Saturday, 15 March 2014

Paul & Joe; Eye Makeup Remover, Empty-Review


Empties: Mini Reviews

When I completely finish a product, I upload a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished the 'Eye Make-up Remover' by Paul & Joe which I got for a birthday present probably over a year ago.


It was one of those products I tried not to use excessively all the time because I was aware of how special it was and it just felt expensive, probably due to the extremely chic glass bottle packaging (which I'll have to find some alternative use for; I won't be able to just throw it away it's too beautiful) and even the pattern on the box it came in was beautiful.

As an actual makeup remover, it was good. But nothing amazingly special. It took off most of my makeup but no quicker than things I currently have.


You get 100ml and can find it around the £14 mark. Here is the product on their website.

This was my first and still currently only product I have owned from Paul & Joe, and I haven't heard much about the makeup brand on youtube or blogs at all. I don't think it's a brand I'll be buying more things from right now, as it's more expensive than drugstore prices and there aren't any unique-looking products I have my eye on in particular.


Would I repurchase this product? I'm going to say no. This is mainly because right now i'm in love with the Nivea Double Effects (review coming soon) oil and water mixture which is only around £3 and I haven't found anything better than that so far.

That and my Bioderma are getting me through.

Have you tried this product, or will you be picking one up? What products should I try from Paul & Joe next? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Current Nails: Claire's Mint Green

Currently I am wearing on my nails:

This mint green shade from Claire's accessories. It's so pretty, especially for spring.


My nails are so short right now it makes me cringe!! I'm in the process of growing them out- promise!


Sorry, it doesn't say any sort of colour name anywhere on the bottle, not even a number, but it came from a set of 5 minis. I love them all- they're beautiful pastel colours and the pigmentation is great for the price. In the set are a few dupes  for more expensive nail polishes. Also, even though this is only 5ml it's enough for so many uses.


I couldn't find the set on the website but you might be able to find this or something else similar in store. 

Two coats, with basecoat and no topcoat. It's fine with one coat but much better with two.
Have you tried this nail polish? What are you wearing on your nails at the moment? Let me know in the comments below.

Monday, 10 March 2014

February Most Used: Nail Polish Edition (Barry M Black Multi Glitter)

Barry M Nail Paint in Black Multi Glitter

Here's a new feature I'm going to be doing every month where I showcase a product (I will have makeup, skincare and nail polish editions) that I have used a lot throughout the month.

In February my most used nail polish was the Black Multi Glitter shade from Barry M.


I've had this for ages, but found myself reaching for it loads in February because it's been cold, and a dark colour seemed right, but this is a subtle alternative to a boring plain black. Black has been a favourite of mine for a few months now, I just find it so cute on the nails.


Clearly this is not your ordinary black! It has amazing multi coloured tiny glitters in which make your nails look really amazingly unique.


Barry M colours are around £3.


Each tub comes with a lot of product and these do last for a while, although after a long time they do become even more thick and gloopy.


You can see the other colours; red, blue, green, lighter blue. It's just unique and beautiful.


The formulation is fairly thick but it does make for an even application which is great.

One coat
Two coats
The other glitters are subtle but when your nails catch the light it's just perfect. This polish is so much more than a simple black.


So there's my most used nail polish of the month of February! I hope you guys like this new feature of mine, and I'll be letting you know my March most used skincare, nail polish and makeup product at the end of this month, or the beginning of April.

Do you have this nail polish? What's your favourite brand for nail polish? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday, 8 March 2014

Numark; Round Cosmetic Pads, Empty-Review

Empties: Product Reviews

When I finish a product, I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished these Numark round cosmetic pads which my mum bought for me (you can get them for around £2 in pharmacists for 100 pads) which I used every day to remove my makeup.


These were not the best pads I have ever used, but there's nothing wrong with them and they were really cheap, so I can't really complain.


When I buy makeup pads I don't really care, I usually just buy Superdrug own brand or ask my mum to pick me some up.


