The products I love but can't repurchase . . .

I've tried to think of a million different days to drop this on my blog (I had a whole post prepared, I was going to slip it into one of my lifestyle posts, I was considering making a video . . . I had a lot of ideas) but as I'm becoming a vegan (permanently this time) I'm going cruelty free with my makeup and skincare and all that jazz too. I'm not going to be preachy about it because it's your choice if you want to follow that kind of lifestyle, but for me I just feel like I need to match up my lifestyle to my ethics.

I'm not planning on throwing out any of my makeup for multiple reasons. Firstly, I'm about to become a university student and I can't really afford to be essentially throwing away money - I know that sounds really bad but I'd be throwing out about half of my current makeup which comes up to a lot of money and mans is gonna be broke. Secondly, even if I did have the money to go and buy a whole new makeup collection, I would feel almost as if the animals were tested on for no reason. I've already funded the companies who test on animals and I can't take that back, throwing away the makeup would make it seem to me as if the animals were tested on for no reason - I hope that makes sense, I just feel as it would be silly to throw away my makeup even though that would make one heck of a cruelty free statement. So, here are the products I love but can't repurchase unless the brands stop testing on animals:

My favourite foundation - Maybelline Fit Me Foundation
As you know, this is my holy grail foundation. It matches my skin perfectly (and has a good shade range), it's easily blendable, comfortable to wear, has a nice medium coverage, and it's cheap, but Maybelline test on animals so I'm going to have to say goodbye to this foundation and hope I find a nice replacement - I'm considering going high end, so if you have reviewed any cruelty free foundations please leave a link to your reviews down below so I can check them out or just recommending some would be really helpful.

My favourite mascara - Maybelline The Colossal Volume Express Mascara
This mascara has unfortunately dried up so I can't really use it now anyway, but this was the bomb diggity. Length, volume, and it held a curl too. Here's hoping I can find a replacement that's not too pricey - again, any reviews or recommendations would be helpful!

My favourite eyeshadow - Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo
I have raved on about these so much and I don't know what I'm going to do when these run out (think I've got a while yet, I've used them nearly everyday for well over half a year and not hit the bottom). These last all day without creasing, they're very pigmented and blend quite nicely as well as work as a base. I'm worried I'm going to have somewhat of a cream eyeshadow related dilemma - please recommend some cruelty free ones if you know of any.

My favourite gel liner - Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24hr
I love love love gel liner, I think it's easier to use than liquid personally and the formulation of this is great. Admittedly, I've not tried out any gel liners from any other brands so hopefully I should be able to find one that's just as good, but I am going to miss this one when it finishes - although I have a couple of these and one of them I've had for about half a year and I've not hit the bottom or anything so this should last me a while.

My favourite lipstick - Maybelline Coloursensational Lipstick in Velvet Beige
This is my everyday lipstick, the formulation is nice and creamy - it sticks around for a few hours before re-application and just the colour is perfect for me. I think good lipsticks are quite easy to find so hopefully it shouldn't be too much bother to replace this one, but I'm going to miss it.

My favourite brow gel - Maybelline Brow Drama (okay I promise this is the last Maybelline product)
This product has been a staple in my makeup routine now, it keeps my brows looking natural but bushy and it keeps them place all day with very little effort. There are quite a few tinted brow gels out on the market now so here's hoping I can find a decent replacement, but I'll miss this one when it runs out!

My favourite kohl pencil - Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Kajal Eye Liner (see it's not Maybelline this time okay)
These eyeliner pencils are marvellous - creamy, pigmented, soft but not too soft. Perfect for the waterline and the tightline at a low price, these will be sorely missed. Although, there are a few other kohl pencils I want to try out anyway so maybe I'll find one that's of the same quality or possibly better.

A hella good concealer - Revlon Colourstay Concealer
This is a high pigment yet creamy and moisturising concealer that sticks around all day and has a decent shade range, which is why it really sucks that I'm going to have to not repurchase it especially as it's not too expensive. It's looking like I'm going to have to go high end for foundation and concealer, which I was considering doing anyway because I'm tired of having to make do with the shades they have at the drugstore but now I'm probably going to have to do it anyway.

Some top notch lipsticks - Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick
I think the Revlon lipsticks have such a great formula and their lipstick in Really Red is one of my favourite red lipsticks - it's matte but not drying, I also have one of their lipsticks in Smoky Rose which is a lovely sheer brown everyday colour for me. The lipsticks are around the £7 mark but they're so so good for the price, I'm very sad that I won't be able to repuchase any more from this range unless Revlon stop testing on animals.

