I cannot remember the last time I wore a standard, traditional lipstick. You know, the one that comes in the little bullet. Remember them? Everyone has gone mad for liquid lipsticks recently and I can't say I blame them. I love liquid lipsticks. I have about 17 of them. I love them and I have spent a hell of a lot of money on them. There are so many different brands offering liquid lipsticks nowadays but with so many options out there, how do you know which ones to go for? Whilst I haven't tried every brand which has a matte liquid lipstick offering, I have tried a few from 4 different brands, each varying in price, colour and availability. Let me tell you all about the ones I have tried so you can decide which ones to go for!
The NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams - £5.50, available at Boots / ASOS
These matte lip creams are so popular at the moment. NYX has been around in the UK for a while now but it has only been recently that they have been readily available at Boots, with counters popping up left, right and centre. There are 26 different shades available in the range, all of which have a matte finish to them. For your money you get 8ml of product which comes housed in a short little tube which has a doe-foot applicator inside the lid. Each NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream smells very synthetically of vanilla which fortunately, doesn't apply to the lips. They are very creamy in formula but because the applicator is quite wide I find it is hard to get a neat, even line around the lips with it, otherwise it just ends up all over the mouth area. Each shade I have tried so far has been rich in pigmentation although they do tend to highlight the dry areas on the lips so prepping beforehand would be best. Longevity wise, I don't find them to be too long-lasting what with eating and drinking - I found them to wear away after an hour or two but for the price I wouldn't mind too much having to re-apply now and again.
The NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams... are inexpensive, have a great selection of wearable shades to suit everyone, are rich in pigmentation and are easy to find on the high street. The NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams also... smell very synthetically of vanilla, show up problem areas on the lips, have a wide doe-foot applicator which makes it hard to apply on the inner-corners of the lips and aren't particularly long-wearing.
The Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits - $29.00, available online only
Ahh, the infamous Kylie Lip Kits. If you thought the NYX lip creams were popular.. boy, these are in a whole new level. Released once a week on the Kylie Cosmetics website, these lip products are hard to get hold of. They sell out quickly so if you want one then you better hop onto that website quickly and get your place in that online queue as soon as possible. Available in 9 different shades, each Lip Kit includes a 3.25ml tube of liquid lipstick, as well as a traditional lip liner which compliments each liquid lip shade. At $29, the Kylie Lip Kits are the most expensive out of the liquid lipsticks featured in this post, although the price does include a lip liner too. As you can only buy the Kylie Lip Kits from the Kylie Comsetics website which is based in the United States, you can also expect to pay an $8.95 shipping rate for all domestic states within the USA, or $14.95 for all other countries. On top of that, you can also expect to pay a customs fee if you are in the UK which is priced at around £4 per Lip Kit plus an £8 Royal Mail handling fee. Meaning these may be the priciest lip product you will ever purchase.
The liquid lipstick comes housed in a see-through bottle which has a doe-foot applicator within the twist-up lid. They smell very much of synthetic strawberries & cream which I personally find rather unpleasant but fortunately it doesn't apply to the lips. The formula of the Kylie liquid lipsticks is very creamy and pigmented - one swipe of colour is plenty to cover the entire lips, although you do have to make sure you don't apply too much otherwise it can crack and flake slightly. Out of the bunch featured, this brand of liquid lipsticks is the most comfortable to wear and the most long-lasting. Eating and drinking? No problem! These stay put all day long. They do not budge. Application is incredibly easy what with the use of the lip liner, meaning both products work wonderfully well together. The only exception to this is the shade Kourt K but you can read about that in my review.
The Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits... come in an array of different shades, come with a lip liner, are easy to apply, are very pigmented and last all day long. The Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits also... are very expensive when you take the product price, shipping and customs into consideration, are very hard to get hold of, smell very synthetic, doesn't have a stopper included so the wands get very messy.
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks - $20.00, available in store and online at Sephora only
Another really popular brand of liquid lipsticks, these Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks have another famous name to them. Available at Sephora online, these liquid lipsticks are available in 28 different matte shades varying from pastel pinks to pitch black, there is bound to be a shade for you. For your money you get 6.25ml and once again, the product comes housed in a clear tube which has it's doe-foot applicator inside the twist-up lid. They have a very slight chemical smell to them which I personally don't mind. Anything but synthetic vanilla! They definitely smell the best out of the bunch, that's for sure. Formula wise, they aren't as creamy in texture as the other liquid lipsticks. In fact, I would say that I find the formula to be very thin and watery. I also found it rather hard to apply due to the shape of the applicator so I think a lip liner would be useful when trying to apply them. The shades I have tried have been rather pigmented but because the formula is rather thin, you can't get away with just one layer so you really need to build it up to get a full opaque shade on the lips. The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks aren't as everlasting as they claim, either. I found that Lolita faded away almost immediately after applying and once I had eaten and had a drink, it was completely gone. I have also found them to be rather drying and uncomfortable on the lips, although they didn't show up any dry areas.
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks... come in 28 different shades, are pigmented, don't show dry areas on the lips, are buildable in colour and don't smell synthetic which is a rarity when it comes to liquid lipsticks. The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks also... are only available in Sephora, have a thin and watery formula, need to apply more than one layer to get an opaque shade on the lips, would benefit the use of a lip liner to help guide with application, are quite drying and uncomfortable on the lips and don't last very long at all.
The Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain - $14.00, available in store and online at Sephora only
I haven't heard too much about this own-brand Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain before which is a shame as I really think they can hold their own against the big brands. Available only at Sephora, these cream lip stains come in 14 different shades and you get 4.8ml of product for your money. The product comes housed in the typical clear tube with its doe-foot applicator within the lid but we know all of that now. These cream lip stains smell very similar to that of the NYX Lip Creams, ie, synthetic vanilla but even more so. If the scent were to transfer onto the lips I really don't think I would be able to stomach it as it is rather strong-scented. Formula wise, they are very creamy and pigmented - one swipe of colour is plenty and they apply like a dream. You don't need a lip liner to apply them either due to the shape of the doe-foot. Whilst I cannot fault it's formula and application, I can't fault it's longevity either. It lasts all day long without moving at all, and that's with eating and drinking. I also didn't find them to be drying or uncomfortable on the lips either.
The Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains... are available in 14 different shades, are very creamy in formula, are extremely pigmented, are really easy to apply, are comfortable to wear and last all day long. The Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain... are only available at Sephora and have a very strong, synthetic vanilla smell to them which is very overpowering.
My Ranking
It is really hard to tell you which brand and product is the best out of the four above as they are all so different and vary in price so much. I think the Kylie Lip Kits would be my favourite out of them all but they are just so expensive when you take shipping and customs into consideration. I would hate to add up how much money I have spent on them over the last few months - and I only have 5!
1. Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains
2. Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits
3. NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams
4. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks
I have never fake tanned before. Ever. And to be honest, it has never even crossed my mind. Perhaps having to sit next to orange-skinned teenage girls at school who smelt like biscuits had firmly put me off the idea. It's no secret that I am incredibly pale, bordering on transluscent. I always believed pale and interesting was the best way for me but after watching one of Lydia Millen's Youtube videos about her tanning routine, I thought that actually? Maybe I could give it a go after all. In the Youtube video she used the Bondi Sands Liquid Gold Self Tan Oil so upon her recommendation, I hurried off to Boots to buy the last bottle on the shelf.
