Soap & Glory 'Glow all Out' Luminizing Radiance Face Powder

Now, who doesn't like a bit of a glow on their skin? I'm all for it, especially in this horrible weather (read too much rain and greyness), but this is Britain, so let's do what us Beauty Bloggers do best, and that is make ourselves look fabulous, and this cheeky product is my go-to for a full on bit of glowiness. In the pictures, the product looks quite pinky, but I assure you, it's far more peachy in real life, but the colour payoff is a mix between the two; a kind of peachy pink shimmer that just lifts the face and makes it glow. On my pale skin (paaaaaale as a ghost) some luminance powders can look too much, but this, with its very subtle colour has been adorning my cheekbones ever since I bought it.

The packaging is very retro, i.e. what Soap & Glory are known for, and isn't the pressed pattern on the pan just so so gorgeous? Is it just me, or did it just look too beautiful to use? I said did because I so wanted to try it, and temptation overcame drooling over its fabulous appearance. I love the use of black and white photographs on their packaging, as well as how this compact is covered in paper, stepping away from the conventional smooth plastic offering. That being said, not sure how it would do carried around in a makeup bag all day, as I apply mine in the morning as it lasts me all day, which is brilliant as I don't like the idea of reapplying and having a caked, less than natural looking radiance about me.

As for the swatches, below to the right we can see an unblended, straight from the pan with a finger swatch, which doesn't seem to show the hint of peachiness that comes from the product, whilst on the left, is the product blended and we can see that subtle hint of shimmer. Hopefully that can be viewed a bit more clearly in the last picture due to the change of angle. It's such a subtle luminescence that I think would look gorgeous on all skin tones, and would be a definite choice of products for everyday or even more special occasions, such as Valentines day, if you want to have a 'sweet, cute, i'm so lovely' look, or the 'wow, sexy, badass' look (of which I plan to do a quick little makeup look for both before the big day next week) and you can bet this little wonder product will be centre stage in those looks. This product sells for £11 from Boots and although that might be a little much compared to the £3 offering from MUA (which I also love) I have been using this product for weeks and have barely made a dent at all in the raised lettering. 

I always love giving my opinion, but on items that cost a little bit more, I would just like to say do some major swatting before you buy anything, because you never know, a product that I love might be something that you don't. So go swatch crazy (basically me every time I go into Boots or Superdrug) and choose something that you know you'll love. Thank you for reading, my lovelies, what do you think of this product? Is it something you'd try, or are you more partial to another luminizer at the moment? xx

Witch Anti-Blemish Skin Clearing Primer Review

Hello my lovelies, as I write this, I'm snuggled up in bed, about to watch last week's 'Call the Midwife' but blog inspiration struck, so who am I to turn away from it?! And I thought, what product am I really enjoying? It has to be the 'Skin clearing Primer'* from Witch. Now, we all know Witch, right? That lovely company that does all those blemish/skin clearing products with lots of natural goodness to them, so the obvious next step for them, was to create a primer. Not just any primer. A skin clearing 'Anti-Blemish' one. I suffer from my fair share of blemishes, and my skin generally isn't picky about where the blemishes erupt, so I can't say 'one or two on my cheek, now and again'; they don't discriminate, and like to go where they please. Since using this primer, I will admit, I've been using a mixture of La Roche-Posay products in my skincare routine to regain control of my skin, so any improvements aren't solely the result of the Witch Primer. Hoooooowever…my skin is clearing up. It feels softer, smoother, and I like to think that this little beauty (which is applied after my day moisturiser) creates a barrier, between the foundation and my skin, that is not only good for my skin (look at all that witch hazel extract) but makes my skin feel smooth, and primed ready for the makeup which my face will be rocking for the rest of the day.

This product came to my attention from Lucy (who is fabulous and you should all follow her on twitter @lucyelms), who not only reviewed this product on her blog last year, but chose me in a little Twitter competition Witch were having, that she won (yay!) and granted us the chance to choose one free product to have (I still feel so chuffed that she chose me). I knew almost immediately that I wanted to try this primer, and asked if I could have it. A few days later, it appeared in the post, and I got around to testing it out after I ran out of my Revlon Photoready Primer and in a way, I'm really glad I ran out of it, because I really, really like this primer. It doesn't feel too heavy on the skin, it keeps my skin feeling plump and smooth; as for makeup wear time, since my skin is oily/combination, it only usually takes a few hours before my nose starts to shine, but with this, I can last a few hours longer, and for someone who is a bit self-conscious about her oily/shiny skin, this is a big deal.

