Review: Primers

I love primers. As a girl with super oily skin I find that a good primer will really stop my makeup from making me look like wax thats been too close to the fire.
There are lots of primers out there from cheap and cheerful high street to mega bucks high end. If I had the mega bucks money I would review some of those primers but sadly I don't so today it'll be a review of two high street primers:

On the left: Rimmel Fix & Protect Pro Primer. On the right: NYC Smooth Skin Perfecting Primer.

To look at them briefly, they are very similar. Same basic look, same amount of product and yet the product itself couldnt be more different.

First up NYC:

It claims to revive skin, boost radiance, fade redness and, of course, keep makeup on for longer.
What it actually does is slip and slide around your face, taking your makeup with it. It may be that this product just isn't suitable for my skin type but I just couldn't get on with it. I could see its attempt to boost radiance and revive dull skin but I think the formula is too sparkly rather than glowing.

Sorry, but this one is a no go.

Next: Rimmel

Rimmel claims that this primer will smooth, resurface, brighten, mattify and protect the skin.

I kind of love this. The minute I got the product out of the tube and it wasnt glittery I knew I was onto a winner!
The texture is much thicker and almost grainy but really not. Once I applied this to my face I could see that it had mattified my skin without making it look dull which is always nice for someone who suffers from midday shiny forehead syndrome. Whilst appliying my foundation I noticed how much better it applied, so much smoother than before and best of all. It stayed put all day.

If you didn'y guess before, the Rimmel primer is so much better than the NYC one. Yes its double the money but I'd rather spend £5 on a really good product than £2.50 on something I'll use once and throw away.

Do you have a primer recommendation?

See you soon,

Chloe

Review: Elf Mineral Booster Powder

Name: Elf Mineral Booster Powder.
Size: Regular or large.
Price: Regular - £5 Large - £7

Description:
"Achieve the ultimate, translucent "photo finishing touch" to your makeup, our Mineral Booster melts into your skin, infusing it with key vitamins A, B and E to promote healthier skin that's noticeably silkier and smoother. Completely sheer and ideal for all skin tones, Mineral Booster gently absorbs oil and minimises the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines and pores for a beautiful even finish. "

My review:

Packaging.
As with all ELF products, the packaging is clean and simple. Not bulky and it doesn't giv you a false impression of how much is inside.

 

Price: Normally the regular size which I got is £5 which is cheap as chips in itself for a mineral powder but I got it for £2.50 in the 50% off discount which is even better!

Overall review:
This was the product I was most looking forward too trying when I placed my order. I have super oily  skin so the more matt and shine free my face can be the better. The dream is to find a powder that keeps the oil under control so I don't look in the mirror at lunch and almost get blinded by the shining mess that is my face. I tried the well blogged about Rimmel Stay Matte powder but it did less than nothing. I tried the Bare Minerals powder. Literally the worst powder I ever used.
Then this came along.
Its super finely milled and easy to apply. You just dip in your brush (I've been using the ELF Complexion Brush) tap off the excess and swirl it all round your face.

It goes on really nicely, doesn't clump up or shrink. It doesnt melt off after a few hours (I'm looking at you Bare Minerals). It gives a lovely matte finish without the skin looking dull and dead. I would go for the large size next time as I feel the brush would be able to get in the pot just a little better.
I can't comment on the coverage because I got the sheer powder but I will be trying the tinted one next time as I do like just a little pep of colour sometimes!

Lets get onto the brush.
Super soft.
No fall out.
Awesome.

I know it seems like I just rave about these products but Im so shocked by the amazing quality of such cheap products.

Love. Love. Love.

What products have you tried?

See you soon,

Chloe

Review: ELF Eyebrow Kit

If you are on Twitter you may have seen ELF Cosmetics really campaigning for 20,000 followers and that once they got it, they would release a 50% off their already super cheap make-up.
I had heard a little about ELF through various Youtube Beauty Gurus and was kind of curious so after a little research I placed my order.
4 days later it was here!

The first thing I wanted to try was the ELF Eyebrow kit:

I got the shade medium as the gel/wax side on the left looked pretty dark to me.

It comes with the dark wax on the left that you use for definition etc and a lighter powder to set your brows in place.

It also comes with a little two ended brush. One with more stiff bristles to use with the wax and a much more fluffy end for the powder.

The brush sucks. Just putting that out there.

I like the packaging. It's not too bulky and feels pretty sleek in your hand. The mirror is a good size for the inside of a compact so you could touch your brows up on the go.
Thing is. You won't need to.

I love this! The wax is super thick with good pigmentation and, with the right brush, applies brilliantly. You can easily get a super defined sculpted eyebrow without too much fiddling about.
If I'm honest I didn't notice a massive difference with the powder over the top but it stayed put all day.
No muss. No fuss.
Brilliant.

Basically this has become a staple for me and because its a steal at £3.75 I don't see that changing.

Expect more ELF product reviews soon - I have a few to get through!

Have you tried ELF? What can you recommend?

See you soon,

Chloe

Review: Argan Oil Hydrating Mask - From POUNDLAND

Argan Oil.
Its everywhere and in everything. Body lotions, shower gel and, of course, hair products. Most of these products tend tend to be on the pricier side.
Brand name Moroccan Oil can set you back £31.85 for 125ml. I'm sure its brillant and makes your hair so soft and shiny that puppies are jealous but I just won't spend that sort of money on haircare.
Luckily my local Poundland had the solution a Argan Oil Hydrating Mask so I had to snap it up!

I used it for the first time last night and loved it! The consistency was very thick and smooth kind of like a body butter and it just smelled clean which I really liked. So I slathered it on my towel dried hair and let it soak in for half an episode of The Mindy Project. Once I rinsed and dried my hair I was really able to see the difference. Before, my hair had been punished by the sun, sea and chlorine from a recent holiday but after using this mask it looks and feels so much better.

I've tried Argan oil before and didnt see such a huge difference but with this I can really tell that its making my hair healthier.

So the next time you are in your local Poundland don't dismiss the hair treatments!

See you soon,

Chloe