About the Bondi Sands Liquid Gold Self Tan Oil:
"This Boots Exclusive superior dry oil formula sets in a moment, develops over 2 - 3 hours and lasts for up to a week; leaving you with perfectly bronzed skin that glows from within. Infused with the fresh scent of Coconut and hydrating Argan Oil, Liquid Gold is our longest lasting tan and conveniently requires no wash off. It dries within seconds, is Australian Made, contains Argan Oil and has a coconut scent."
The Bondi Sands Liquid Gold Self Tan Oil comes housed in a black 150ml bottle which has a spray pump to dispense the product with. The Bondi Sands Liquid Gold is an oil so it is very runny in formula and it has a very dark brown shade to it. It has a mild coconut scent which fades after half an hour or so, leaving behind a fairly subtle "tan" smell. It isn't unbearable but the morning after application I did jump in the shower in the hope of washing the smell away.
Let's talk application! As a total fake tan beginner I made sure I exfoliated thoroughly beforehand, to ensure I didn't end up with patchy, orange knees etc. I used the nSpa Cherry Daily Refresh Body Scrub first, then I used the Urban Tan Glamour Grit Salt Scrub followed by an exfoliating glove all over the body to make sure my skin was really soft and so I wouldn't get caught out by any dry areas when it was time for application. Because my skin was so soft I didn't bother moisturising and I am very fortunate to say that this didn't affect the final results!
After exfoliating, I shaved then decided to just bite the bullet and apply it. In Lydia's video she mentioned how she started from the top of her body and worked downwards so I started with my neck and worked down. I squirted a couple of pumps onto my chest and, using an tanning mit, I buffed it in gently before carrying on with the rest of my body. This is where I had the problem. Because it is an oil, it soaks into the skin when buffed in so you have no colour reference. You cannot tell where you have already applied. As a beginner, this is really hard. I just kept squirting it on, buffing it in and repeating. I had no idea where it was going or if I had already applied it there, if it would be streaky.. It was quite the adventure, I tells ya. To me, application is tricky. Because I had no idea where I had applied, I (stupidly) applied the tan twice, just to make sure. Maybe as a beginner I shouldn't have tried an oil-based tan to start off with so the developing stage was really quite telling.
I found that when squirting the tan onto the body, the pump got quite clogged up when held in certain positions so I wasn't getting a full pump applied to the skin. It isn't too much of an issue but you have to make sure which way you are holding the bottle otherwise you don't get too much product dispensed from the bottle.
Okay. So I had applied two layers of tan, walked out from the bathroom to look in the mirror and kind of expected instant results. I completely forgot about the whole 'developing process' and why would I? I hadn't done it before, nor is it mentioned on the bottle. I was pretty disappointed and decided to go to bed and forget all about it... then got quite the surprise when I woke up the next morning! It had appeared my body had been for a weeks holiday in Alicante over night! One of the best things about the Bondi Sands Liquid Gold Self Tan Oil is that it dries pretty much instantly so you can dress without worrying about transferring onto your clothes or onto your lovely, crisp white bed sheets either.
I really love the colour of this tan. It is a really natural, golden shade and when I look at my arms I think of myself on Bondi Beach with beachy blonde hair, a cocktail in one hand and a surfboard in the other. I am also 2 stone lighter but hey, we can but dream. As I applied two layers of this tan, I think I may be slightly darker then if you were to apply just one layer but nonetheless, it is still a really lovely and natural golden tan.
Did I manage to apply it without any mishaps? Err, no. Like I said, I am a beginner but I will be wearing long-sleeved items of clothing for the foreseeable future. My arms are a little streaky and I think this is where layer one and layer two of the tan failed to meet. Considering it was my first time I don't think I applied it too badly, actually. My legs look really good, as does my chest and neck area. It's just my arms and upper arms that looks a bit strange but I am not too worried about that. I know what not to do next time, let's put it that way!
Overall, I really love the end colour this fake tan gives you. It has a pleasant coconut smell to it and it dries straight away, meaning no tranferring onto clothes or bedsheets. The tan is oil based so you don't have a colour reference when applying which is really tricky so you have to just hope for the best, otherwise the results can be rather telling. It takes 2-3 hours to develop and the tan is supposed to last around a week before fading. I wouldn't say this tan is suitable for beginners due to not knowing where you are applying but I would definitely use it again - although I may only apply one layer next time!
Occasionally, if you are a Boots Advantage Card Holder you get given £5 off on No7 Skincare or £3 off on No7 make-up. Of course, I am not one to let the opportunity pass me by so I set out to buy a new facial cleanser. I absolutely love No7 skincare products and have used up many a bottle of the No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm but I decided to go for something different for a change. This time, I was torn between the No7 Beautiful Skin Foaming Cleanser and the No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser. As Hot Cloth Cleansers are oh so popular right now, I decided to go for that option, purely to see if there was a cheaper alternative to the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser.
About the No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser:
"No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser has been created to provide tailored skin nutrition for healthy looking, bright and beautiful skin. Enjoy the luxury of a spa facial in your own home. The combination of this rich indulgent cleanser and the gentle exfoliating muslin cloth removes dead skin cells and daily grime whilst stimulating circulation, leaving your skin deeply clean, soft and radiant."
The No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser comes housed in a box which includes a muslin cloth to use alongside the cleanser. For your £9.95 you get a whopping 200ml of product which is double the amount of the Liz Earle version which retails at £14.00 per 100ml. Pricing wise, this No7 version is already great value for money compared to it's more pricier counterpart.
The cleanser is dispensed by an easy to use pump dispenser and the formula is really thick and creamy. You only need one pump to cover the entire face so the entire bottle will last you a good few months which means you really are getting your moneys worth. The cleanser feels really refreshing and light on the skin and once it has all been washed off with a damp hot cloth, the skin is left feeling lovely and soft. It does the job just how you want it to and for that, it cannot be faulted.
I really think the No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser can really give the Liz Earle version a run for its money. At £9.95 for double the product amount than Liz Earle, I really think you would be a fool not to try it - especially as Boots always have £5 off vouchers on No7 Skincare floating around.
We are all guilty of buying beauty products just because other people say they are so wonderful and amazing, but are they really as amazing as people say? It can be hard knowing which products to spend your hard-earned cash on so you need to make sure you aren't wasting your money on any old rubbish. Luckily I have wasted mine so you don't have to!
The Beauty Blender - I was really late to the party with this one as I just could not understand why people were making so much fuss over a sponge. But it's not just any old sponge! I am a complete and utter convert to the beauty blending sponge and whilst this may not be the original Beauty Blender, it still works an utter dream. The one above is just Targets own version which I bought in America last year but it has taken over a year for me to fall in love with it. I have been using it for about a month now and it has applied my foundation like an utter dream. No more streakiness or cakiness.. I can't believe I have only just got onto the bandwagon! Is it worth the hype? Yes!
