No7 Liplicious Moisturising Balm (gloss) SPF 15 in a very interesting colour...

Well firstly it’s not a balm, it’s a gloss (albeit quite a rich moisturising one). These cost £10 at boots which seems a little pricey for a high street lip gloss though you get a hefty 12ml for your money. According to the packaging this is a new shade and as soon as I saw it I needed it. NEEDED IT I TELL THEE. It's called purple liquorice and in the tube it’s a deep blackened purple with hot pink sparkles. The packaging isn’t my favourite. It’s a squeezey tube with a slanted applicator. I just find these get a little messy but I know many people prefer them to wand applicators as you aren’t sticking anything in the product so it’s a bit more hygienic. 

There is a slight sweet scent but It’s not too strong and it does really have a taste, these are factors that I personally like. The texture is smooth and non sticky though the trade of for the lack of stickiness is that it doesn’t last too long on me. In the swatch I’ve piled it on and sheered a bit out so you can see what it actually looks like on the lips. 

Hmm... not quite the dramatic lip I was expecting. If you are looking for a crazy purple lipgloss then look elsewhere because this ain’t it. I’m not writing it off as a fail though. I really do like it. In fact I’ve been using it an awful lot lately. The weather is dark, cold and moody up here at the moment and I’ve been sporting the lips to match. Red or pink lipsticks that have been bright and cheery all year have been getting a sombre make over with this. The effect is similar to layering a black lip gloss over the top. The colour is deepened and made more vampy. Because it’ purple rather than black the effect is softer and I personally find it makes reds run slightly cooler on me when I layer this over the top. 

Even though I didn’t get what I was expecting I am happy with this purchase. I probably won’t buy any of the other colours simply because I’m not crazy about the packaging and the other shades weren’t as interesting x

*I bought this myself*

Models Own Tinted Lip Balms

The hunt for the perfect tinted lip balm continues and these are certainly a step in the right direction. These little glass jars contain 6g of product and cost £6. Models own is frequently on offer in Boots so keep your eyes peeled. I bought these two and got a lip gloss free. I have them in Blackberry (a deep berry red) and Fuchsia-full (hot pink). 

Blackberry has a yummy scent which reminds me of the cherry boiled sweets my grandparents always used to have in their car. The colour is pigmented enough to show up well but sheer enough to be flattering. It’s a very user friendly way of doing a berry lip. The faint shimmer in the pot doesn’t really show up on the lips at all, you just get a nice glossy finish. As a balm it does very well too and leaves my lips nicely moisturised. The staying power isn’t amazing but I find I can apply this one with my fingers as and when I need. I still use a mirror when applying though as otherwise it all goes horribly wrong. 

Fuchsia-full is just as hot pink on as it looks in the pot. You need to be careful when applying, I probably should use a lip brush with it but honestly that’s a bit of a faff for a lip balm. This one smells of the same cherry scent but not quite as strong. The colour lasts a bit longer that Blackberry and leaves a bit of a stain behind once the actual balm has worn off. 

Overall I think these are fab little lip balms. They give me enough colour without the problems than lipsticks are currently giving me due to my dry, flaky lips. Yes the little pot isn’t the most hygienic and if you have long nails it could get very messy but due to the pigmentation a lip brush is an option with these. Do I prefer these to the Sleek Pout Polishes? Both give great colour but I find these a little bit more moisturising. I also really prefer the scent of these but that’s down to personal preference. The Pout polish is a lot cheaper though at £3.99 for 10g of product and has SPF 15 which the Models Own doesn’t  x

*I bought these myself*

Sleek Pout Polish: Powder Pink

My lips are dry and flaky in the height of summer so you can imagine just how horrid they become in Glasgow’s famous wintery weather. It’s not pretty. As a result I usually stock up on tinted lip balms at this time of year for days when lipstick just won’t look good and this is the latest addition to my lip arsenal.

