This week's Swag ...

So here's a little post about the Swag i've picked up this week on my travels.... hadnt been shopping since Christmas so it was a bit of a treat and i definitely over-indulged. Not going to show everything just a selection....

New Outfit for Work

As i spend most of my time at the office and dont go out a whole bunch mid-week i like to look nice for work and experiment with my outfits. Got a fantastic minky-brown sheer blouse with a black velvet heart print and ruffle bib, absolutely love it!

As you can see here i teamed it with cropped peg-leg trousers, pumps and a pale pink belt (which i also picked up during this weeks shopping trip. Added a black cardi as its sleeveless and a bit too cold still to bare arms and layered with a black cami underneath! Top and belt both from Primark.

Make up

I love blush and like to wear a pale pinky-peach colour on the apples of my cheeks and a darker more pink-red colour higher up around my eyes (sounds odd but works well - try it!) Decided to try a Models Own dark pink/red blush for the first time.

Honestly i wasnt too impressed with this blush. It blended well which is something i need when wearing two blushers but it didnt last all day unlike the cheaper brand ive been using recently (Boots 17 - China Pink). Models Own - Cheeky Pink. RRP: £6

Also picked up some gold eye dazzle eyeshadow - been wanting some gold eyeshadow for a while for a new look i'm working on. Golden eyelids with a black smokey eye effect (will post a pic when i've perfected it). Decided to go for a dust type eyeshadow as its easy to blend and layer on - after walking round and round the make-up aisles i eventually opted for 17 - Eye Dazzle in Good As Gold.

I like this one a lot as it can be used for day or night. The pot has a 'pepper pot' top and only a little comes out, ideal for day time wear as your brush isnt too overloaded. It layers and builds well for evening wear and a darker, brighter look. Also blends well. Despite all of this i still prefer Barry M's Dazzle Dusts but they didnt have the shade i wanted when i bought this item. RRP: £2.99

Special Mention

So a special mention today goes out today to Chit Chat - Plump It! Lipgloss which i bought from...... wait for it........... Poundland!! Yep, Poundland have a small selection of make-up. As well as this lipgloss i found some old, discontinued [products by Rimmel, Collection 2000 and W17 but unfortunately didnt have any shades i would wear.... This lipgloss claims to plump your lips and for only £1 i thought it would be worth a test.

Well, i didnt notice a change in my lips but out of all the lipglosses that claim to pump your lips none have worked on me. The Plump It! Lipgloss did however provide a gorgeous clear shine albeit a bit sticky. All in all cant complain for a quid! Looking forward to checking out Poundland again for more beauty bargains!

Have any of you tried any of the make-up available in pound shops?

Like i said at the beginning of this post i got a whole lot more loot most of which i havent tried yet so as and when i do i will update you on what i got and and what i think :)

'Don't be a stranger xoxo'

Review: Barry M's 'Effects' Nail Paint

Barry M's 'Effects' Nail Paint - RRP: £ 3.99

Heard a ripple of excitement among friends for the new Barry M  'Effects' Nail Paint and just had to try it for myself!

It comes in the usual Barry M style nail polish bottles with a little tag attached detailing what to do:

'Easy to create Instant Nail Effects'

1. Paint your nails with your chosen colour and let them dry

2. Apply a SINGLE COAT of Instant Nail Effects, dont overlap.

Watch the unique effect appear before your eyes!

Sounds simple enough so i gave it a go and it works! Creates a funky salon look - works with any make of nail polish.

I'm currently sporting a 'leopard print' look - Barry M's Mushroom coloured nail paint (see thumb in pic below) with the black crackle paint over the top - looks grrrrrrreat!

'don't be a stranger xoxo'

Top 5 Mascara's

I have been on a quest for the perfect mascara for as long as i can remember. If i was to create a mascara of my very own it would be ultra pitch black in colour, have a huge curved wand while extending, thickening, and adding volume and curl like a pair of false eyelashes. As you can see I'm expecting a lot from the average high street mascara!

I have stepped up my game recently and went on a bit of a mascara mission and tried out a number of different ones in a small space of time so i thought it would be the ideal time to write my first proper blog post and let you guys know what i think of them.

Top 5 Mascara's:

# 1. Rimmel - Volume Flash the Max Bold Curves - 001 Black

This mascara is my latest buy and in my opinion the closest i can get to ticking off everything of my wish list. Fantastic thick curved wand that gets a good coating of the mascara, fans out and separates the lashes while extending and adding volume. Doesn't flake, goes on super dark even with only one coat, stays put all day. Funky coloured tube - wont get lost in your make-up bag! RRP: £6.99

10/10

# 2. Maybelline - Great Lash - Blackest Black

This is an old classic that I've only recently discovered - my gosh! Wish i had found this years ago. Its colour - blackest black is true to its word and comes out nice and dark even with just one coat. It separates and lengthens and gives good coverage even though it only has a small wand. Funky coloured tube and a good price too - RRP is coming in at about £5 but if you're a bargain hunter like me you can pick this up for £2.99 on eBay!

8/10

# 3. 17 - Va Va Voom Volume Mascara - Black

Cheap inexpensive product, very good value for money! Really big thick wand, adds a lot of length to lashes and separates as well which you don't always get from the thick bristle wands. Only down sides to this mascara is that it doesn't add a lot of thickness/volume to lashes and its not as black as I'd like but all in all a great find. RRP: £6

7/10

# 4. Rimmel - Lash Accelerator - 001 Black

I was a little disappointed with this product but this might be because i fell for the advertising and believed it would make your lashes grow. In my opinion this hasn't worked. The wand was thinner than i had thought it would be but it does separate and adds length to lashes. Again not as black as I'd like but i think we've discovered that i like jet black lashes! I have been using this mascara as a base coat to add a bit of length and separate and then using one of the other ones featured here on top to add volume and definition. RRP: £8.99

6/10

# 5. Collection 2000 - Volume Sensation - Ultra Black

I was really disappointed with this mascara. Apart from waterproofs i have purchased in the past this is by far the worst. It does have a nice thick wand which i like and nice bright packaging but that's where the praise stops. When i first went to use this mascara it was sticky and hardly any came out of the tube (maybe i had one from a bad batch?) i had to heat the tube up myself to loosen the contents. The mascara does thicken the lashes but adds no length. The colour states 'Ultra Black' but this was definitely not a dark black. Looking forward to trying out some more Collection 2000 mascaras soon so hope i don't have the same problem! RRP: £4.99

 3/10
 

Special Mention:

Maybelline - The Falsies Volume Express - Black Waterproof

I've been using the Maybelline 'Falsies' mascara for almost a year now on and off. It is a decent mascara; it separates and adds length due to the curved wand but it does not thicken enough for my liking so have recently been using it on top of the Rimmel Lash Accelerator. I have found this mascara to flake quite a lot and although it says it is waterproof i have not found this to be true. RRP: £7.99

7/10

TIP: I am a huge bargain hunter - if there's a bargain to be had I'll sniff it out! So when there's a new mascara or make-up product that I'd like to try i always check eBay first. I have picked up a few of these much cheaper than on the high street - worth a look :)

"don't be a stranger xoxo"