Saturday, 14 June 2014

Benefit Benetint: Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

Today I finished this mini sample of Benefit's cheek stain Benetint.

I got the sample in an old box set I got as a gift many many years ago now- it was one of my first makeup products and I don't have any of the other elements of the box left.



The full size is around the £20 mark, as with most Benefit products.

I used this as a lip product as well as a cheek one, as it gives a nice natural flush to the lips without being a proper classic red lipstick or anything. On the cheeks I also noticed it blended out very well. Other cheek stains have the tendency to be really patchy, but this is not.

The little but firm brush which came with this product was amazing

Will I repurchase this product? I don't think I'll buy the full size because it's just not something I particularly need. But i can see the benefits -sorry- to using a cheek stain, and especially this one which is the best I've tried.

Have you tried Benetint? What's your favourite Benefit product? Let me know in the comments below.

Thursday, 12 June 2014

Selling Some Unloved Clothes and Makeup!

I'm selling some of my unwanted clothes and makeup on this recent discovery of mine, an app called DEPOP.

You may have heard of this app already, just letting you guys know if anything below interests you, I'm selling them all! Want to give my unloved clothes and makeup new homes, and get a bit of money back in the process.

The app lets you post pictures of your items of clothing and set a price, and people can send you private messages, comment and like the posts, and eventually buy through papal or mail.





It's a selection of things I don't use or wear anymore, which is always sad, but selling your clothes and makeup and getting a bit of money back on your payment is always much better than just chucking them away or giving them away free.

Means you can buy more stuff!

If you want any more detail on an individual post, let me know, or check out my account on DEPOP (an app, I have it for iphone), my account @amberthompson8

Or if you don't have an account and are interested in something, I can send you more pictures and you can buy off me using Paypal, and I can ship it to you, without us having to go through the site.

If you don't have this app already, it's great and I highly recommend it!

Have you ever bought or sold from Depop?

Tuesday, 10 June 2014

E.L.F. Loves and Loathes: Lips Edition

E.L.F. Loves and Loathes (Lip Products)

This is second in a three-part blog post set, I've done eye products already and I'll be doing face products next to finish it off.

E.L.F. is an online brand but in other parts of the world you can even get them in drugstores! They're so popular because their products are really cheap, and yet they aim to dupe a lot of more expensive products out there.

Can I just firstly say that these are my opinions and my opinions only- some of you may love the products I hate, and vice versa!

So let's get into it!

I'm gonna start off with the loathes, just to get them out of the way...

**

BAD PRODUCTS (1)

1.
Glossy Gloss
£3.95

I really hated this product, and I'm not that big of a lipgloss fan anyway, but these ones really were not good.



I wasn't expecting high pigmentation, and there certainly isn't high pigmentation.

Sweet Salmon
Ballet Slippers
I like the smell, it's vanilla-y. But the gloss is very thick and sticky. The applicator is very stiff, meaning when you apply to the lips you end up wiping some of it off.

However there's no doubting the packaging- it's beautiful!


**

'GOOD' PRODUCTS- these products are alright but not amazing (4)

1.
Conditioning Lip Balm
£3.95

This product is okay. It gives a sheer tint to the lips, and this colour is pretty.

Mellow Melon
It's not amazingly conditioning, as the name suggests, but it's alright! It doesn't cake onto the lips and looks more natural, so I like this.

I quite want to try the nude colour called 'Nice & Natural' because that looks really good. Also, you get loads of product in the well-packaged studio tub.




2.
Mineral Lipstick
£5

These are a good product, and I do want to try out more colours in the line. I probably actually don't get enough use out of them actually.

Runway pink, Rich raspberry
The bonus to these as oppose to the next product I'm going to be sharing with you- the essential line lipsticks, these ones are slightly thicker (in a good way, they're still not too thick), meaning they'll have a longer staying power, which is good. They are really good quality.

Runway Pink
Rich Raspberry (sorry I know the application on this one was awful)

They have a slightly less shiny finish than the essential line lipsticks.

3.
Moisturising Lip Tint
£3.95

Another alright product. I use the nude one quite a lot. Again, they're not that moisturising but give a nice tint of colour to the lips without being a full-on lipstick.