The Kylie Lip Kit in Kourt K - If you read my most recent review on this Kylie Lip Kit then you will know just how disappointed I was in it. This is the most expensive lip product I own now what with the inital $29 for the product, the $14.95 shipping fees and the £12 customs fees, making the product cost a whopping £42.50. And I dislike it. A lot. I am upset that I bought it, actually. I love the Kylie Lip Kit in Candy K which I have spoken about below so when I saw a wonderful vampy dark purple shade I couldn't wait to buy it. But this just isn't the same. The formula is different, the wand is different.. It is streaky and patchy and no matter how hard you try and apply it, it still looks terrible on the lips. Is it worth the hype? No way.
The Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita - Another liquid lipstick that I wasn't too keen on. I couldn't wait to try some of the Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks and I think that if I hadn't have tried the Kylie Lip Kits first, I would probably love these. I typed up a full review of Lolita recently and sadly, I wasn't too impressed. I didn't find Lolita to be too long-lasting at all, in fact it crumbled and flaked away soon after applying, and I wasn't too keen on the shade on my lips. Lolita is very 90's, very outdated and it did not suit me at all. Is it worth the hype? Not this shade on me, no.
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water - Remember when everyone was raving about Bioderma Micelle Solution but realised it was quite hard to get hold of? Garnier released this Micellar Cleansing Water at just the right time. It does everything that Bioderma does but for a fraction of the price and I really could not live without it. It cleanses and removes make-up whilst leaving the skin feeling hydrated and soft. Is it worth the hype? Absolutely!
NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm - These NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams are certainly doing the rounds at the moment. They are cheap at £5.50 and are readily available at Boots but are they worth it? ...Yeah. They are pigmented and creamy and whilst I don't find them too long-lasting, they are perfect for the price and come in a whole array of shades. Is it worth the hype? Yes.
Kylie Lip Kit in Candy K - aka, my favourite lip product EVER. The formula to Candy K is completely different to that of Kourt K. The latter is very thin and watery in consistency whereas Candy K is thicker and creamier. It is so easy to apply, very rich in pigmentation and once it is on, it is on - it ain't going anywhere!! I could not speak more highly of it. Is it worth the hype? Absolutely.
Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper - Creating a winged or a cat eye liner can be really hard when you struggle to draw a straight line. It is a real struggle to get liquid eyeliner right and fortunately this liquid liner makes the whole thing so much easier. Because the tip of the Kat Von D Tattoo Liner is so thin, it makes it such an easy job and I manage to get my eyeliner correct the first time, rather than having to remove it and start again! Trooper is a really intense black shade and it stays put all day long. By far my favourite eyeliner product and it is a real shame it is only available from Sephora. Is it worth the hype? Yes!
Makeup Revolution Pro Cleanse Brush Tool - Washing make-up brushes is a real arduous task. It is long, it is boring and it makes your fingers go all wrinkly and horrible. Luckily we are seeing so many products come out which are supposed to make the task a whole lot quicker and easier. And they work! I have a Brush Tool from Makeup Revolution but Real Techniques and Sigma both have other versions out there which make the job quicker. The idea to this product is that you put a blob of brush cleanser/baby shampoo onto the tool then just rub the brush up and down a bit and wa-la, your brush is clean with very minimal effort. I couldn't live without it. Is it worth the hype? Yes!
What are your thoughts? Have you tried any of the above but thought differently?
You know when you go to Boots or Superdrug just for "a look" and before you know it you are handing over 5p for a bag because you have purchased so many items that you couldn't possibly carry it all home? That happened to me the other day. I very rarely go to Superdrug and if I do then it is for something in particular as I'm more of a Boots gal myself. When I do go to Superdrug then I always go straight to the Makeup Revolution and MUA stands as I always love what both brands have to offer. On this occasion, I came away with the MUA Luxe Strobe & Glow Highlight Kit.
About the MUA Luxe Strobe & Glow Highlight Kit:
"A multi-formula compact, ideal for effortless highlighting. The cream and powder formulas in a light, luminescent shimmer allow for a perfect strobe & glow, iridescent look."
Whilst I don't particularly need any more highlighters, it won't stop me from buying them. The reason why I purchased this highlight kit was because it includes both a powder highlighter and a cream-based highlighter and as everyone is all about the glow at the moment, I decided I needed this kit too. I really want to try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit but until then, this is a nice cheap little alternative.
The MUA Luxe Strobe & Glow Highlighter Kit comes packaged in a pink metallic little compact which has a handy mirror within the lid. Inside the kit you will find the powder highlighter at the top which flicks up, revealing the cream-based highlighter at the bottom of the pan. The whole compact is pretty novel and whilst the product is very in-expensive, I don't find the packaging too flimsy at all. That said, I still wouldn't want to drop it as I am unsure the powder would survive.
The powder highlighter is pale white in colour which has a gold shimmer running throughout. It is very subtle on the skin but can be built up pretty easily without appearing cakey at all. The powder itself is pretty matte in formula and really offers a very subtle glow so if you were after something very light then this would definitely suit you. The cream highlighter is perhaps the best part, although I find its texture rather strange. It is described as being a cream highlighter but I find the texture very slippy, almost greasy but without looking greasy on the skin. The only way I can really describe the texture is as if it was a cream highlighter originally but it melted slightly. Whilst I am not saying it is a bad thing, it is definitely unusual.
The cream highlighter is just what you would expect. It is a pearly gold, shimmery dream which really catches the eye when applied to the skin. I apply it with my fingers along my cheekbones and it leaves my skin with a gorgeous, glowy highlight that would even impress Kim Kardashian. Longevity wise, I have no complaints. I have oily to combination skin and I have found that this hasn't made any difference in its staying power. It is still there in the evening in exactly the same place as to where I applied it in the morning. You can't ask for more than that!
Overall, I really like the MUA Luxe Strobe & Glow Highlight Kit. It hasn't stopped me longing for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit but for £5 I am pleasantly surprised. The powder is very subtle and light and the cream highlighter is a beautiful pearly gold which has a wonderful shimmer running throughout. It is definitely worth a try next time you pop in to Superdrug, just for "a look".
I have always said that my blog is just a little space for me to write about things I like and things that I don't like, although luckily the latter is rather rare. I write about things that I would want to be told about or read myself, and one thing I would like to read about is really good nail varnish which you can pick up really cheaply. I'm not a make-up snob. If I like something then I don't mind which brand it comes from. I wouldn't not use a product just because it was cheap or just because it wasn't from a designer brand. Which is why one of my favourite nail polishes comes from the brand W7.
I haven't tried any of the W7 make-up but I really do like their nail varnish range, which you can pick up for about £1.99 a bottle in a Beauty Outlet store. Someone told me recently that they wouldn't ever buy own brand products just because it's own brand which I think is pretty unfair. If you can get a good quality product cheaply then why pay more?
My current favourite nail varnish is the W7 Nail Polish in Lady Grey. As it has the word 'grey' in the title you would be under the assumption that it was a grey nail colour but it's not - it's a pretty light blue shade with grey undertones. It's very pretty, very wearable and very opaque. One layer on each nail was plenty and I found that it didn't chip for 5 days after applying and that's without a top coat.
The moral of this post is - don't pass something off just because it is cheap or because it doesn't have a big brand name behind it. You never know, you may be pleasantly surprised.