I find that a pea sized amount of product is just the right amount for my face, and according to makeup artists, you're meant to leave your primer of choice thirty seconds to a minute for it to set, and therefore provide the best base for your makeup. It's a smooth texture, it seems to glide over my skin and enlarged pores (nose, i'm looking at you again) without blocking them and creating blemishes, hence where the anti-blemish goodness comes in. Due to my oily skin, I use a primer daily before applying my makeup, and that combined with my skincare routine, has definitely shown a difference in my skin. Everything is a bit clearer, a bit brighter and that's good news to me. This primer retails at £6.99, which I think is pretty amazing for a primer, especially one with a big of goodness thrown in and can be found online with Superdrug.

Is this something that you'd try? Are you a primer person? If you are, which ones are your favourites? xx

Five Favourite Eye Products under £5: MUA LUXE Precision Felt Eyeliner Pen

Hello there my lovelies, this is the first in a new series of posts, 'Five favourite __ products under £5' and i'm kicking it all off with the eyes. It's all about the eyes, windows into your soul and such… This, is the MUA LUXE Felt Eyeliner Pen, and ohmygod do I love it! I've gone through my fair share of eyeliners, felt tip and normal, and this one, is the best. I've had this since November and it's still going strong. Whereas others would have dried out (Rimmel Scandaleyes I'm looking at you) or been too watery/not black enough (Bourjois …something, it was so bad, I actually threw it away. I never throw away makeup) but this gorgeousness from MUA, ugh, I adore it. 

This pen is easy to control, and gives a precise line, even if you're a bit unsure when it comes to liquid eyeliner. What I like about the packaging is that fact that it's sturdy, and feels good in your hand when you apply it, which I know is a little bit silly, but if it feels good and is easy to control, it's a winner, yes? Plus, the price is an absolute steal. £3. Yep. £3. I remember seeing this product in Superdrug and thinking 'Why not? It's only £3', with hindsight… I should have bought three of them, because I love it that much. It gives such a precise, very black line, and that's what I want from a liner; none of this wishy-washy not quite black nonsense, what I want is a ridiculously black line, and this MUA offering delivers. I know it doesn't look very spectacular, and quite unassuming with it's sleek and simplistic packaging (black and gold is always a winner) but this product, for me, is pure gold. 

I think the most impressive fact for me, is that it has yet to dry out. I use it on average, three/four times a week, and I've had it since November. It's insane. I just cannot recommend this product enough, and I think it's a fantastic offering to start my little 'Eyes under £5' theme. Don't let my swatches below fool you, it is very easy to do thinner lines, I just get a bit heavy handed when swatches need to be done (and I may have gotten too excited…). 

What do you think of this eyeliner? Are there any others that you'd recommend? What are your favourite eye products under £5? Can I tempt you to try this piece of gorgeousness? Let me know (: xx

ELF Single Eyeshadow in Pebble

This was a cheeky little purchase from the ELF shop in Cardiff (it's amazing! Go there!) and I had been looking for an eyeshadow in this exact colour, so it was a brilliant little find. I think there's something so wonderful about a store filled with ELF products (so much makeup, I was practically drooling) and this little beauty, was an immediate place into basket as who doesn't love that colour? The colour Pebble (yes, it reminds me of Lily) is just gorgeous; a darkened taupe with a hint of rose gold/gold warmth behind it, that when worn, just looks so good. It's soft, blendable and buildable, a colour that everyone must have as it's so diverse, as it could easily be smoked up with some black eyeshadow and some black liner, but it can also be soft, with a nude kohl liner on the waterline, and some mascara (I adore both of these ways to wear it).

In the pan, it does look quite flat, but when swatched, there's a slight sheen to it, making this more of a satin than a matte, and in my opinion, matte would have been lovely, but with a sheen, this eyeshadow has become one of my go-to's for a quick look and a classic eye, when I want a simple, but effective look. The packaging is lovely, as i've always been a fan of ELF's matte black styling, with a good sized mirror, and with a little gap to see the colour, it would be simple to find if you had numerous amounts of these shadows. 

It swatches really well, and when applied with an eyeshadow brush (I use a real techniques domed shadow brush) it can be blended really softly and used as a base, or built up for more of an impact (it usually depends on how dramatic an eye I want for the day ahead). This powder shadow is a good step away from the cream shadows I've been frequenting (Mac's Vintage Selection, Maybelline's Metallic Pomegranate) and although it's a rather muted colour, I find that the depth of colour it brings, suits not only my skin tone (ghostly pale) but also my eye colour (greeny, bluey, grey). It makes me think that this colour would suit any eye colour, as it's a gorgeous neutral, but also any skin tone. The durability for me is a bit less with powder shadows (thanks oily eyelids), but I find that a good eye primer keeps them in place for much longer, so that the colour will last for a good five six hours before any fading. 

What do you think about this colour? Is it something that you'd wear?