The repurchase list.

I've noticed lately, that many of the products I reach for on a daily basis are ones I couldn't live without, they're products that I have a back-up of a back-up because I love them that much.
So here is my 'Repurchase List,' the products that are always on my shopping list to buy again, because they're that good.

First up is Bioderma. As a person who has incredibly sensitive skin, this stuff is perfect for removing all makeup (and cleansing if you're lazy), without any irritation, and without any oily residue. It is slightly on the pricier side, but it is worth every penny.

Next on the list are a few fragrances.  I'm pretty picky about which perfumes I like, so when I find one that I do like, it's instantly on my shopping list again. My favourite perfume of the moment is 'Fancy' by Jessica Simpson. It has warm tones of vanilla and caramel, but also fruity tones of pear and apricot. I'm also guilty of buying 'Princess' by Vera Wang more than once too. This one is slightly more floral and musky. And finally on the fragrance front, is a body spray. Impulse 'Tease' is my favourite body spray of all time, and I freaked out when I thought it was discontinued. This one smells fruity like pineapple, with a woody side to it as well.

I love a good lip product, and I have far too many for one person, but these three are the best of the best in my opinion.
The Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella is my staple dark red, it's so easy to apply and it lasts and lasts. The Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 107 is my favourite darker burgundy, and this line of lipsticks are an awesome budget buy... I may or may not have five shades in the range...
I also have a favourite lip balm. This is the Carmex Moisture Plus, it's not exactly the most exciting lip product, but it does what is says on the tin.

This year I also discovered some face products I wouldn't be without. The first two come from Arbonne, which is a vegan brand. I use the Perfecting Liquid Foundation and the Arbonne Intelligence CC Cream. And while these products are slightly pricey, they last really well on the skin, and last a long time in general, because you don't have to use too much product. 

A slightly more budget friendly option that I use every time I put makeup on, is the Rimmel Stay Matte Translucent  Powder. This powder makes whatever you put on your skin last all day, and helps to keep the oiliness at bay.

And last but not least are my favourite tools of the trade. I love most of the Real Techniques brushes if I'm honest (as you can see in this post), but the powder brush and the setting brush are the ones I wouldn't be able to cope without. They wash really well too, which is an added bonus. The setting brush especially is useful for setting foundation/concealer (surprise surprise!), blending in concealer under the eyes, and blending out eyeshadow too.

What are the products on your repurchase list?
I'd love to know!

Beth. x

Rimmel Provocalips

Now I am a girl who loves a long staying lip product. I hate reapplying, and dislike having to worry if I have lipstick all over my face. Enter Rimmel Provocalips, the more long lasting cousin to the Apocalips.

Firstly, I have to admit I wasn't that big a fan of the Apocalips. For me, the colour didn't last long enough, they tended to bleed, and somehow they always seemed to end up on my teeth.

The Provocalips on the other hand, last through eating, drinking, (and yes they even live up to their 'kiss proof' claim).  With these ones you apply the colour, let it dry, then apply a clear gloss that locks in the colour and adds shine. I don't really like having to faff around with multiple steps, but the fact that this extra step allows the product to last for hours more, is enough for me to let it slide.

I have a few problems though... As a matte lip lover, the glossiness of these (especially with the bright colour -Little Minx - that I chose) was slightly off putting. Also the gloss layer is also quite sticky throughout the day. And as other bloggers have mentioned, these are hard to get off your lips at the end of the day, (but I guess that's what you expect with a supposed 16 hour formula).

The shade range of these is quite good, with a few nudes, a few pinks, and a few reds. I'd definitely be interested to try more, because even though there are a few small problems, the lasting power has definitely won me over.

Have you tried these? Which shade should I try next?

Beth. x

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipsticks.

Hi, I'm Beth, and I am a lipstick addict. I have way more than is humanly necessary... Many of these lipsticks are the Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipsticks by Kate Moss.

And let me just say, I love them. I love everything about them.
The formula of these is lovely. They're creamy, pigmented, they smell nice, and there's a great shade range, (even though I stick mainly to reds).  The ones in the red packaging dry matte, and last and last. I used to wear these with lip liner and lip cote (see my post here), but I realised, for these ones you don't need to bother faffing around, they just last. The ones in the black are slightly more glossy, and don't tend to last quite as long.

As a poor university student, these also aren't too bad on the bank balance! They retail for about $12, but are often on offer, which makes it far too easy to pick up multiple shades at once.

L-R: 103, 107, 111, 10, 09.

I currently own (in the red packaging) 103, 107, 111, (in the black packaging) 09 and 10.
103 is a muted pink, with a hint if brown, that is great to throw on for everyday wear. 107 is a dark wine/red colour, that you'll often see Zoella sporting, (and not going to lie, that is where my love for these started). 111 is a bright red, but it doesn't have an orange tone to it. 09 is very, very similar to 107 and 10 is very similar to 111, but you've got to have one in each formula!

Have you tried any of these? What other shades do I need?

Beth. x

The Lazy Girl's Guide to... Wearing red lipstick.

I am a lover of wearing bright red lipstick, and I have far too many shades red for one person.  I am not a lover of worn off lipstick though… You know the look, just an outline of red around the edges and no colour left in the centre… Definitely not ideal.

To combat this, I’ve compiled a lit of techniques, that just might save you from the awkward half on/half off bright lip.

• Prime your lips. – Get rid of all those dead skin cells by using a lib scrub like the Lush Popcorn scrub. It’ll help make your lips smooth and ready to adhere to your lipstick.

• Line your lips. – Using a lip liner helps keep your favourite shade on for hours and hours.  I use  Rimmel 1000 Kisses Stay On Lip Liner in 063 Black Tulip for a more berry red and a Mac LipPencil in Cherry for a brighter red, but if you want an all rounder, invisible lip liners such as the Innoxa Invisible Lip Shaper and the Lipstick Queen Invisible Lip Liner are quite popular.

• Apply, blot, apply, blot. – I’ve found the best way to elongate your favourite red’s staying power is to apply it (over your liner), blot it with a tissue, apply it again, and blot it again.  This helps get rid of excess, which will easily transfer when eating etc.

• Seal. – Not the animal… A product like Lipcote, when applied (and let to dry) will seal your lipstick, which helps it stay on.  (Lipcote is apparently “kiss-proof” … I wouldn’t go as far to say that, but it definitely lasts through eating and drinking.)

• Drink using a straw. – This makes me feel like a complete twat when I’m drinking a bottle of water through a straw, but it works!  Why waste you Mac red on a bottle of water?

Top to bottom: Nars Velvet Matte lip pencil in Cruella, in Damned, Mac matte lipstick in Ruby Woo.

• Matte all the way! – Matte lipsticks, I’ve found, last longer just in themselves. Because they’re not as glossy and shiny, they’re more likely to adhere to your lips. (My favourites are the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils – available from Mecca Cosmetica is Australia, and Mac in Ruby Woo).

So these are some of the tricks I’ve come across along the way.  I hope they’re in some way helpful.

Let me know if you have any more! I’d do anything to not have to reapply.

Beth. x