About the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits:
"This ultra-long wearing lip liner has a creamy texture that glides across the lips for a very easy and comfortable application. The Lip Liner sharpens easily in most standard sized sharpeners - just make sure your sharpener is not dull! The Liquid Matte Lipstick has high intensity pigment for an instant bold matte lip. The extremely long wearing lipstick contains moisturizing ingredients for a comfortable, emollient and silky feel that does not dry your lips out."
We all know by now that when you buy a Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit, you get a liquid lipstick and a lip liner for $29 which all comes housed in a lovely little box with the dripping lips logo on the front. The lip liner reminds me very much of the MAC lip liners with its plain black pencil and colour tab at the bottom so you can see which shade you are about to use. The creamy and easy-to-apply lip liners are supposed to be very easy to sharpen, just like a standard traditional lip liner although I am yet to try that out so we shall see how well they sharpen at a later date!
The liquid lipstick comes housed in a plastic, clear tube which has a twist up lid and a fairly wide doe-foot applicator inside. The applicator within Kourt K is different than the one in the previous Lip Kit shades as they amended it so it were fluffier and softer to use on the lips although I will be honest and say I prefer the original applicator as I find this too fluffy, meaning it were harder to apply neatly. Another downside to the liquid lipsticks packaging is that they don't have stoppers in them, meaning the product is free to roam all the way up the applicator so you are slightly wasting a small amount of product. I have mentioned before that these lipsticks have a rather synthetic strawberries and cream scent to them which is rather unpleasant but luckily the smell doesn't apply to the lips.
The Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Kourt K is a beautiful, vampy dark purple which dries completely matte, just like the other Kylie Lip Kits. They do take a few moments to fully dry completely on the lips but once they do, they do dry matte. I found that the Candy K Lip Kit was rather creamy in formula and slightly thicker in consistency compared to Kourt K, which is rather watery and thin. Nonetheless, the shade is still pigmented but just not as much as Candy K is.
Now let's talk about the downside to Kourt K. It applies patchy as hell. And when I say this, I mean really patchy. So much so that I actually had to remove it (which was actually really hard). I applied my lip liner, just like with Candy K and everything was going well but when I applied the liquid lipstick, one swipe was simply not enough. Candy K is so pigmented and creamy that one swipe is plenty to cover both top and bottom lips but Kourt K is the complete opposite. I had to apply multiple layers of the liquid lipstick to get the lips completely covered and as I had applied so much, it was patchy, flakey, drying and a complete and utter mess. The formula to Kourt K is completely different compared to Candy K and I really believe this is its downfall. Kylie always says in her Snapchats that one thin layer is all you need when using her Lip Kits as if you apply more it will go flakey and crumble but you have no choice but to do this when applying Kourt K as the formula is just so thin. I am very disappointed as Kourt K was the shade I was most excited about, so much so that I bought it on its own and had to pay the extortionate shipping fees plus customs charges on it. Was it worth it? No.
I really can't tell you how disappointed I am in Kourt K. Candy K is so pigmented, creamy, comfortable to wear and a complete dream to apply but Kourt K is an utter nightmare, drying as hell and a right pain in the arse to remove. I have been after a really dark purple matte lipstick for ages now so I had such high hopes for this but my high hopes have been completely shattered. I don't know why the formula of Kourt K is so different to Candy K as if they were the same, I think I would be raving about it and not completely slating it. I can't tell you what the longevity of Kourt K is like as I simply haven't managed to wear it for longer than cringing in front of the mirror.
Was Kourt K worth the $29 (£20), the £10.50 shipping fees and the £12 customs fees? Was it worth the eye-watering £42.50 I paid for it? No chance. Will I give it another try? Yes, although I may not get past looking at it in disgust in front of the mirror.
P.S - I do really love the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Candy K and I still have three more of these Lip Kits to try so all is not lost. Besides the £42.50 I just wasted!
The liquid lipstick comes housed in a plastic, clear tube which has a twist up lid and a fairly wide doe-foot applicator inside. The applicator within Kourt K is different than the one in the previous Lip Kit shades as they amended it so it were fluffier and softer to use on the lips although I will be honest and say I prefer the original applicator as I find this too fluffy, meaning it were harder to apply neatly. Another downside to the liquid lipsticks packaging is that they don't have stoppers in them, meaning the product is free to roam all the way up the applicator so you are slightly wasting a small amount of product. I have mentioned before that these lipsticks have a rather synthetic strawberries and cream scent to them which is rather unpleasant but luckily the smell doesn't apply to the lips.
The Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Kourt K is a beautiful, vampy dark purple which dries completely matte, just like the other Kylie Lip Kits. They do take a few moments to fully dry completely on the lips but once they do, they do dry matte. I found that the Candy K Lip Kit was rather creamy in formula and slightly thicker in consistency compared to Kourt K, which is rather watery and thin. Nonetheless, the shade is still pigmented but just not as much as Candy K is.
Now let's talk about the downside to Kourt K. It applies patchy as hell. And when I say this, I mean really patchy. So much so that I actually had to remove it (which was actually really hard). I applied my lip liner, just like with Candy K and everything was going well but when I applied the liquid lipstick, one swipe was simply not enough. Candy K is so pigmented and creamy that one swipe is plenty to cover both top and bottom lips but Kourt K is the complete opposite. I had to apply multiple layers of the liquid lipstick to get the lips completely covered and as I had applied so much, it was patchy, flakey, drying and a complete and utter mess. The formula to Kourt K is completely different compared to Candy K and I really believe this is its downfall. Kylie always says in her Snapchats that one thin layer is all you need when using her Lip Kits as if you apply more it will go flakey and crumble but you have no choice but to do this when applying Kourt K as the formula is just so thin. I am very disappointed as Kourt K was the shade I was most excited about, so much so that I bought it on its own and had to pay the extortionate shipping fees plus customs charges on it. Was it worth it? No.
I really can't tell you how disappointed I am in Kourt K. Candy K is so pigmented, creamy, comfortable to wear and a complete dream to apply but Kourt K is an utter nightmare, drying as hell and a right pain in the arse to remove. I have been after a really dark purple matte lipstick for ages now so I had such high hopes for this but my high hopes have been completely shattered. I don't know why the formula of Kourt K is so different to Candy K as if they were the same, I think I would be raving about it and not completely slating it. I can't tell you what the longevity of Kourt K is like as I simply haven't managed to wear it for longer than cringing in front of the mirror.
Was Kourt K worth the $29 (£20), the £10.50 shipping fees and the £12 customs fees? Was it worth the eye-watering £42.50 I paid for it? No chance. Will I give it another try? Yes, although I may not get past looking at it in disgust in front of the mirror.
P.S - I do really love the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit in Candy K and I still have three more of these Lip Kits to try so all is not lost. Besides the £42.50 I just wasted!
About the Rosie for Autograph Summer Rose Eau de Parfum:
"A green, airy scent, summer rose has fruity blossom top notes of aromatic blackcurrant and fresh pear. The heart opens to a romantic blend of red rose centifolia, delicate jasmine and bright lily of the valley. Resting on a sumptuous bed of sandal, moss and musk."
