Boots Makeup and Skincare Haul, with swatches.

So here I am! After a few days off, trying to make sure everything is ready for my holiday (it kind of is..) I've returned to blogging, maybe a bit of procrastination is going on... but what's an event without it? Anyway, look forward to posts about packing and what I'll be taking with me, as well as my carry on bag and makeup/skincare choices. It's very exciting, and I hope it'll help all you fab people and your future trips. The biggest issue I'm having with packing, is that because I have um, big boobs, trying to fit all my bras/bra bikini tops into my suitcase without them taking up too much room. It's a task, but I'll be talking about that in an upcoming post as well. Packing bras etc that is, not about boobs. Maybe that's a bit too TMI? 

For my first post back, I thought I'd do a little post about a little haul that I did a few weeks ago because it was a good one. Mostly makeup, but that's never a bad thing is it? Boots for me, is the place for the ultimate haul - skincare, haircare, makeup etc, it's a place of solace and extravagance - I don't think there's anything better than having a wander around my local Boots with money to spend and a few ideas in mind (as well as some new releases out). So let's get to it, and firstly we have one of my favourite nail polish brands, and that's Sally Hansen. For £6.99 the Complete Salon Manicure range is an absolute steal, considering the quality and brush (which is thick and covers the nail in two swipes); not only are the colours amazingly diverse, but they last sooooo long with a good topcoat - I'm talking a week long manicure that dries in no time! The colour below is Teesta Turquoise (here) and I thought it was the perfect colour for a holiday manicure, so you can bet my nails are going to be as blue as the sea which I intend to swim in everyday (woo for the Med!). Keep you eyes open for some sunny Instagram shots featuring these nails and maybe a cocktail... or two. 

Something I've always wanted and really never purchased, were these slides - I had an passion a few years ago, with the idea of pin-curling my hair and these clips, were what was recommended after hours and hours of watching Youtube videos of 1940's curled hair. It was the birth of what I imagine to be a lifelong obsession. They're by Babyliss and much like all of their hair tools, are wonderful quality - although I haven't quite gotten around to pin-curling my hair just yet (this is what the end product is like, and this is the before), they're wonderful for sectioning hair, as well as creating a marcel wave in the front of the hair (this is a looser version). There are some really wonderful tutorials out there for pin-curling, if you're interested in that kind of retro look; I find it to be very timeless, and can be worn by women of all ages - and we all know some men love a good marcel wave in the front of their hair (see Tom Hiddleston in Midnight In Paris as F. Scott Fitzgerald). It's quite a 20's thing to do, but it's very often recreated as it's such a classic look. 

Now this lipstick, oh my gosh this lipstick, is from L'Oreal and part of their Colour Riche Matte range, in the colour Érotique which is the most gorgeous flushed nude rose pink, it's the kind of colour that matches my natural lip colour almost to a tee, and I love that. It has that classic lipstick scent, i.e. the smell that the lipsticks my grandmother had, but that just makes me feel like it's a vintage lipstick, and on a fancy dressing table, this wouldn't look at all out of place. For a matte lipstick, it's surprisingly moisturising and doesn't drag at all on the lip, which does happen with some other matte lipsticks. It keeps lips hydrated without budging that much, and aside from some wear on the inside of the lips, it has good staying power. I would reapply a touch after eating, but this is otherwise good to go for a solid four hours or so on my lips. Check out the swatch below to see how it looks (actually applies slightly more red on skin, whereas it's a bit more mauve on the lips). I can't seem to find it on the website, but it's in store - definitely worth a swatch. 

Another L'Oreal product that's been raved about is their Infallible 24hr Matte Foundation which at £6.99 (here) is such a steal, I didn't turn to anything else for days - It's my go to foundation for a fuller, matte coverage - makes me think that it should have been a Winter/Spring release, as in Summer I tend to use a lighter coverage i.e. concealer and highlighting powders rather than a full face of foundation. Nevertheless, this foundation is wonderful. It applies like a dream and is very easily blendable. The range of colours isn't spectacular, but as I'm so ridiculously pale right now, the lightest shade suits me quite well - I'm a little bit curious what shade I would be with a tan, but I suppose I'll have to deal with it when it happens. Let's not assume I'm going to have a holiday tan just yet, I'll end up jinxing myself. To complete the look, I happened upon Rimmel's Wake me up Concealer (£5.49, here) which I'd heard tons about, as it's meant to brighten and... well, y'know, make you look awake/alive. It really, really does. It brightens up my dark circles and makes the skin look so glowy, it's my go-to for a no foundation look, as well as with my two other concealers (gotta have three to cover my dark shadows) - it's replaced the above mentioned foundation for a natural but pretty much flawless look. I am so impressed, I cannot tell you. 

Zipping over to skincare, this was a little purchase to throw in my handbag when I go holiday/over my boyfriends/to Silverstone to watch the F1 in July - as I don't plan to just use it on my face, as I'll be using my regular cleansing methods, but this is just for ease of convenience. If my skin is feeling dry on a plane, then I'll take my makeup off, spritz a little with a refreshing mist and then whack on some moisturiser so I don't look flakey and dehydrated. That's not a good look for me. They're also really handy for getting off the majority of eye makeup before going in for a proper cleanse. They're currently £1.74 here.

And back to makeup again! Wasn't that a fun detour? In the shade Copper, this Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow from Maxfactor is a total Amy from A little Boat Sailing induced purchase... as it looked good, and by damn I wanted it! It is so shimmery (obvs, right?) and gorgeous on the lids that it really opens the eyes up, making them look so bright and adding to the whole wide awake look that I'm so fond of. Plus it's super light and creamy, as well as the fact that it doesn't budge all day - it's a total win-win. Combined with a darker colour through the crease, this is a perfect neutral smokey eye with that kind of shimmer to make your eyes really pop. At £7.99 (here) it reminds me of a MAC paint pot,   but creamier in a more whipped sense, if you get me. 

Another offering from the amazing Maxfactor is one of their Creme Puff Blushes, £8.99 (here) which have widely been suggested as dupes for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes - which I am all for, as I don't know whether its in me to pay that much for a blush. Maybe one day (dreamy sigh). It goes on light and soft, making it really builable as well as combining it with a creamy blush on the apples on the cheeks. It's one of those types of blushes that I loved the look of, but I think it's gonna take some experimenting to really love this nude/mauve esc colour. Perhaps something a bit more pink would have been a wiser choice. 

Lastly, aside from the swatches, we have what I can only describe as the concealer that covers everything, and it's Rimmel's Lasting Finish Concealer (£5.49, here). It is the concealer of dark circles, blemishes and general redness making it a total holy grail product for me. Rimmel are really impressing me with their concealers and I cannot recommend them enough. This beauty will have its own little post, but I must say, if you suffer with dark circles, give this pot a go. It's creamy and reminds me of Benefit's Boi-ing Concealer, which I think is three times as expensive.

Swatches below, from left top to bottom right: Maxfactor Creme Blush, Maxfactor Excess Shimmer Eyeshadow, L'Oreal Colour Riche Matte lipstick, Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer, L'Oreal Infallible Foundation and Rimmel Lasting Finish Concealer.