Where to Find Your Favourite Brands

When I was working in Superdrug, a lot of people would come in asking about makeup from brands that we didn't sell. Some brands sell exclusively through particularly stores which means that the stuff you want to get your hands on isn't sold everywhere. Don't worry though, I've compiled a list of the biggest brands and where to find them so your next shopping trip will be a little bit easier. We're talking strictly makeup in this post ladies and gents but if you'd like a skincare/bodycare/etc then I'll do one of those for you too! 

Boots | As well as the usual big brands - Maybelline, Rimmel, Collection, Maxfactor, L'oreal, Revlon, Bourjois, Barry M, Sleek - you'll find exclusive brands such as Soap & Glory, No7 and SEVENTEEN. You can also gets your hands on some of the higher end brands in Boots too such as Clinique, Benefit, Estee Lauder and Smashbox.

Superdrug | Here you'll find all the usual high street brands - Maybelline, Rimmel, Collection, Maxfactor, L'oreal, Revlon, Bourjois, Barry M, Miss Sporty, NYC and Sleek. Exclusive brands include Gosh, MUA, Beauty UK, Tanya Burr Cosmetics, Makeup Revolution, Models Own, 2true, Lottie London and of course B. 

Debenhams | This is one for the higher end brands. So you'll have Mac, Benefit, bareMinerals, Tom Ford, Estee Lauder, Urban Decay, Too Faced, Bobbi Brown, Chanel, Make Up For Ever, Dior, Clinique, theBalm, Illamasqua and Thierry Mugler (basically all the brands I wish I could afford but can't. Sob.)

Space NK | This is another for the higher end brands and usually stuff that isn't sold elsewhere. So  have a browse through Space NK for brands such as Hourglass, Laura Mercier, Nars, Becca, By Terry and Beauty Blender.

I think that covers the most popular brands and where you can hunt them down! Also, if you're in doubt then all of the websites have a brand list and also a list of which brands are exclusive. If I've missed anything off then let me know and thank you always for leaving such lovely comments on my blog. You all make my heart happy.

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Rimmel '45' Kate Moss Nude Lipstick

You may have noticed a lot of focus on nudes on my blog lately (strictly of the makeup variety, of course). I've always thought understated makeup was the best direction for me, especially for daytime wear. My makeup, nail varnish (example: here and here) and a lot of my clothes are all very neutral, nude tones. So when I saw Kate Moss's new nude lipstick range for Rimmel floating around twitter I knew I had to check them out.

It took a while. I went in and out of a couple of Boots and Superdrugs and while they had a couple of the shades left, they didn't have the one that I wanted. The one that I thought would be perfect for me - we're talking that muted mauve/dusty rose kind of colour again. When I did eventually find it and took it home to try, I loved it. So did my mum too, apparently, who saw it lying on my bed while we were on holiday and decided she'd give it a try. Sneaky! 

Rimmel have a reputation for good lipsticks. Everyone loves the autumnal 107 shade and it's a staple in many girls' makeup collections. They have good wear time, they apply nicely and there's a good range of shades too - even better now that there's a nude to suit everyone (so they claim). There are five shades in the nude range each adapted to suit cool/warm/neutral skin tones and cost £5.49.

For a high street lipstick I often recommend Rimmel for quality and price point. Even if nudes aren't your thing, stop by the Rimmel stand if you're looking for a new lipstick! 

Have you tried any of the Rimmel lipsticks? What is your favourite nude?

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Baked: Swiss Roll

Callum and I saw this on Bake Off last year and immediately took to the kitchen to give it a go. Now that Bake Off is back (wahoo!) we decided to bake another classic Swiss Roll! The good thing is, it's really easy to make and looks pretty fancy. Here's the recipe if you want to try it out:

Ingredients
75g Self Raising Flour
75g Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
Double Cream
Jam (we went for strawberry but whatever takes your fancy!)
Icing sugar

What To Do
Preheat oven to 200C
Grease/line baking tray with greaseproof paper
Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy
Fold in flour
Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 7-10 minutes
Whip up your double cream
Take the sponge out of the tray and spread jam and cream
Roll up your swiss roll
Sprinkle on some icing sugar and serve it up!

Have you ever tried making a Swiss Roll? We've only made it twice and each time Callum has been the one to do the fun bit i.e rolling it all up. Next time, it's my turn! What are your favourite things to bake?

Tip: if you roll your sponge up while it's still warm, it takes the curved shape without falling apart. Then you can unroll it, add your fillings and it will be easier to roll it all up at the end.

Original recipe: BBC Food

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My Favourite Core Makeup Brushes

I don't do a lot of fancy artwork with my makeup so the extent of my makeup brush collection is tiny. For me, it basically comes down to getting the perfect base so my favourite and most used brushes are face brushes.

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Face Brush | For a long time I used a really thick, heavy brush for applying powder. Then I learned that using such a heavy duty brush was displacing the foundation and concealer I'd so carefully applied underneath. This Powder brush from Real Techniques is perfect from loosely applying powder to stop shine or set foundation/concealer in place.

Avon Blusher Brush | First of all I love this brush because it's really soft. Second of all, it's shape is tailored to make blusher application incredibly easy. It's a bit cheaper that some of the other blusher brushes from other brands but it's quality is still top notch.