Available in two sizes - 30ml or 75ml, the perfume comes housed in a beautiful floral box. There is no doubting that it is pretty and stands out on the shelf, which is why I picked it up in the first place. The bottle is just as pretty with its clear glass and rose gold hardwear. That said, the only difference between the Summer Rose Perfume and the original Rosie for Autograph Perfume bottles is that the summer version has a flower detailing on the back of the bottle. Other than that, they look exactly the same.
The Rosie for Autograph Summer Rose Eau de Parfum is the most perfect summer scent. It is like summer bottled up. It is fresh, light and floral which is delicate without being overpowering or sweet. I love floral scents, most of the perfumes I own are light and floraly but this scent is definitely one I haven't smelt before. I find it so hard writing a review on a perfume as I can't seem to get a smell into words but imagine a really lovely, light and summery floral scent then this would be it.
The one downfall this perfume has is that it doesn't last too long on the skin. I sprayed it quite liberally one morning and after a couple of hours I couldn't smell it anymore and by the end of the day it was only just noticeable on my clothing which is a shame but as it is a fairly inexpensive perfume, I don't mind having to spray it on again more than once a day.
If you were after a really light, floral, fresh, summery scent then this will be perfect for you. The only way I can describe it is as if the smell of summer has been bottled up for you to spray on throughout the year to cheer yourself up. It is a really lovely, inoffensive smell and whilst it doesn't last as long as some of my other perfumes, I do believe it is worth the money!
About the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain:
"This high-coverage lip product features avocado oil for a texture that transforms as you wear it: when applied, the initial cream texture becomes a silky, lightweight stain. Lips achieve stunning color and feel soft and comfortable. Available in an array of rich shades, including both matte and satin finishes, with intense color that stays put."
I really love the Sephora Collection products and their 10HR Wear Perfection Foundation was the only foundation I wore for a year so I'm definitely up for trying own-brand products. I wanted to try one of the Cream Lip Stains and after trying a few different Sephora stores, I finally managed to purchase my shade of choice, Cherry Blossom. Cherry Blossom is a very wearable, pretty, medium-toned pink which dries matte on the lips. As I am very pale, this shade translates a lot brighter on my lips then when swatched but it is still a very wearable colour, one which I haven't hesitated to wear to work!
Like most other liquid lipsticks, the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains come housed in a plastic tube which has a doe-foot applicator in the twist-up lid. Also like other liquid lipsticks, this product has a definite smell to it. Whilst the Kylie Lip Kits smell very strongly of over-synthetic strawberries and cream, the Sephora Cream Lip Stains smell like bitter vanilla, but not in a pleasant way. Luckily the smell doesn't linger on the lips as if it did, I am not sure I would be able to stomach it enough to wear it. I would love to know why liquid lipsticks all have to smell strange. I am yet to use one which doesn't smell in one way or another.
Formula wise, I would compare the Cream Lip Stains to that of the Collection Cream Puff Lip Creams. They are very creamy and smooth to apply, which makes application very easy. I didn't find the need to use a lip liner with it, nor did I find it bled around my lips either. It is a very creamy and pigmented shade so you only need one swipe of product to fully cover the lips which is wonderful. It doesn't apply patchy, nor did I find it to show up any dry areas on the lips either. I really cannot fault the formula or the application of the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains as it could not be easier.
If I can't fault the application then I definitely can't fault the longevity. I wore Cherry Blossom for about 7 hours at work and it did not move once, even with eating and drinking. That said, I did notice that if I touched the edge of my lips then it would come off with my finger which is slightly contradictory but even so, I didn't notice any cracking or wearing of it on my lips at all. I also didn't find the Cream Lip Stain to be particularly drying or uncomfortable on my lips either.
Overall, I really like the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains. They come in an array of colours with either a matte or satin finish, there is something to suit everyone. Cherry Blossom is a really lovely and pretty wearable shade and whilst I find it has an unpleasant smell to it, I cannot fault its pigmentation, creamy formula or longevity. I would definitely buy a few more shades and I am already eyeing up Watermelon Slice and Infinite Rose!
Formula wise, I would compare the Cream Lip Stains to that of the Collection Cream Puff Lip Creams. They are very creamy and smooth to apply, which makes application very easy. I didn't find the need to use a lip liner with it, nor did I find it bled around my lips either. It is a very creamy and pigmented shade so you only need one swipe of product to fully cover the lips which is wonderful. It doesn't apply patchy, nor did I find it to show up any dry areas on the lips either. I really cannot fault the formula or the application of the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains as it could not be easier.
If I can't fault the application then I definitely can't fault the longevity. I wore Cherry Blossom for about 7 hours at work and it did not move once, even with eating and drinking. That said, I did notice that if I touched the edge of my lips then it would come off with my finger which is slightly contradictory but even so, I didn't notice any cracking or wearing of it on my lips at all. I also didn't find the Cream Lip Stain to be particularly drying or uncomfortable on my lips either.
Overall, I really like the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stains. They come in an array of colours with either a matte or satin finish, there is something to suit everyone. Cherry Blossom is a really lovely and pretty wearable shade and whilst I find it has an unpleasant smell to it, I cannot fault its pigmentation, creamy formula or longevity. I would definitely buy a few more shades and I am already eyeing up Watermelon Slice and Infinite Rose!
(Excluding tax)
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Why don't we have Bath and Body Works in the UK? It really upsets me knowing that we can't have easy access to wonderful scented hand sanitizers, candles and body creams at the drop of a hat. If they ever opened up stores in the UK then I would definitely apply to work there - purely for the staff discount.
When I was in Washington DC in February, my skin was so dry. I'm not sure if it was a mixture of the plane journey or the deeply cold weather but my skin was in really bad condition when I got there. My hands were cracked, bleeding and painful, although that may be down to my obsessive usage of hand sanitizer. I didn't take any hand cream or body moisturisers on holiday with me as I knew I would be going to Bath and Body Works so off I set to the nearest store clutching a handful of America's favourite; coupons.
Walking into Bath and Body Works is literally better than walking into a sweet shop. So much to smell! So much to touch! So much to see! I wrote about what I bought in Bath and Body Works in a post a while ago but my ultimate saviour from the cold weather was the Bath and Body Works Sparkling Limoncello Body Cream.
About the Bath and Body Works Sparkling Limoncello Body Cream:
"Infused with luxuriously rich Shea Butter, our Ultra Shea Body Cream provides 24 hours of nourishing moisture to soften even the driest skin. With soothing Aloe Butter, pampering Cocoa Butter and more Shea than ever before, our non-greasy formula melts into skin to provide beautiful fragrance and all day, all night hydration."
Sparkling Limoncello smells utterly divine. It is fresh, light and most importantly, filled with lemon! (If you don't like the smell of lemon scented cleaning products then you may not like this.) You can purchase around 13 different Sparkling Limoncello scented products from the Bath and Body Works so I was completely torn. I knew I wanted something moisturising so the wallflower fragrance refill was straight out of the question. In the end I was completely torn between the Bath and Body Works Sparkling Limoncello Body Cream or the Body Lotion. The latter was moisturising but it had a thinner consistency in comparison to the body cream, which was really thick and creamy.
The Sparkling Limoncello Body Cream is everything you expect a body cream to be. It is really moisturising and settles into the skin really quickly whilst leaving a really subtle lemon scent behind. After a few uses, my horrendously dry skin had been cured and more importantly, my hands didn't resemble sandpaper any more.