My favourite nail polish - Essie Nail Polish in Licorice
This is my staple nail polish, I've used it so many times and about half of it is finished up. It's really black and glossy, dries really quickly, and only chips a tiny bit within a few days. This is a pricey nail polish so it doesn't hurt too much knowing that I can't repurchase this or any more from Essie (y'know unless they drop the animal testing) and I have tried other nail polishes of a similar quality (from Essence, cheap as chips and doesn't test - Essence is kinda bae) so whilst I'll be sad to let this one go when it finishes, I'm certain I'll find a good replacement.

Can you recommend any cruelty free brands/products?

Bloglovin | YouTube | Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram

Winter favourites

Another season has passed - not going to lie, I'm going to miss being able to wear cardigans and thick tights and snuggle up in bed with a hot chocolate but I am looking forward to the weather not being freezing-my-tits-off cold. As the season ends, I have compiled a list of favourites - if you watch the video, you'll see non-beauty favourites as well as beauty favourites (cheeky plug, seriously though watch the video go on)

 

Essence Lip Liner in Satin Mauve

Essence are a brand that in the space of about half a year have become one of my favourite brands, they're inexpensive and amazing quality. I did an entire post of how to use this product to achieve Kylie Jenner lip status (I'm really going to try and stop talking about Kylie Jenner on here, it's becoming quite a problem) so if that's what you're after, this is a cheap way to get it. This pencil is super creamy and pigmented, only gripe I have with it being so creamy is that you have to sharpen it more often meaning you waste a lot more product than you would with a less creamy pencil, but y'know no pain no pain.

Soap & Glory Off Your Face wipes

Okay I know face wipes are like the antichrist of the beauty blogger world but desperate times call for desperate measures. Over the winter period, I've had a lot of late nights because I'll go round to a friend's for a meal and not leave until about midnight, and I've been to a couple of parties (ooh get me, Bess the socialite) so I've had a lot of times when I'll get home and just not have the energy to properly cleanse my face. Plus I got these wipes for Christmas in the Soap & Glory box set, so y'know I had to use them at some point. These have a good amount of product on them so it doesn't feel dry on your face, it smells of peach which is always a nice thing (unless you don't like peach, but if you don't like peach, don't buy peach scented face wipes...) and it leaves your skin feeling pretty soft. I usually put on moisturiser afterwards anyway because moisturiser is a skincare step that takes about two seconds, ain't nobody that lazy.

Soap & Glory Whipped Clean shower butter

This is quite possibly the nicest smelling thing in the history of scents, honestly, it's just nutty and vanilla-ry and good, gosh darn it. I like how this product is a body wash and a body butter in one, it means if you're an A level student like me who can't find time for a nice long bath, you can hop in and out of the shower without needing to stop for body butter.

Soap & Glory Hand Food

This isn't exactly a new favourite, but it is something I've been using a lot of over the winter period. My hands have a tendency to get dry in the morning and if I don't use a hand cream, my hands feel uncomfortable for most of the day, but I also don't like hand creams that take yonks to dry which is why this is a good'un. It's not super fast drying but it does dry within a minute and it leaves a subtle signature Soap & Glory scent on your hands which is pretty nice.

Essie Nail Polish in Licorice (Review here)

I did an entire post dedicated to the greatness that this is because it's that darn good. This is a basic black nail polish but it's opaque in one coat, fast drying, lasts a good five days, and the brush is pretty wide so it's practically fool proof.

P.S Love Brow Pencil in Medium

This is an oldie but a goodie. I used to use this all the time before I really understood how to fill in my brows properly (I'm saying that as if I know what I'm doing now, but y'know there was once a time when I was even less educated in the brow department) but I stopped using it and switched to powder. Now I've switched back to this over the past month and it's made filling in my brows so so easy, it's a bit waxy so a light hand is necessary, at least for me - but if you want super strong, defined brows, you do you honey.

The Vintage Cosmetics Dusting and Powder Brush* (Review here)

This brush was kindly sent to me by The Vintage Cosmetics but my opinions on it aren't at all biased because of it. This brush is mahoosive so it's pretty easy to dust all of your face with powder in one quick sweep, I've used it everyday since receiving it. It's not by any means cheap but if you want to invest in your brushes, it's definitely worth investing in this one.

MAC lipstick in Taupe (Review here)

This lipstick cost near to £16 so there was no way I wasn't going to include it in my favourites, y'know there are some amounts of money you can't spend without it becoming a favourite at the end of it. This is a brownish-nude with the tiniest bit of pink in it, I hate to say this because it's become the most generic blogger phrase, but it's a very Kylie Jenner type shade, your lips but better, it's become my everyday shade and I absolutely loooooove it.