Natural, Berry
Natural, Berry
They look quite nice on the lips, I often wear the nude one out or to school. It's nice.
4.
Custom Lips
£1.50 each

These are okay, it's nice to have a lipstick in this sort of arrangement but they didn't have the pigmentation that I would've wanted, or come to expect considering the quality of the rest of the ELF lip products.



In order, left to right top then bottom, I have the colours wine, sugar plum, earth rose and berry brown. They're quite thin and look nice and natural on the lips. The colour selection isn't that great though.



I also had a custom eyes palette, but it was really awful. The colours were chunky and chalky- really awful. The lips ones are better no doubt.

**

AMAZING PRODUCTS (4)

I do think E.L.F. lip products on the whole are amazing, and this is their best category.

1.
Lipstick
£1.95

The colour range is amazing, the smell is amazing (like fruity sweets), the texture is amazing. I love these.

Nostalgic, Classy, Gypsy, Captivating
These are my favourite lip products and perhaps products on the whole from ELF, and they're from the essential line so the price is even lower than other products.

same order as above and below 
lips with no product
Nostalgic- I love this colour, and it works amazingly to mix with others too
Classy 
Gypsy
Captivating
The only problem is the photos on the website are so misleading!! Always check out swatches before buying from ELF- that's my top tip!

Nostalgic, Classy, Captivating, Gypsy

2.
Lip Primer and Plumper
£3.95

This product has one side that supposedly plumps the lips- it's a clear smooth product that does give a tingling sensation. As to whether it actually plumps, who knows.



The other side is the prime side. It's a sort of creamy concealer which nudes out the lips, meaning you'll get a more accurate colour to your lipstick. This is a key product to own, and I use it all the time. It really helps light lipsticks show up better.



It's a nice product, and there aren't many other specialist lip primers out there, so I recommend trying it out.
Stained lips before applying the product 
After I applied the primer, and patted it in well
As you can see, the problem is that it's a tiny bit drying. It's still better than wearing concealer though!

 3.
Matte Lip Colour
£3.95

This is a nice product, and I especially love the colours I own. These are a matte-looking lipstick in a roll-up pencil form.

Tea rose, natural

 Because they're matte, they're slightly more drying than the ordinary lip product. Also they're not completely matte either, and I've noticed they still have some sheen.

Tea rose- a muted purple 
Natural- a slightly orangey nude shade

I really want to try out the one in nearly nude!

Also they're roll-up, meaning no sharpening, which is always a bonus.

4.
1 Mineral Lip Liner and 2 Lip Liner and Blend Brush
£3.50 and £3.95

I love these lip liners, they're the best quality ones I've tried. Despite there being two different forms (one comes with a blending lip brush on the other end, and the other does not) the product is 100% the same, just with different colours.

Lip liner and blend brushes in Wine and Grapefruit, Lip liner in Raisin
These are so amazing. They're longwearing, highly pigmented and work as an amazing base under lipsticks or alternatively just alone for a matte finish. Wow. They have a colour selection for all skin tones. It's perfect.

Also both of these products wind up so there's no need for sharpening once again (the packaging is amazing), and they come with caps so your product stays clean and safe.

Same order as above
I quite want to try the essential line lip pencils, just to compare. I think everyone should try these out, they're so cheap (as is everything), and I must add before this post finishes that you should always wait until ELF are having a 50% off sale, which happens more than you'd expect. Therefore although all the prices here are extremely cheap, just imagine them half off! It's unbeatable.

**

I hope you guys found this somewhat interesting or helpful!

What are your favourite lip products from ELF? What are your least favourite? Let me know in the comments below.

Saturday, 7 June 2014

In love with my new phone case from mrnutcase!

I recently got this phone case from mrnutcase.com and I love it!

It's so nice to have a change and I've been using my previous phone case for almost a year now, so it definitely was nice to chuck a new one on.


The best thing is, my previous one was embarrassingly big for it, and now at least I know my phone is safe, (ssh, I drop my phone regularly, I know we all do, and I've even accidentally dropped it a few times since using this case and I've seen not a scratch, either on the phone or the case!)


This website mrnutcase.com do custom phone cases!