Pricing wise, the Bath and Body Works Sparkling Limoncello Body Cream costs $13.00 excluding tax which is around £9. For that £9 you get 226g of product which is fairly pricey. Would I spend £9 on a body cream in the UK? Perhaps not. Don't get me wrong, I love this body cream. It smells incredible - really zesty and refreshing and it has a lovely thick and creamy formula which performs in its job really well but if I were to see it in the shops in the UK priced at £9+, I would probably just smell it and walk away!
(Excluding tax)
My recent first impressions post on the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits in shades Candy K and Dolce K went down so well and I really want you to know that this product isn't just any celebrity endorsed tat. Yes, it won't be everyone's cup of tea and I will be honest and say I am not sure how popular these products would be if they didn't have a Kardashian/Jenner involved which makes me really sad as they are incredible products. I would actually go as far to say these are my favourite lip products, by miles.
I was un-certain that I had made the right choice in buying Candy K and Dolce K after I saw the price at the end, along with the shipping fees. Fortunately I wasn't stung with customs fees, although a few days later I did get charged when I had Kourt K sent to me. I believe it is a real luck of the draw and if you are in the UK then you should know that I got charged £12.01 customs fees on Kourt K. £4.01 was for customs, £8.00 was to Royal Mail for handling fees which I think is pretty damn mean but hey, I have paid it, let's move on.
I am going to write separate reviews on Dolce K and Kourt K but for now, let's talk all about Candy K! Candy K is described as being a soft, warm nude and whilst I agree with that, it does look different on different skintones. For example, I am very pale so this looks a lot darker than a nude on my complexion whereas it would look like a nude on warmer, deeper skintones. Nonetheless, it is an incredibly wearable, everyday lip shade and I wouldn't think twice at wearing this to work!
I am sure you already know by now that within the Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kit you get a liquid lipstick and a lip liner, which does make the price more justifiable in comparison to MAC, for example. The packaging is very lovely with the shade within the kit revealed on the front of the box within the dripping lips. The dripping detailing is then carried onto the tube of the liquid lipstick which comes with a doe-foot application within the twist-up lid of the tube. The liquid lipstick doesn't have a stopper in it so it can get quite messy although I do believe this is something that can be improved on. I know for a firm fact that Kylie herself reads my blog so I am sure she will take this into consideration :) Like I mentioned in my first impressions posts, the lipsticks do have a rather strange, synthetic smell about them. It smells like fake strawberries and cream - it is synthetic and unpleasant but not unbearable and fortunately the scent doesn't apply to the lips or linger.
So we have the lipstick and the lip liner out of the box and we are ready to apply! I really expected the application to get messy and end up everywhere but I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, I don't think I have owned an easier lip product to apply. The lip liner is so soft and creamy and applies with utter ease. Looking at the lip liner you would expect it to be retractable but it is just like your bog standard pencil liner which can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener. I haven't needed to do this yet so I am not sure how well that will go but when I do, I will be sure to update this post and share the joy/pain with you all!
Onto the best part, the liquid lipstick. You only need one layer to get a fully opaque shade on the lips and once you have achieved that then wow, do I love the results. It dries completely matte. It is not patchy, it does not show up dry skin, it isn't uncomfortable or drying.. It is noticeable on the lips but it doesn't make them feel heavy or tight, nor does Candy K crumble away within a few hours. In fact, I wore Candy K for well over 8 hours where I ate and drank like normal and it was still in the same place at the end of the day as it was at the start. I really cannot fault it's formula, longevity or final result. I am utterly obsessed.
The Kylie Lip Kits aren't for the fainthearted. If you want natural, soft looking make-up then these aren't for you. They are bold in colour, vibrant and long-lasting. In fact, I didn't think they would be as good as they are. They are well and truly worth the hype and if you have the chance to get one then I really suggest you do so. Don't get me wrong, they are probably the priciest make-up products I own now due to all of the fees but I would definitely buy them again.
Ordering: Let's get real here - they are hard to buy. They restock nearly every week on a Monday evening at 11pm and the only tip I have for you is refresh, refresh, refresh. Once they finally go on sale, add every shade you want to your bag quickly then checkout. Try and buy all of the shades you want in one go so you only get charged shipping fees once and always expect to be charged customs fees. The customs fees differ depending on how many products you purchase but always expect the worst so you can be pleasantly surprised when you don't get the dreaded note through the door from the post man.
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So we have the lipstick and the lip liner out of the box and we are ready to apply! I really expected the application to get messy and end up everywhere but I couldn't have been more wrong. In fact, I don't think I have owned an easier lip product to apply. The lip liner is so soft and creamy and applies with utter ease. Looking at the lip liner you would expect it to be retractable but it is just like your bog standard pencil liner which can be sharpened with a pencil sharpener. I haven't needed to do this yet so I am not sure how well that will go but when I do, I will be sure to update this post and share the joy/pain with you all!
Onto the best part, the liquid lipstick. You only need one layer to get a fully opaque shade on the lips and once you have achieved that then wow, do I love the results. It dries completely matte. It is not patchy, it does not show up dry skin, it isn't uncomfortable or drying.. It is noticeable on the lips but it doesn't make them feel heavy or tight, nor does Candy K crumble away within a few hours. In fact, I wore Candy K for well over 8 hours where I ate and drank like normal and it was still in the same place at the end of the day as it was at the start. I really cannot fault it's formula, longevity or final result. I am utterly obsessed.
The Kylie Lip Kits aren't for the fainthearted. If you want natural, soft looking make-up then these aren't for you. They are bold in colour, vibrant and long-lasting. In fact, I didn't think they would be as good as they are. They are well and truly worth the hype and if you have the chance to get one then I really suggest you do so. Don't get me wrong, they are probably the priciest make-up products I own now due to all of the fees but I would definitely buy them again.
Ordering: Let's get real here - they are hard to buy. They restock nearly every week on a Monday evening at 11pm and the only tip I have for you is refresh, refresh, refresh. Once they finally go on sale, add every shade you want to your bag quickly then checkout. Try and buy all of the shades you want in one go so you only get charged shipping fees once and always expect to be charged customs fees. The customs fees differ depending on how many products you purchase but always expect the worst so you can be pleasantly surprised when you don't get the dreaded note through the door from the post man.
(Excluding shipping fees)
(I think I lied about Kylie reading my blog, although I do get a lot of views from the USA so who knows?)
My skin has been really dry recently and overall looking really dehydrated, dull and pretty damn sad. I have been trying hard over the past few weeks to increase my water intake and actually, it has really helped. My skin is looking a lot more hydrated and perkier but I still have a couple of bad patches of dry skin on my cheeks which tends to ruin my make-up on a daily basis. Who knew foundation could cling so much? To conquer this I have been exfoliating and moisturising like crazy, although perhaps I have been moisturising too much. I recently glanced at my face about an hour after applying my usual foundation and as it was quite warm at the time, my make-up had literally slid off of my face. I was actually really surprised I didn't hear it dripping off.
