a small tool it does a great job. This kit is only £3.50 so you really cannot ask for more. I have tried many high end brow products and this one tops them all. A definite stable in my makeup kit from now on!!

The last of my Feb Fav's is another MUA product. Its the Love Hearts Lip Balm in Sweet Kiss. This Lipbalm is so nourishing to the lips but it also has a really beautiful finish and sheer colour which lasts for a very long time. If I don't want a really glossy lip I use this over my lipstick or on its own and I love the look it gives. It also tastes amazing which is always a plus!! I will have to try the other balms in this range. They are only £2.00 which is an absolute bargain for such a cool, fun and great product. 

So that's all my favourites for Feb 2013. I have already started to test new products and will continue to do so throughout March so stay tuned for some more product reviews during March. If you have any questions or would like me to do a more indepth review on any of the products mentioned above (or any other products) please let me know. Thanks a mill everyone and chat to you all soon xxxx

Sigma Mrs. Bunny Essential Brush Kit

Brush holder open-amazing for holding brushes

Ever since I received the Sigma Mrs Bunny Brush Collection for Christmas I have been in love. I wanted to write a post sooner on these amazing brushes but I thought I would thoroughly test them and do a full review on them instead of just introducing them to you all. I have used them every day since Christmas day so I have used them to the max and have to say I am not disappointed.

For those of you who are not aware of the Sigma brand. This innovative company was founded by a Brazilian couple whom now operate from the US. The brand offers some of the highest quality professional products on the market but at really reasonable prices. The brand is mostly known for their amazing quality brushes but are also venturing into other areas such as makeup products in recent time. Sigma offers both Natural haired and Synthetic haired brushes.

The first ever brush I tried from the Sigma line was the F80 Flat Kabuki Brush which I adore for Foundation application. This brush is part of the Sigma Sigmax line which is a line of synthetic brushes that are made with special fibres that not only work the products into the skin to give you  a flawless high definition finish but also can be used to apply liquid, cream and powder products without the product clogging in the bristles which in my eyes is a big plus as I hate brushes that hold the product in the bristles as I feel the brush is never clean no matter how hard you scrub it.

The brush holder closed. Great for travel

So when I decided that I “needed” (wanted) a new brush collection I knew Sigma was the place to look. I am a huge fan of liquid and cream makeup products so personally I absolutely adore synthetic brushes and when I researched and found that this collection contained the same fibres as in the Sigmax range but in a less dence format (as for example the F80 is very dense and stiff brush to allow for precise application) I was sold. As this collection is made from all Synthetic fibres it is also Vegan Friendly which is an added bonus for sure.  But I have to be honest, as lame as this may sound the big selling point for me was the amazing colours of the brushes. I absolutely adore the blue and pink handles of these brushes and I also love that the names of the brushes are engraved into the handle of the brush rather than just printed on it as this can easily rub off and you soon forget what the brush name is (this isn’t great for me as a makeup artist if I want to recommend a certain brush to a client.) I am also a big fan of the brush holder that comes with each Sigma Brush collection. It’s a really nifty brush holder that can be used to safely store your brushes for travel or can be taken apart and used as two separate little brush holders for storing your brushes on your vanity unit.

So now on to nitty gritty details of the product. This collection contains 12 brushes which range from a really large powder brush to a tiny liner brush. The price of the collection is €120(that’s €10 per brush!!!)  from www.cloud10beauty.com which is great value for money. Also when you spend €50 or more at cloud10 you receive free shipping. You also get free samples with every order and free beauty points which you can use against future purchases. Could you ask for anymore???? The value for money of this kit is amazing, these brushes are some of the best on the market and you get them for a similar price to some lower end brush ranges.

Mrs Bunny Face brushes (5 brushes)

Close up of holographic engraving

Mrs Bunny eye brushes(7 brushes)

The 12 brushes that are included in the Mrs Bunny Essentials collection are:

E05 - Eye Liner Brush: This can be used with gel or liquid liners and its really stiff so you can get a really precise line with it.
E30 – Pencil Brush: This has to be one of my favourite brushes in this line. It’s a great brush for softening any harsh lines around the eye area and given that smoky eye look to the eyes. I love to use this product to apply a darker colour on my lower lash line or to smudge my eyeliner if I want a smoky eyes look.
E40 - Tapered Blending Brush: This brush is great for blending colours into the crease of the eye to create that contoured look to the eye. This brush blends colours effortlessly.
E55 - Eye Shading Brush: I use this brush to apply colour to the eyelid. It’s a perfect sized brush to allow for even application of product and as it is dense it allows you to control the colour application which eliminates fall down of product below the eyes.
E60 - Large Shader Brush: The instructions you get with this kit advises to use this to apply colour to the lids. I use this brush mainly to blend out any concealer or to apply a heavier application of foundation around the nose or chin area.
E65 - Small Angled Brush: This can be used to apply cream or powder liners to the upper and lower lash line but I like to use this to fill in my eyebrows. I find it gives very precise application of products and allows me to define my brows perfectly.
E70 - Medium Angled Shading Brush: I use this brush to apply highlight under the brow bone, down the bridge of my nose or on the top of my cheekbones.
F30 - Large Powder: This brush is AMAZING for applying a very even high definition application of powder to the entire face. A really fantastic brush.
F40 - Large Angled Contour Brush: I like to use this brush to apply my cheek colour but can also be used to contour the cheek bones really beautifully.
F50 - Duo Fibre Brush: When I think of the Sigmax range and how it claims to create an airbrushes HD finish I automatically think of this brush, it really does create a flawless finish and it can be used to apply cream, liquid or powder products. I love to use this to apply my bronzing powder.
F60 – Foundation Brush: This can be used to apply a really smooth layer of foundation and it works perfectly well as this. However as I use my F80 brush (not in this kit) I tend to use this for applying my primer each morning.
F70 – Concealer Brush: Great for applying concealer to small areas and in particular to blemishes as it applies the right amount of product without overloading the area. I also love to use this to get right in around the hard to reach areas of my eyes, nose and around my mouth.

I have heard people complain in the past about shedding of Sigma brushes but I do believe that this Sigmax line does not shed so I would highly recommend trying them out. I have washed my brushes a lot since Christmas and they have not shed and I don’t expect them to anytime soon. Another great thing about these brushes is that once washed they go back to their original shape with minimal effort so you can continue to enjoy the brushes in their original shape for a very long time. The one thing that I did miss from this collection was a lip brush. I did reach for it a couple of times only to realise it’s not contained in this kit, however I am sure you could use one of the other brushes in this collection as a lip brush.

I know it may seem that I have said nothing but good about this collection but in all honesty I cannot fault it, it’s an amazing collection that offers unbeatable value for money and a brush kit that I would recommend you check out if you are thinking of buying a new brush set. I have to be honest when I first used this collection it took me some time to get used to the brushes but once I did I was hooked and I have seen a transformation in the way my makeup looks especially my face products (powder, foundation etc) and its all thanks to these brushes.
A small note to conclude: The Bunny Collection has two kits in the range. My absolute favouirte is the Mrs Bunny Collection which is the one I spoke about here and the other is the Mr Bunny Collection which is the same brushes but with black handles which would look very professional if you were to use them in a makeup artist’s kit.

You will not be disappointed in this brush collection or any other Sigma brush for that matter so be sure to check them out at www.cloud10beauty.com.

Thank you for taking your time to read my review and keep posted for more xxxx