£3.99 gets you a whopping 10g of balm in a thin, flat pot. It looks kind of jelly like in the pot but feels very creamy to touch. It’s not really waxy feeling like things like Vaseline are. Sleek say:

“A tinted lip conditioning balm formulated with natural oils such as Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Avocado Extract and Vitamin A, C and E to help condition the lips and lock in moisture.

It also includes SPF15 to help protect the lips from sun exposure.”

All good stuff! Powder Pink is hot pink in the pot and the colour payoff is surprisingly good. It’s by no means opaque but it leaves a very pretty hot pink stain on the lips. And your fingers too if you don’t wipe them off quickly after applying! It isn’t particularly glossy but the stain lasts a fair while making it a viable alternative to lipstick for me. It is pigmented enough that I find I won’t apply this without a mirror handy for fear of making a hot pink mess. 

I wouldn’t say that it is particularly moisturising. I find it good for maintenance; it stops my lips drying out any further but doesn’t really add any extra moisture. I was hoping it would be a fit more ‘balmy’ but I suppose the trade off is the colour payoff. The only other down side for me is the scent. Eeeeew coconut. I HATE Coconut. I’m aware that most people don’t though so each to their own. It kind of tastes of coconut too. It’s not so strong that I’m unable to use it though but for this reason alone I probably won’t repurchase. There are too many other tinted lip balm products out there which don’t smell of coconuts. Other than that though I think it’s a decent product as long as you’re ok with alternating applications with some proper lip balm x

*I bought this myself*

October Favourites

Happy Halloween everyone! I love October. It’s all snugly jumpers, deep colours and spicy scents. Here’s what I’ve been making dents in throughout the month:

Mememe Boxed Blush in Rouge – a gorgeous reddish pink with subtle gold shimmer. This is the kind of shade that suits me best and I love blushes with a touch of red in them for getting a ‘just in from the cold’ flush. And it’s less than a tenner, score!

Sleek Storm Palette – This is my favourite of all the Sleek palettes. I have a ridiculous amount of eyeshadow and yet I keep coming back to this when I’m rushing to get ready for work. 

Clinique Super balanced Foundation – My skin doesn’t know what’s happening right now. It’s still oily thanks to my two weeks in the sun but the dry patches associated with the colder weather are starting to appear. This foundation works for all areas. This is the lightest shade (Alabaster) and whilst it’s a perfect match for me in the summer it will probably be a touch dark in the winter so I wanted to get as much use out of it while I still can. 

ELF Studio Cream Eyeliner in Golden Olive – less harsh than black, prettier than brown and office friendly. I’ve already made a fair sized dent in this. 

Benefit Browzings – I find this holds my unruly brows in place far better than even my beloved clear mascara so whenever I have time to use this in the morning I do. Also as I recently dyed my hair darker and redder I’ve been doing a stronger brow and loving it.

No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Pink Crush – I actually got this free in one of their gift with purchase sets. I love the formula which is completely none drying and the sheer deep pink shade is a wearable introduction to a slightly berry lip. I’ve been wearing it under...

 Lippie on the bottom, gloss on the top ^

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Frankly Flirty – I think this has been discontinued unfortunately. I got it at an outlet shop ages ago and haven’t seen it anywhere else. It’s a gorgeous berry shade. In the tube it has micro fine silver glitter but it doesn’t really look shimmery on the lips at all. If you see it snap it up! (Or if it’s not discontinued let me know ;-) 

If you’ve done a monthly favourites post please leave a link in the comments. I love reading them x

*I bought all the above products myself*

MAC Viva Glam = Guilt Free Buying

Well, for me anyway. I find the little pang of guilt that comes with buying yet another makeup item disappears once I remind myself that the money is going to charity. I’m a huge fan of the Viva Glam Cyndi lipstick. It’s such a wearable sheer red and I do get tonnes of use out of it so when I saw the corresponding Lipglass at the counter I grabbed it without even swatching it. Look how cute the packaging is!