I decided to find a new, lightweight moisturiser for the warmer months and after a quick look around Superdrug, I found a product perfect for me. Not only is it a moisturiser, it is also a primer to help keep make-up stay in place for longer. I like to call it a 2-in-1 wonder product. Although it's real name is the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer.
About the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer:
"Provides an even and smooth base for effective make-up application and helps your make-up stay put. It absorbs instantly thanks to its light texture whilst using an effective hydrator for long-lasting moisturisation."
The Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer comes house in a little 50ml jar with a twist up lid. The box it comes in is actually quite big whereas the jar is fairly small so it does look slightly out of proportion compared to the rest of the packaging. Available in two different types, for dry skin and for normal/combination skin, I went for the first option in hope it would manage to improve my skin somewhat.
The primer itself is incredibly lightweight and creamy in consistency which feels really cooling and refreshing on the skin. It smells really light and fresh too with no synthetic scents in sight which is a real bonus to me! I apply a really thin layer of the primer just like I would with a moisturiser all over the face just after cleansing and it absorbs into the skin pretty much instantly which I love as there is nothing more I hate than a sticky or tacky moisturiser. If we were to look at this product as a moisturiser then it does just what you would expect it to. It offers hydration and softens the skin for the day ahead and for that I cannot fault.
But, onto the best part - it actually keeps my make-up in place for longer. I can't say I wasn't sceptical at the thought of this primer but it does actually work. I used my regular moisturiser and primer on the day where my make-up slid off my face within an hour due to the heat and yet on an even hotter day, I replaced the moisturiser and primer with the Nivea Daily Essentials Primer and my make-up stayed put all day long without moving an inch. I am so impressed with this product, so much so that I couldn't wait to share it with you all!
Overall, a wonderful 2-in-1 product which offers hydration throughout the day as well as priming the skin before make-up which helps to prolong its longevity. I am utterly impressed with this primer/moisturiser hybrid, so much so that I am ditching my other primers and moisturisers for this, my new favourite!
I decided to find a new, lightweight moisturiser for the warmer months and after a quick look around Superdrug, I found a product perfect for me. Not only is it a moisturiser, it is also a primer to help keep make-up stay in place for longer. I like to call it a 2-in-1 wonder product. Although it's real name is the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer.
About the Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer:
"Provides an even and smooth base for effective make-up application and helps your make-up stay put. It absorbs instantly thanks to its light texture whilst using an effective hydrator for long-lasting moisturisation."
The Nivea Daily Essentials Express Hydration Primer comes house in a little 50ml jar with a twist up lid. The box it comes in is actually quite big whereas the jar is fairly small so it does look slightly out of proportion compared to the rest of the packaging. Available in two different types, for dry skin and for normal/combination skin, I went for the first option in hope it would manage to improve my skin somewhat.
The primer itself is incredibly lightweight and creamy in consistency which feels really cooling and refreshing on the skin. It smells really light and fresh too with no synthetic scents in sight which is a real bonus to me! I apply a really thin layer of the primer just like I would with a moisturiser all over the face just after cleansing and it absorbs into the skin pretty much instantly which I love as there is nothing more I hate than a sticky or tacky moisturiser. If we were to look at this product as a moisturiser then it does just what you would expect it to. It offers hydration and softens the skin for the day ahead and for that I cannot fault.
But, onto the best part - it actually keeps my make-up in place for longer. I can't say I wasn't sceptical at the thought of this primer but it does actually work. I used my regular moisturiser and primer on the day where my make-up slid off my face within an hour due to the heat and yet on an even hotter day, I replaced the moisturiser and primer with the Nivea Daily Essentials Primer and my make-up stayed put all day long without moving an inch. I am so impressed with this product, so much so that I couldn't wait to share it with you all!
Overall, a wonderful 2-in-1 product which offers hydration throughout the day as well as priming the skin before make-up which helps to prolong its longevity. I am utterly impressed with this primer/moisturiser hybrid, so much so that I am ditching my other primers and moisturisers for this, my new favourite!
So many bloggers are turning their hobby into their job now and I really admire that. I love that you can make a job for yourself out of something that you did for yourself, to me that is just wonderful. The other day I was sat staring at a blank Blogger post page, waiting for some inspiration to strike me and I started thinking about what I wish I knew about blogging when I first started. If I had read a useful post like this when I first started out then perhaps I wouldn't have had to delete about 100 too-embarrassing-for-words blog posts which I knew took me so long to write. Here is a few useful tips about blogging which I wish I knew sooner and actually, some of these I only found out recently!
Stick to what you know.
This may be simple and straight forward but when I first started blogging I had no idea what I was doing. I wrote about anything and everything and actually? No-one really cared. It's okay to be a bit of an everything blogger, as long as you are strong at every aspect - just try not to get carried away. It's okay to not know what niche you want to get into but if you have an interest or a passion for something, whatever that may be, then go for it, even if you don't think anyone will want to read it. The chances are that someone else will like what you like and before you know it, there will be a whole community of you.
Layout is important.
When you first go onto someones blog, what is the first thing you see? The layout, of course! I can't really remember what my first layout was but I do remember it wasn't very inviting. The only tip I have regarding layout is keep it clean and simple. An overly chaotic, all-singing all-dancing layout which hurts the eyes can make some hit that back button pretty quickly. Everyone has different tastes when it comes to layouts but if music automatically starts playing when I enter your blog then chances are I may hit that back button.
It is worth mentioning that you don't have to pay hundreds of pounds to get a wonderful layout! Pipdig is very popular for Blogger and Wordpress layouts, although they are so popular that you may find other bloggers with the same layout as you. Etsy is another great website for layouts. There are hundreds. Thousands, even. It may take a bit of scrolling but you are bound to find one you will love eventually. Once you have found your layout then it is useful to know a little bit of HTML for installation and for a bit of tweaking to personalise it a little.
Photography is key.
Photography is really important to me, which is why I deleted loads of old blog posts. Oh how I cringed looking back through my archive. I took a photo of a mascara for review and rather than lay it down flat or stand it upright, I balanced it on my knee. Why, Louise, why? I try and keep all of my photos bright, clean and simple now. It can be hard coming up with new backgrounds for photos but magazines, other products, a piece of A4 paper and pieces of white wood from B&Q can really help for a flat-lay, as can mini cacti and fairy lights.
I take my photos with an Olympus Pen E-PL7 which I recently wrote all about but you don't need a fancy camera to get good photographs. We live in a world where phone cameras aren't as bad as they once were and even an old digital camera will do. Editing photos after they have been taken can really help too and I recently wrote about the way I edit mine. One of the eldest versions of Photoshop which you can download for free has been my real saviour and can instantly transfer a dull photo.
Promote, promote, promote!
If you aren't going to sing your blog from the rooftops then who will? I have only recently started promoting my blog through the power of social media and it has really improved my blog views as well as follower count. Scheduling tweets to old blog posts and tagging retweet accounts via Hootsuite has really helped improve views, as has posting new blog links to blogging groups on Facebook. I will post all of the useful websites below but it does really help. Scheduling tweets is a complete and utter bore so I found it useful to write all of my tweets once, then copy and paste them into a word document for next time so I don't have to write everything out again. Lil' tip for you all there.
It's not about money but..