Would I repurchase these again? As mentioned, I'm not really fussy with cosmetic pads, so I may come across these more in my life but I won't specifically seek them out.

What makeup do you find hardest to remove? How do you remove your makeup? Let me know in the comments below.

Tuesday, 4 March 2014

My Mac Palette

What's in my Mac palette??

Today's blog post is showing you the 15 eye shadows in my mac palette: which ones I've chosen and up close pictures giving individual pictures and reviews.


I think it's interesting to see what's in someone else's mac palette, especially if you're thinking of constructing your own or you want to buy some individual mac eyeshadows. I know I definitely decided which eyeshadows I would buy not only based on colours I always wear but also on what Youtubers and bloggers rave about.



The packaging is sturdy and secure, doesn't open when you don't want it to and is sleek meaning it's good for travel.

I picked all neutrals because that's what I usually wear. I'm thinking about getting a colourful quad sometime in the future, but for now this is all good.

Individual pictures are left to right, top row then second row, then bottom row.

I'd like to apologise for the state of my nails in the close-ups haha! Enjoy.





The first colour is vanilla.

Vanilla is a white-pink base with lots of very fine glitter- not chunky at all so it won't feel like you're wearing glitter and you won't be able to see it that much.

All the colours in this palette are very smooth in texture, amazing.

If you're looking for a matte highlight colour, the next one has a lot more pigmentation, so is probably the one for you.


This is Blanc Type, and I think my most used colour in this palette.

It's not white, but not too pinky either. It's an amazing browbone highlight, even for someone as pale as me, and therefore especially for deeper tones.

It's also not too harsh to use as it isn't a shocking white.

I LOVE THIS.



This is orb and is a satin-y almost matte very slightly yellow based shadow but is quite a light neutral shade. I use this all over the lid quite frequently.

Shroom is a more neutral and less yellow-based shadow which I find means it works even better on my skin tone.

This is another amazing shadow.

It's more of a satin than the one above.



Nylon is a yellow based satin, this is AMAZING for inner corner highlight as it really opens up the eyes. The pigmentation is really really great on this one.

I do still recommend wearing these eyeshadows with a primer though as it really enhances them.


Ricepaper is another yellow-based colour, but not as much as Nylon above, with not too much glitter and mucho sheen. It's really pretty for light skin tones as well as darker ones.

All That Glitters is another cult favourite, it's an extremely light bronzy shade which is amazing all over the lid alone or as part of a full look.


Naked Lunch is another one of my favourites, it's pinky based but very light and very subtle. I love these shades (clearly), that aren't too out there or offensive to the eye.

Light shimmery champagne colours, that's what I love. And Naked Lunch is another one of these.


Wood-winked is a bronze satin-finish. It reminds me of one of the colours in the Naked 2 palette.

The pigmentation of this is insane. It's so creamy and smooth. I don't wear this as much as I'd like to, but it is really good.


Mythology is sort of odd one out for this palette. I didn't realise how pinky it was at the time, and it's good for if I'm ever trying a more warm toned eye.

It has a slight glitter and its pigmentation is great.

I love wearing this over the top of my Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pink Gold as it's pretty much a perfect match, just slightly lighter.


Cork is a light matte brown with warm undertones. It is really quite pigmented for the fact that it's matte, which I love.

I use this as a transition colour for my crease (it's perfect for that) and I also used it as a brow powder when I was blonde, so if you're blonde and looking for a natural brow colour then pick this up. It fills in the brows perfectly- not reddy or orange and not too dark.

It resembles the lighter of the two matte browns in the Sleek storm palette though, so if this colour is something you're interested in then perhaps think about buying that palette, as the whole palette is cheaper than this one eyeshadow- crazy, I know.


Espresso is the colour I use for my brows now I'm brunette. This means I get a lot of use out of it. It resembles the darker of the two matte browns in the Sleek storm palette though, so if you have that then it's not necessary to pick this up.