You get the doe foot applicator which I personally prefer over a brush. The colour is a rich, pigmented, pinky red. Gorgeous! I actually like this by itself rather than over the lipstick. It’s a bit more pink than the lipstick in my opinion and is pigmented enough to give a really strong colour all by itself. As is typical with MAC glosses the texture is somewhat tacky so if you can’t stand sticky glosses avoid. I find that the tackiness gives it pretty impressive staying power, certainly longer than most glosses that I own. 

Personally I’m not into the Gaga colours. The milky baby pinks tend to look awful on me though I have seen them looking fab on others. The Viva Glam Lipglass cost £12 (the lipsticks are £12.50) and it’s a fantastic cause. From the site: 

“For each sale of MAC Viva Glam Lipstick and Lipglass, the full RRP (less VAT) from the sale of this lipstick goes toward helping women, men and kids everywhere affected by HIV and Aids.”

*I bought this myself*

Venomous Villains Haulage

You are probably sick to the back teeth of this collection now. Nonetheless I was too excited when my parcel finally showed up (hey DHL, some of your staff are pathological liars. Just saying) that I just had to show what I got. Look at the sexy graffiti packaging...

We’ll start with Briar Rose from the Malificent part of the collection. It’s a beauty powder which in reality translates as a sheer blush. All of the packaging in this collection is a glossy black rather than the usually textured black. It’s a dirty darkish pink with the teeniest hint of silver shimmer. At least I think it’s silver, it really is very very small. At £20.50 it ain’t cheap but the compact comes with a mirror and 10g of blush will last you a long time. I think it’s very pretty.


Bite of an apple if one of the products that had the most hype surrounding it. It is a bright matte red/coral blush from the Evil Queen collection. I think this colour will be perfect in a month or two for creating a just in from the cold flush. The matte texture means that it can be a touch patchy but not to the point where it is unworkable. Worth £17? It’s nice but not that amazing.



I’m in lipstick love. Toxic Tale is an almost neon bright red/coral, gain from the Evil Queen collection. It’s technically a satin but looks matte on to be so make sure you’re lips are in top nick before applying. The staying power is pretty good too with a good 3-4 hours wear on me (I seem to eat lip products...) £13 very well spent in my opinion.



Finally we have Devilishly Stylish. It’s a peachy shimmery nude lipglass from the Cruella collection and carries a rather disturbing image of the lady herself nuzzeling angry looking puppies. Weird. It has a doe foot applicator which I like and I love the colour. It’s a fabulously low maintenance nude. The texture is so thick and gloopy though that I find it a bit uncomfortable to wear. At £13 I probably could have skipped this one.




In general I’m pleased I did buy some stuff from this collection in the end. I know if I hadn’t i’d be kicking myself later. My advice is if you want something head down to MAC and buy it because this collection is not hanging around on the shelves for long. Some of it is already sold out online!

*I bought the above products myself*

Elf Luscious Liquid Lipsticks

During one of their many 50% off sales I was throwing things in the basket with wild abandon and somehow two of these end up in there. I have the shades Strawberry (orangey red with gold shimmer) and Pink Lemonade (raspberry pink with slightly more subtle gold shimmer). This first thing you will notice is the ridiculous packaging. That’s a whole lotta plastic for 1.5g of product.

You twist the bottom and the product oozes out of the slightly scratchy fuzzy applicator. As a general rule I dislike oozing. I find it concerning. You twist and twist and nothing appears so you twist some more and you end up with a cap full of oozing lip gloss. Yum.

Pink Lemonade on top, Strawberry on bottom. 

The product itself is alright though. It certainly isn’t high coverage enough to be liquid lipstick, the coverage is more medium to sheer. It has a nice fresh menthol scent though and no discernable taste. They are quite sticky. Now this doesn’t bother me as it means it lasts longer but if you dislike sticky gloss then stay away.

I will use these as I think the shades are very pretty but I won’t be buying any more. It’s the oozing. Sorry but I just can’t stand it...