Makeup Revolution Waterproof Liquid Liner (Review here)

This liquid liner is super black, waterproof, and just darn easy to apply. If you like super thick cat eye flicks, this may not be for you, but I like this if I want a more subtle look or if I want a waterproof liquid liner. Good waterproof liquid liners are about as rare an occurrence as Noel Gallagher not saying something insulting about a popular celebrity, but this just hits the nail on the head and for only £1.50 you really can't go wrong. I found that this flaked on me once, but it wasn't particularly bad, but it's just something you should be wary of if you do purchase it.

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24hr in Chrome Black

This is the first gel eyeliner I've ever tried so maybe it doesn't mean much that I like it because I can't compare it to anything, but first of all, the packaging is just nice - frosted glass? Good decision Maybelline. I actually find this super easy to apply, and this shade is a dark grey rather than a jet black so it looks a lot more subtle which I've been liking at the moment. It's pretty long lasting too, so if you're a newbie to gel eyeliner like me, this may be worth a go.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Pencils

These have been raved about by everyone on here and once you try it, it's pretty clear to see why. They're super pigmented, long lasting, creamy but not so creamy you're constantly sharpening it, and pretty inexpensive too. I've opted for the black shade and the nude shade (tightline and waterline covered) and they've just become daily essentials for me.

Makeup Revolution Mono Eyeshadow in Mmmm (Review here)

I've already spoken about how the name of this shade is just absolutely ridiculous, but preposterous names aside, this is such a lovely eyeshadow and it's multi-purpose. I've used it on my brows, I use it as an eyeshadow, I've been using it for contouring - and this only cost £1 so it's not bad at all for the price. It's a buttery consistency and it's so pigmented, if Makeup Revolution could've picked a better name that would really sweeten the deal, but y'know the world's an imperfect place.

Maybelline 24hr Colour Tattoo Leather Effect in Creamy Beige

I raved about the ordinary Maybelline Colour Tattoo in my last favourites post, but this one is pretty awesome too and has become my everyday shade. Creamy beige is a very neutral almost nude colour that works as an eyeshadow base or on its own, I use it on its own because I'm liking the more neutral look at the moment but it works really well as a base too.

Makeup Revolution Baked Highlighter in Pink Lights

This highlighter's an odd one, it's a pinky-lavender type of colour and doesn't look like it would work on anyone, but what you get is a pearlescent  shade which, if used light-handedly, looks really nice and really lifts the cheekbones. It's so pigmented so a light hand is a must, believe me I learned the hard way. It also blends really easily so if you do apply too much, it's not the end of the world because you can blend it out a bit.

Makeup Revolution Matte Effect Foundation in Sand

This is the cheapest foundation I've ever used at only £2, but it's such a lovely consistency. It feels like a moisturiser and it's so blendable meaning it only provides a light coverage, but that's fine for me as I think light coverage looks better on me anyway. The shade range of this foundation is brilliant for such an inexpensive product. It's not in any way shape or form matte, but that doesn't particularly bother because I always powder anyway.

What have your favourites been over Winter?

Bloglovin | YouTube | Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram

A newfound love affair for licorice

When I was younger, I really really did not like licorice. It was the one form of sweet I would not put in my mouth under any circumstance (and believe me, I put a lot of sweets into my mouth as a child #fatkid). However, thanks to Essie, I have now developed a love for licorice.

This is the first Essie nail polish I have ever bought. £7.99 always seemed a bit much (or a lot much) to spend on a nail polish, but I cracked (here). I'm actually glad I cracked because the formulation of this nail polish is the nicest one I've ever tried, and I've tried a fair few in my time. Nail polish is hard to get right with me for several reasons:

1. I can't apply it for fudge, seriously if it's not a big brush, I just can't do it so -clears throat- I like big brushes and I cannot lie

2. Even if I have managed to apply it nicely, I can't keep my hands still, I have to do things and that usually entails smudging my averagely applied nail polish so I need as quick drying a formula as possible

3. I do a lot with my hands, I have to write long essays (I do Philosophy and History A level, it's a bundle of fun) and I play piano (grade 8 is no joke folks) so this leaves my nail polish prone to chipping, so I need a nail polish that chips as little as possible

4. I need one coat wonders with nail polish, I can't sit for ages applying coat after coat with a streaky nail polish because, as the wise Kimberly 'Sweet Brown' Wilkins once said, 'ain't nobody got time fo' dat'

5. I don't really have a fifth reason, I just wanted a list of five to emulate Rob Fleming from High Fidelity

I'd be lying if I said this nail polish didn't chip, I found minute (literally tiny tiny barely noticeable) chips after a day or two of wearing them, then I found after vigorously playing piano (seriously, I meant it when I said grade 8 piano is no joke) that it chipped a little bit more but it was nothing a touch up job couldn't fix. I've only found that I've only had a small issue with chipping if I'm playing a lot of piano or if I'm trying to get a tricky bit of plastic wrapping off from a DVD* and even then it's nothing a touch up job can't fix, otherwise we're coming up to 5 days strong.