If you want to make money out of your blog then affiliate links can really help. Creating a Skimlinks account is one of the best things I have done. All you have to do is sign up then add the HTML link to your sidebar (it's invisible, don't worry) and now whatever content you create Skimlinks add in links to the words you have written. For example, if I were to write 'flat-screen television' then it would automatically add a link to a flat-screen television and you would get a certain amount of money each time someone clicks on it. You don't get much from it but every now and then they will email you telling how much money you have made and if it is over a certain amount, they send you it via Paypal. Money for not doing anything!
Also, a similar website to sign up to is ShopStyle Collective. If you are writing a review on a perfume for example you can search the website for it, find a link to it then paste it into your blog and whenever someone clicks the link or buys it then you get some pennies. So essentially it is like Skimlinks but you create the links yourself. Again, you don't get much money but it all adds up in the end.
SEO.
..Or Search Engine Optimization as it is commonly known. ...I know, I don't know either. If you are a blogger already then I am sure you are already bombarded daily by kind chaps named Rohit who promise to help improve your SEO and get you to the top of Google search results. The whole idea of SEO is purely to get you more page views and to get you to the top of Google. There are so many things you can do to improve this and there are loads of articles online telling you how to improve this but I will tell you a couple of things I do.
The first thing is keywords. If you are writing a blog post on perfume, for example, name your blog post after that product. It may sound really silly and a bit "well duhh" but not necessarily. Calling your post "the best perfume I have ever tried" isn't really telling Google what product you are talking about. How will the person who wants to read about the Chloe perfume know you are talking about it? If they type Chloe perfume into Google, your post won't come up as Google won't know what product you are talking about. In this instance, the Chloe perfume would be the keyword so you want to try and include this in your post title, first paragraph and throughout the rest of the blog post. You also want to try and add the keyword into the permalink/URL as search engines look at that to see what you are posting about.
Secondly, meta description or search description. I only learnt this recently and I can't believe I never learnt it before! When you see any search result on Google, you will see the title and the writing underneath. The writing underneath is the meta/search description, something which you have the ability to change. Rather than having your first few lines of your blog post show up on Google, you can custom change it to the first line of the review or to something which would make the person sat on the other side of the world click on your Google search result rather than the person below you. It is really easy to change and you will see this on Blogger when you write a post in the sidebar on the right. It also helps if you try and add the keywords in there too!
Social media is your friend.
Other than scheduling tweets and posting your blog links to blogging Facebook groups, social media can really help in the blogging world. It is nice to follow fellow bloggers, interact with others, join in with blogging chats and find new blogs to follow. I think it is also really nice to comment on fellow bloggers blog posts and check out other commentors blog posts. I like to spend a couple of hours a week catching up on other bloggers latest posts and let's face it, we all like to receive a kind, encouraging comment every now and again!
Social media groups and hashtags.
Finding Facebook blogging groups can be really helpful. You can interact with others, find new blogs to follow as well as promoting your own. These are all of the groups I have joined where I share my content. This is a great way of getting blog views and new followers.
FBL, International Beauty, Beauty Bloggers, Beauty & Fashion Bloggers, Fashion Bloggers, Beauty Blogger, Beauty Bloggers International & Beauty Bloggers United.
For Twitter, when scheduling tweets I always include blogger retweeting accounts and hashtags so people can always see my content. The accounts I include are..
#BloggingGals, @BBlogRT, @UKBloggerRT, @UKBlog_RT, @UKBloggers1, @FemaleBloggerRT and #bbloggers.
Useful websites to know.
StumbleUpon. A website where you can upload a web page to what I can only describe as a lucky-dip in web pages. You can pick from different interests and view web pages from other websites that fellow users have uploaded which is under that genre. For example, I read a lot of beauty pages on there and I upload my beauty reviews on there. You can get a lot of blog views, new followers and find new websites through StumbleUpon. It is really quick and easy to use so I definitely recommend it.
Hootsuite. An incredibly easy to use tweet scheduler which saves a hell of a lot of time. I really suggest scheduling tweets as it drives traffic to your website through fellow Twitter users.
Skimlinks. A great website which installs affiliate links to your blog. You write the content, they add the links. It is simple and easy, you don't do a thing.
ShopStyle Collective. Another affiliate website but you choose and create the links yourself.
I hope some of you have found this post interesting or useful at all. I'm sorry it is so long-winded - props to you if you have read the entire post! If you have any useful tips then please leave them in the comments!
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Does anyone else have a whole drawer crammed full of make-up they love but never use? I have so, so many products I love but hardly ever use. They just sit there, waiting to be used and loved but there is only so many products you can use at once. I dread to think how many lipsticks I own which hardly ever get used. Perhaps I have too many.. Ahh who am I trying to kid? You can never have too many lipsticks. Although I do currently have 12 lipsticks in my handbag which does seem slightly extreme.
The first beauty product that hasn't seen the light of day for a little while is the Chloe L'Eau de Chloe Perfume. I can't recall how I came to have this perfume but I remember it was the wrong one as I wanted the Chloe perfume which had the pink bottle rather than green but I kept it anyway. It's not that I don't like the scent - it is very fresh smelling but I do find it rather strong and overpowering. I do really like it and I will try and make more of an effort to wear it this Spring but I find that I choose different perfumes over this one.
I may only include one lipstick in this post but I could have quite easily included dozens of others which haven't had attention for a while. This Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in In Love With Ginger is a wonderful bright orange red shade which definitely packs a punch colour wise. Because it is so bright and so..orange, I do find it is a hard shade to wear in my day-to-day life.
The next product I love but haven't used for a while is the Seventeen Instant Glow Skimmer Brick in Pink Bronze. I used to wear this product nearly everyday as a highlight and it is so beautiful. There are four different rose gold shades within the pan which each look wonderful on their own as well as when they are all swirled together. Since buying this product I have purchased numerous other highlighters which is why this has been pushed to the back of the shelf but I will definitely make more of an effort to use it again.
Another cheek product I haven't used for a while is the Bourjois Little Round Pot Cream Blush in 02 Healthy Glow. The shade I purchased this in is a really lovely and wearable soft peachy coral but I find it hard to apply, especially when I am in a hurry in the mornings. I prefer powder blush over cream-based purely as a matter of ease. That said, I will try and wear this more in the summer, as well as learn how to apply it properly!
The final two products are both for the eyes and are both from MAC. The MAC Eyeshadow in Expensive Pink was again, the wrong product but I stuck with it anyway. I remember asking for All The Glitters but the girl in MAC heard me ask for 'Expensive Pink' which is totally understandable as the two sound very similar. I joke, I joke. It is no big deal but I think I have only used this eyeshadow a couple of times since I bought it. Expensive Pink is a wearable pink shade which has a duochrome effect to it. It is a nice shade but at the moment I have been preferring neutral toned eyeshadows so it hasn't seen love for a while. Then we have the MAC Pressed Pigment in Blue Willow. It was bought for me as a gift and as pretty as it is, I find it hard to work for me. If I apply it dry to my eyelids then I only get a silvery ice blue shimmer to the so it is better to apply it with a damp brush to fully achieve a wash of colour. It is a pretty shade but perhaps I would have chosen a more neutral toned pigment instead.
Those are a few of my beauty products that I love but haven't used in a while, what are yours?
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