*Bought by me* 

Sleek Pout Polish in Perfect Plum

I’m definitely and Autumn/ Winter kind of girl and I’m more than ready to say goodbye to my summer makeup/ wardrobe and start playing with some deeper shades. I love a deep berry lip for this time of year so I’m really enjoying this pout polish. The colour is a fab almost burgundy berry shade and the moisturising formula is forgiving as the weather starts to dry my lips out. 

The finish is not opaque but you get plenty of colour payoff. It has a sort of juicy, glossy effect on the lips. You get a whopping 10g of product which will take me a lifetime to finish. There are only two down sides. Firstly it smells of coconut which personally I can’t stand but you might love. Secondly the pot form isn’t the most hygienic so you either have to use a lip brush (which annoys me) or have clean fingers and something to wipe them off on after applying. 

These cost £4.30 which is a bit of a bargain considering how much product you get!

*Bought by me*

Lancôme Colour Fever Gloss – Shade 125

I recently discovered a local outlet shop selling all sorts of premium brands a insanely low prices. There was a lot of tat (some really awful colours that clearly weren’t selling in normal shops) but some hidden gems jumped out at me. This gloss should sell for £17.50. I think I paid £7! I can’t see a shade name but this is shade 125. It’s a bright true red.

The applicator is this funny shaped doe foot style wand. Cute but almost too big. It feels slightly unwieldy to me. Precise application is key as this is without a doubt the most pigmented gloss I’ve ever worn. You don’t get a hint of red, you get a full on scarlet lip!

The gloss is slightly sticky but this combined with the pigmentation means that it lasts incredibly well. I can get 3 hours wear out of this which is unheard of for a gloss and after the gloss itself is gone it leaves a just bitten stain behind. There is a very slight floral scent to it but I can only detect it if I shove the bottle right under my nose.

The packaging is a thick substantial feeling plastic. It certainly feels expensive. I’ll be stocking up on these next time I’m at that shop!

*I bought this myself*

MAC Fabulous Felines Swatches

So many things about this collection disappointed me. For starters they could have done something amazing with the packaging but they did nothing. NOTHING. No tabby, no tortoishell, no leopard. Then nothing really grabbed me when the collection images popped up online. I did pick a few things and I do like the quad and the lipstick but I’ll be honest from the get go and say I regret the Pet Me Please Lipstick. I’m also going to apologise now for the images. My stuff has been moved to my new dressing table in a different room and I haven’t figured out lighting yet. I’d recommend looking at Temptalia for more colour accurate pics. I’ll share my thoughts on the products anyway.

The collection is split into three parts. Leopard luxe, Palace Pedigree and Burmese Beauty. It is a huge collection and quite excessive in my opinion. MAC are churning out products faster than I can keep up with. LESS IS MORE! These items are all from the Burmese Beauty section.

Burmese Beauty Eyeshadow Quad:



For £29.50 you get four shadows which isn’t bad going really. The colours are really off in this pic. You get a satin pale cream (Prized), shimmery yellow gold (Skintone2), a brown with green shimmer (Burmese Beauty) and matte dark brown (Showstopper). The greenish shade is actually an almost dead on dupe for MAC Club but with slightly chunkier shimmer. It is a gorgeous quad and I’ve used it a couple of times already. This style of quad is a bit weird though. Unlike traditional MAC quads the shadows don’t pop out so you can’t switch things round like you can in the others.

Spree Lipglass:


This is a gorgeous colour. It’s very shimmery, almost metallic looking. It’s a brownish, silvery pink. I have nothing else like it. It is fairly pigmented too. I would call it cool toned.