This is possibly the quickest drying nail polish I've ever used, thoroughly dry within 2-3 minutes. Probably quicker than that, but I get concerned about the possibility of smudging, so I haven't tried touching it before then, but even so that's pretty darn impressive. A factor of the fast drying property is probably the fact that you only need one coat, it's opaque and the brush is wide so only one coat is really need.

So whilst £7.99 may seem a lot for a nail polish, it's pretty hard to fault, and I'm pretty certain I'll be buying more Essie nail polishes in my future nail varnish ventures.

What's your favourite nail polish brand?

*#FirstWorldProblems

Bloglovin | YouTube | Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram

Beauty haul - Boots (and a cheeky purchase from MAC, oops)

As you may or may not have known, I put myself on a spending ban in January because I felt I had been buying too much makeup, but I broke it a few days ago (lasted a couple of weeks extra than I had planned) and did some naughty hauling*. I can assure you I won't be shopping like this again for quite a few months, but I won't be on a full-on spending ban again, I'll just make sure I'm only buying essentials y'know. Anyway, without further ado, I will show you what I bought.

Revlon Colourburst Laquer Balm in Coy - £7.99
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Smokey Rose - £7.49
Revlon Colourstay Concealer in Deep - £6.99**
Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in Cappuccino - £2.99
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Eyeliner in Black - £3.99
Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner - £7.99
Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr Leather Effect in Creamy Beige - £4.99
Essie Nail Polish in Licorice - £7.99
Barry M Matte Nail Paint Top Coat - £2.99
MAC Matte Lipstick in Taupe - £15.50 (currently sold out at Selfridges, sorry)

As you can see, I spent rather a lot but due to A levels I don't really go shopping too often anyway so I probably won't go properly shopping again for a few months (so you can stop judging me now).

Have you tried any of these products?
If so, would you recommend them?

*Makes it sound as if I've been buying toys of the sexual persuasion, I can ensure you that I have not and if I were I wouldn't show you, we cater for prudes everywhere on 'fashion, beauty and an existential crisis'.
**I was under the impression that I had bought Medium Deep, this is a tad too dark for me - darn.

Bloglovin | YouTube | Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram

October Wishlist

Another month has gone by, it's crazy how quickly these wishlist posts come around again (click here to read my last one), but this means that we are in the month of Halloween! I don't what it is I enjoy so much about Halloween but just knowing that I'll be able to eat a lot of sweets and watch the Nightmare Before Christmas (as it is my Halloween tradition) excites me, but besides from wanting Halloween to hurry up, there are also a few things that I would like to buy this month, so if you want to read about that then just scroll down :-)

I have read so many good reviews on the L'Oreal Paris Miss Manga Mascara and my trusty Soap and Glory Thick and Fast is close to running out so I am going to need to replace it. I find mascara lasts me a very long time so I like to make sure I'm buying a really good one, and the reviews on this product assure me I won't be disappointed.

I'd really like a simple black jumper like this one from H&M, this one is only £12.99 and I'm sure I'll get tons of wear out of it but I may have to take a cheeky gander around Primark and see if I can find a cheaper version. I think thin jumpers are great for Autumn because at the moment I'm still finding it very hot outside so it's not quite thick wooly jumper weather yet (darn), so a thin one is good for the transition.

I mentioned a Makeup Revolution lipstick in my Summer favourites so I think I have sung my praises about the brand already, but I really want a dark vampy colour for Autumn/Winter and I think Rebel with Cause will do perfectly, it also only costs £1 so even if it doesn't suit me too much I won't be breaking the bank. Furthermore, I've heard it's a good dupe for Mac's Rebel and I am too much of a cheapskate good saver to spend that much on a lipstick so I'll be quite excited to try this out.

Similarly, I'd love a darkish red  nail polish like this one from Essie. Again, it's unlikely that I'll buy the Essie version because it is a tad pricey but I will be looking out for something just like this in October.

As the weather grows colder, I'd like a new winter coat like this one from H&M because I haven't got a nice coat that I can take to school. I have a nice coat for outside of school but I want a coat that I won't mind shoving in my locker, so I feel this type of thing will do.

Thanks for reading my wishlist!

What's on your wishlist for October?