Real Techniques Cheek Brush | Again, another super soft brush. This one is a bit thicker and I often use it to either 1) blend in some blusher if I've been a bit over generous or 2) apply highlighter. It's a thick-headed brush so it holds a lot of product too which makes it perfect for applying a bit of colour whether it be blusher, highlighter or bronzer.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush | I used to apply my foundation with my hands and it was a sticky, messy way of going about it. I eventually bought a sponge but I just felt like it ate the product and I didn't get much of a finish. Then I went and bought the RT Expert Face Brush and it transformed my foundation game. I squeeze a bit of foundation onto the back on my hand, dab my brush in it and then apply by 'buffing' in small circles. It gives a lovely even finish.

For a flawless base, I don't think you can go wrong with these brushes. Avon's brushes are really good quality to say they're pretty cheap and you know you can't go wrong with Real Techniques!

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Nude Nails: Maybelline 'Rose Poudre'

Last month I shared with you one of my favourite nude nail varnishes from Lottie London. To continue with the Nude Nails series, today I'm sharing my ultimate favourite from Maybelline. It's called 'Rose Poudre' and it's the most perfect nude/slightly mauve colour, you know that dusty rose shade I love so much? It's just the perfect me colour. 

This has been the only nail varnish I've ever owned that I've repeatedly repurchased for years. But it's not just the colour that I love either. The quality is great too. Anyone that knows me will know how much I moan about not being able to make my nail varnish last more than a day. The picture above was taken on day three and there is only one chip! Which is nearing miraculous, if you ask me. So the lasting power is good too. 

The whole Super Stay nail range is lovely. I know that summer is pretty much coming to a close but they do some really nice pastel shades as well as some darker autumnal/winter shades. And of course, a few great nude shades too. You can find this shade on the Superdrug website here. They cost £4.99 which I think is worth it for the quality and the good range of shades.

Have you tried any of the Maybelline Super Stay nail polishes? Which is your favourite nude nail colour?

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The Body Shop Bouncy Sleeping Mask

There are some products that hit the shelves that all beauty lovers grab at straight away. As soon as I caught wind of The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask (oh, what a mouthful) I knew it was a product that deserved first class seating in my drawer of skin care goodies. 

So what is this unnecessarily long-named product, I hear you ask. It is an overnight gel mask that claims to leave skin looking smooth, refreshed and replenished. It employs the help of Edelweiss Stem Cells (for cell renewal) which I can only imagine aids the 'youthful' and 'restorative' aspect that this product claims to provide. 

I needed to invest in a good night cream, or something similar, and I like the idea of a product that does the hard labour through the night. I feel like it makes my morning skin care routine that much easier by providing me with a base that is already moisturised and smooth. And I am in love with this product. 

It's an odd texture, which will be the first thing anyone tells you about this product. If you've ever had a memory foam mattress or pillow then think about that.. only in gel form. Did that make sense? No probably not. But all you need to know is that you get a little spatula inside the box as well as a massive 90ml glass jar of product so it makes application a thousand times easier. Scoop a little bit of the product, with the spatula, onto your finger tips and massage into the skin. Don't worry, it's meant to feel a bit tacky until your skin soaks it up. The Body Shop website do a lovely guide on how to make the most out of this product with a good massage technique. You can find that here.

The Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask has glowing 5 star reviews on The Body Shop website and I can promise you that it's worth the investment. You can find this product in TBS stores or online and it costs £24. It's a steep price tag but with the 90ml jar it will last you forever (okay, maybe not quite forever but a very long time at least.) Like I say, it's the price you have to pay for helping your skin look it's very best.

If you need anymore convincing, this product is Caroline Hirons approved (the Queen of skin care) so give it a go if you want a product that genuinely fulfils it's promises.

Have you tried this product? Did you love it as much as I did?

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Nivea Daily Essentials Day Cream

If you're looking for a new summer skin cream, let me be the one to tell you that this cream from Nivea is probably one to be avoided. Nivea is not a brand that I normally opt for. My few skincare items are higher end (the price you have to pay for better looking skin!) so I don't often dabble in high street skin care. That being said I have tried one of the Nivea primers before and the heavily perfumed scent of it put me off straight away. So already I don't have a good track record with Nivea products. 

While I was browsing the shop shelves, I thought this product was just what I wanted. It claims to be light, perfect for the day, and contains SPF, which was the main thing I was concerned about. It also claims to be for normal and combination skin (another check!) So why didn't I like it?

I don't often do negative reviews but I didn't feel there was anything good to say about this product. To say it's a day cream, it's incredibly thick and quite dry. I didn't feel like the formula soaked into my skin very well and it didn't leave my skin feeling soft and moisturised. Instead it made it a tiny bit more difficult to work in my foundation on the top. It's not a comfortable wearing moisturiser and it's definitely not one I'd describe at 'light.' Safe to say it is now floating around in one of my makeup/skincare draws and I'm back to using my trusty Origins moisturiser.

It's always a shame to have a disappointing experience with a product but maybe I'll go back to this one day and give it another go. If you want to check out prices and reviews (which are a very mixed bag!) you can do here.

Have you tried any of the Nivea moisturisers?