Pet Me Please Lipstick:


It’s a sheer, pale, mauve pink and it is extremely frosty. So frosty that it comes of very silver in some lights. I have to wear a gloss to tone this down as I just can’t carry it off by itself. Looking back I should have passed up on this.
I really do recommend looking at these in person before buying. There are so many other collections out too that this one just doesn’t feel special x

*I bought all of the above products myself*

A Week In Lip Products

I’ve seen these kinds of posts on a few blogs and thought it might be fun to do my own (i.e. the original post idea is not mine, I've seen it on Get Lippie and I think a couple of others). I empty the makeup bag in my hand bag every Sunday then every day before work pop whatever I’m wearing in it. This means I’ve accumulated quite a few products by the end of the week. Earlier this summer I was all about bright lips but the subdued weather has called for a more subdued lip to match. Last week I wore this lot.

From left to right NYX Lipgloss in Mauve, NYX Round Lipstick in Jupiter, Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle, a very battered looking Rimmel Moisture Renew in Summer Angel, No7 ltd edition lipstick in Nude Rebellion, No7 Moisture Drench in Pink Crush and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Coral Reef. 

What are you wearing at the moment? Still on the summer brights? X

*All bought by me or received as a gift*  

5 Minute Makeup

Picture the scene if you will; it’s 7am. I am supposed to leave the flat for work erm... now. I personally cannot leave the house without some slap on. It’s sad I know but last time I went to work barefaced I was asked if I was sick and wanted to go home. I need some multi tasking products that I can throw on without having to wash too many brushes (why is it that it’s only on the days I’m rushing I’ve forgotten to wash my brushes the night before?) and without too many steps. Behold my go to panic face.

Clinique City Block Sheer: Does the job of – moisturiser, primer, SPF

MAC Studio Fix Powder: Does the job of – foundation, setting powder

MAC Stereo Rose MSF: Does the job of – blush, highlighter

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow: Does the job of – eyeshadow primer, eyeshadow

17 Wild Curls Mascara: Does the job of... well mascara. It just happens to be my current favourite

Garnier Eye Roll on Concealer (not pictured because I’m an idiot): Does the job of – under eye concealer, eye cream

Maybelline Watershine Gloss in Strawberry Carats: Does the job of: lip balm, lipstick, gloss

The only brushes required for this is a kabuki for the Studio Fix Powder and a blush brush for the MSF. Generally I don’t *need* a concealer for spots as my skin is pretty clear unless it’s that time of the month. The Benefit Creaseless Cream just gets dabbed on with a finger and I find it lasts all day without creasing on me whether I use a primer or not. I say that Stereo Rose does the job of a highlighter as well as a blush solely because it’s shimmery so I wouldn’t add to that with a highlighter anyway.

As my skin is quite oily in places the Clinique is all I need in the day time for moisture. The SPF25 is a great bonus too. One of my favourite items here has to be the Maybelline gloss though. It’s quite pigmented so I don’t feel the need to layer it over lipsticks as you simply can’t see them under it. It’s also supremely moisturising and a gorgeous muted strawberry colour with gold pearl. These are actually my favourite drug store lip glosses.

The whole thing takes about 5-10 minutes to slap on and whilst the end result isn’t as polished as I prefer it allows me to leave the house without confining myself to the shadows. What about you folks. Are you happy to leave the house barefaced? What makeup item do you simply have to apply before facing the world? Let me know in the comments! Xxx

*I bought the above product with my own money. I always give my honest opinion of a product. For further info see my disclaimer in the menu on the left*

MAC Love Nectar Lustre Glass

During the MAC Technique evening we were all focussing on dark smokey eyes so I wanted to keep the lips fairly understated. My eye fell upon this gorgeous peach with gold pearl, I was in love. IT looks so pretty yet understated on. The shimmer is dressy enough for evening but the colour is polite enough to let dramatic eyes take the focus. Love it!



It isn’t highly pigmented but it leaves a soft peach glow on my lips. It’s perfect for layering over nude lippies too. The formula is a little bit sticky for me so I use it fairly sparingly however the stickiness does mean it lasts a bit longer than most glosses. The applicator is a brush rather than a doe foot.

*I bought the above product with my own money. I always give my honest opinion of a product. For further info see my disclaimer in the menu on the left*