Espresso is a dark matte brown with cool undertones.


Satin Taupe is one you've probably heard of. Its a metallic-grey, and is really beautiful all over the lid. It has a satin texture and is extremely smooth in texture.

The colour is shimmery and so so pretty.


Smut is a deep reddy brown that's amazing used in the crease with Satin Taupe (above) all over the lid. They work amazingly together.


Carbon! The last colour in my palette.

I want to say this is a matte but in the pan it appears to have some micro silver shimmers.

When applied to the lid, (I also use this as a liner, you can wet the brush and apply this in a more liquidy form for ease of application and a better colour), the shimmer completely goes though. Shimmer is not noticeable when you wear this black.

There's nothing that special about this colour- it's just a standard black. There is a similar one in most good palettes, especially my favourite neutrals palettes of the Sleek Storm palette and the Urban Decay Naked 2.

A random selection of colours

Overall I do love my mac palette but I have to admit I don't use it as much as I should. 

Plus for all the eyeshadows and actual palette it comes out to over £150, which is a lot, I know this. I recommend instead of buying a whole palette look at the colours individually and choose a few of the ones you know you'll use most and the colours you love.

They're worth it, but only if they're colours you know you'll be getting a lot of use out of.

I hope this was useful for you, even just to have a sneaky peek at my mac eyeshadow collection!

Do you have any of these eyeshadows? Do you recommend any mac products for me to try? Let me know in the comments below.

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Blog Update

You may have noticed I've completely changed the way I post: bigger and better quality pictures that don't interrupt the text about them, (therefore a more professional feel), a proper schedule, and generally more posts!

Schedule:

  • Every Saturday I post an empty-review: reviewing a product I finished up recently.
  • Every week I also post at least one review, haul/review, or other makeup/fashion related post.

I'm also taking any requests of things you'd like to see- just drop me a comment and I'll get back to you.

Hope this will make my blog even more organised and better in general for us all, be sure let me know what you think of the progress in the comments below.

Thanks, Amber. x

Saturday, 1 March 2014

Nivea; Double Effect Makeup Remover, Empty Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

When I use a product up, I do a quick blog post reviewing it.

Today I finished another Double Effect Eye makeup remover from Nivea; a brand which can be bought from the drugstore.

I just... I cannot put into words how much I love this product.

This might be my 5th repurchase, and it's not coming to a stop any time soon.

I use this to remove my eye makeup and sometimes my face makeup too.


It's around the £3 mark, which for 125ml is a great price. Once I saw this in superdrug on offer for £1 and I couldn't believe my eyes. £1 for this amazing product really is a price to shout about.

Photo from the ocado website, just to show what a full bottle looks like
I wanted to show a picture of the full product. It's an oil/clear liquid mix that you have to shake thoroughly until the two make a pale blue colour. Make sure to mix it properly!


If you haven't tried this yet- what are you doing! Go out and buy it! It's worth a try.

The oil means if you get this directly in your eye it won't feel too good- a gentle sting. That's its only con, it's not as gentle as Bioderma. It leaves your face with a shiny oily residue, but don't fear- this does sink in within a minute, and for an oily skinned person like me, it isn't a problem. In fact, I find it controls the oils on my face.


How do I use this product? I squirt a bit onto a makeup removing pad, press it onto the eye for a few seconds, wriggle it around a bit and then gently swipe off. This removes almost all of my eye makeup in one go. Even mascara. One pad (flip it over and use the other side!) comfortably does all my face on a school day and up to 2/3 of my makeup when removing night out makeup.

It's better than the nivea one I used to use, it's better than Bioderma.


Will I repurchase this product? 100 times over. I have yet to find another eye makeup remover as amazing as this one, and until I do I will continue to buy this. There probably are better ones out there, but I just haven't found one yet, and especially not as cheap as this is.

Will you be picking this product up? What's your favourite makeup remover? Let me know in the comments below.