The great thing about this website is you can make completely custom phone cases (so personalise them by putting your own pictures on!). But this time, I chose one of the default designs, and I absolutely love the results.

It's smart, safe, and super funky!


With this option, as you can see, the sides are a clear plastic and there is no wrap-around on the front so you don't see much of the case from the front at all.



It's called the "Ultra Light Weight Slimline", and they also do a flip-leather case and a full premium wrap around case, which always seems to be out of stock.



This version retails for £14.95.


They cater to so many different devices, literally if you have a phone, check this website out, because they probably will have cases available for your phone!!

What I love about this case is it isn't flimsy at all, and doesn't feel cheap despite being plastic. Especially the back covering is sturdy and completely solid. And the case isn't too chunky. My previous one was a rubbery white gameboy case, and it made my phone so much more bulky! This is a nice lightweight change.


They also have an app, so you can easily upload pictures straight onto the case using the photos in your phone without having to transfer them onto a computer!

The best thing about the custom cases is you can easily make custom picture montages using a variety of different standard default layouts. It's simple and easy to use.

It literally takes seconds to create your phone case.


So if you want one of these, check out their website



I'm tempted to buy one off the website and instead of using a default, use my own pictures and personalise it.


A special 10% off discount code for my readers!! Enter "Thanku10" at the checkout to apply it. And make your own custom phone case (or, if you're slightly scared by the idea of having your own face all over your phone, like me, use one of their custom designs!) You can even just upload your own pretty pattern, whatever you want, they can put it onto your phone case!

What phone case do you use? Let me know in the comments below.

-----------

* Although this product was sent to me, I was under no obligation whatsoever to write a post unless I wished to. All opinions are as always 100% my own and completely un-biased. 

Bourjois 1 Second Nail Polish Remover: Empty-Review

Empties: Mini Reviews

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


This is kind of a mixture of an empty and a 'i'm gonna have to get rid', as it's just not working as it used to.

Today I'm throwing out the Bourjois Magic 1 second Nail Polish remover.

This product is I think £5.99 (but I technically got it half price because at the time it was on buy one get one free), and I got it from Superdrug probably around a year to two years ago.

This pot of magic (*not really magic) is a lifesaver and I will never return to the conventional 'cotton pad and nail varnish remover' method after using it. It's basically lined with a thick cushiony material soaked in polish remover which lifts off any nail polish when you put your finger in. I use what I explain as 'the dip and twist' method, where you rub your finger against the cushion as you twist your finger round. 


Does it remove nail polish in 1 second? Not really, and especially not for glitter. But there is no doubt that it is such a time and money saver.

With time, clearly it takes more effort to remove nail polish. Also, as you can see from the picture below, due to me using this hundreds of times before, the polish remover/water inside has become stained, and as a result leaves a purpley line on my finger where I have used the product.

However this mark does wash off after a few hand-washes, and leaves no permanent stain.

The cushiony thing inside is a bit battered now also.


It leaves a slight oil residue on the hands (which dries off though, it just takes a while), and a vanilla/almond scent.

Quick tip: If your tub is drying up a bit, just pour in some nail polish remover to top it up! I've done this and it means it lasts way longer!

Not quite working as it used to, gross non-permanent stain on my fingers, definitely time to throw it out
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be repurchasing this as soon as I throw it out, as being without this is just not something I want to experience.

How do you remove your nail polish? Will you be checking this product out? Let me know in the comments below.

Sunday, 1 June 2014

Current Nails: E.L.F. Mint Cream

Currently I am wearing on my nails...

Sometimes companies have really obscure polish named, but there's no other way to describe this than a creamy mint! Well done ELF! 

It's a perfect spring/summer colour.

It's actually surprisingly close to being opaque (the quality isn't the best still), but here you see two coats on the nails
You've probably heard of this brand before, but if you haven't, here's a link to this nail polish (online only for us UK beauty fanatics) and you can pick it up for just £2.50. Still cheaper than most at the drugstore (and they seem to have 50% off sales every other week).

I think this is one of their more popular nail colours.

What's your favourite product from ELF? What are you currently wearing on your nails? Let me know in the comments below.