CYO First Impressions

A brand that was huge in the US and moved to the UK to be exclusively sold in Boots at the end of last year. I bought a few things to see what I thought of the products - NYX has been such a huge hit over here second time round it's good to keep an eye out for the next affordable big thing. But is this it?

CYO All Four One Eyeshadow in Counterfeit
CYO Lipstick in Tracklisted
CYO Lipstick in Stage Dive

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Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I can't believe I've never reviewed this. Maybe I have and I just can't find it. But if I can't find it I'm worried that you won't be able to and well, it's a great product. I was sent it when it first came out which is why I'm so surprised that it never made it onto the blog though may go someway to explaing way Collection don't send me things anymore. My bad.

I recommend the Lasting Perfection concealer a lot because I feel that I seem to be asked about overspending more and more. People spend an awful lot of their money on products that disappoint and with the increased interest in beauty this is only getting worse. And though I love the Clarins Instant Concealer - I don't use it every day. Why should I? I need something quick, easy and cheap that I can slather on in the 2 minutes I get between one of the kids crying, peeing or selfishly needing to be taken somewhere. So more often than not I'll use Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and this is why.

1. Coverage - for the price, and indeed for any price, the coverage on this concealer is pretty amazing.

2. Price - this is an incredible price. I always encourage people to spend to suit their products and though my absolute favourite product is nearly 5 times as much as this if I had to cut back on something this would be the concealer I'd go for.

3. Application - does foot applicator makes this easy to just dot on where you need it and blend with either your fingers or a brush. It doesn't sit in wrinkles and blends well with a buildable coverage should you need it. Apply after foundation or just on it's own on moisturised skin.

4. Longevity - lasts as long as most good concealers, longer than some and if you set it with a powder, well, it should be there all day.

5. Ethics - Collection is a UK brand that is cruelty free (including not being sold in China) though it can't confirm all of it's ingredients haven't been tested on animals as some may have been for medical (not cosmetic) purposes. Brands that don't sell in China are sadly not as easy to find as you may think.

It's not all wonder though - this can oxidise, if in doubt go a shade lighter as this tends to darken with age. This seems to vary from tube to tube as does it's tendency to seep from the lid slightly when you screw it closed. There are limited colours available in this would be lovely to see a wider range. I'm usually a medium 03 - for me to be a medium in anything should tell you how small the colour range is. That being said I have the entire colour range in my kit. It's a good reliable concealer - can cover most things blends well and incredibly easy to work with.

Having just written this I've seen I have reviewed it. The original review is here. I'm an idiot.

What You Need to Know - Collection Lasting Collection Concealer

• £4.19
• 5ml
• 6 shades
• Cruelty free
• Other products from Collection: Cream Puff Lip Cream, Lasting Perfection Foundation, Shimmer Shades
• Available from Boots and Superdrug

20 Under £20 - My Best Cheap Beauty Buys

I started this off to test myself. It started off easily and then got harder. I've kept it in the order in which these came to me. Which means sometimes you'll be able to see my train of thought. I tried to keep it varied. I could probably name twenty great black liners for under £20 but I've limited myself - you all know I love MAC Smoulder so I've tried where necessary to go for something less obvious. For certain others, like the product that is first on the list, there is no question that it deserves it's place here. It's unrivalled. I've been recommending it for a decade or so.

What are your favourites? Have I missed anything you think deserves a place? Let me know down in the comments.

MUA Pixel Perfect Multi-Blush

MUA is one of those incredibly cheap high street/drugstore brands that you probably would never buy anything from because they are never kept clean by any shop. They have been around for ages but disappeared from view almost completely for years - there was one disgusting rotating stand in my local Superdrug that I used to get the odd thing from my I'd hazard a guess and say over 80% of the products have been opened and used or broken.

Kiko Velvet Touch Creamy Blush Stick

Kiko is a brand that can be quite hit or miss. They have some incredibly reasonably priced products so whenever I go in there I end up coming out with a few products to try and most of them are good to great - some of them go straight in the 'giveaway' box. One thing I should mention is that their packaging always fails... anything twist up from them has stopped twisting efficiently fairly early on. That's ok - you get what you pay for and with most make-up products a large majority of what you pay for is packaging.

Anyway, I bought this Velvet Touch Creamy Blush Stick in Golden Peach about two years ago and for some reason it never made it into regular use. It was only when I was testing the Ilia Multistick earlier in the year that I remembered I had this and when and dug it out of my blusher stash and started using it. The colour I have is really lovely, I much prefer it to the famous NARS Orgasm as it's less harsh on paler skin but has the gold flecks through it.

Quick Affordable School Run Make-up

Some of you will be wondering why you need to wear make-up on school run. I salute you. I need to have mascara and concealer on at the very minimum. I don't need to go in with full face every time but I like to have a bit on. Yes it helps being a make-up artist but what I do most days isn't very technical and I thought I'd re-work it a bit to use my favourite high-street products.

Some of us like to have a bit of make-up on when we do school run - but it doesn't need to be Kim K levels and it certainly doesn't have to cost as much. Here's my current go-to make-up it takes five mins and lasts all day. List of products below. Any questions don't hesitate to ask.

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Products Used:
No 7 Shade and Define in Cool Mink
Eco Tools Eye Shading Brush similar to this
MAC Smoulder Eye pencil 
Max Factor Masterpiece Max mascara
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer
Clinique Bottom Lash mascara 
Bourjois Bronzing Powder
MUA Pixel Perfect Blush in Coral Spice
Sleek Makeup  Luminous Pressed Powder
Collection Lip Butter in Vintage Rose

VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray

One of my big disappointments with dry shampoo is it never seems to give my hair the oomph it gives other people. I was sent this a while ago and I have to say I just sort of put it to one side as I had just never really tried anything from VO5 that I liked. I just assumed it wouldn't really do anything. How wrong I was. I now use this at least once a week, often after using some dry shampoo on the roots (it's Klorane at the moment) first and then adding this to give volume.

The daughter of a religious backcomber I rarely remember that it is even a thing and when I do I go about it all half-heartedly. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm lazy. I want hair like Dolly but with minimal effort. This is the closest I've got to that. You don't need very much to give a real boost and it's really quick. I lift and spritz in the roots, leave it for a couple of seconds and then use my fingers to sort of push the roots are.

It also some how manages to give the hair texture but not in that horrible sticky way. If you are someone who likes to style your hair properly this would be great for that. And it's long lasting - even if it flattens a bit a bit of a boost with your fingers and back up it goes. I can't believe I've had this and ignored it for so long. It's great!


What You Need to Know - VO5 Plump It Up Dry Backcomb Spray

• £3
• 200ml
• Part of the Plump it Up range with five other products
• Available from Boots, and pretty much any drugstore/high street chemist

Bourjois Smoky Stories Eye Quads

Eye palettes are everywhere are the moment. You can buy any colour, any finish in any price bracket, one for every day of the week but realistically, unless you are a make-up artist, one good eye palette is going to last you 6 months to a year at least - there's almost too much choice. This, obviously, doesn't stop me from having loads but one that I've been using, loving and recommending for the last couple of months is the Bourjois Smoky Stories.

These eye quads come in lots of different colours but the two I picked to try on myself are Tomber des Nudes and Over Rose. The first is pretty nudes and pinks which is almost too pale for me but the second Over Rose is incredibly wearable, suits most people and is the one I've been recommending left right and centre.

Concealers

When I first started wearing make-up concealers came in a lipstick-style bullet. Chalky in texture and very limited in colour they were ok for covering a spot if you had a whopper. They were pretty pigmented and unblendable.

Now a lot of clients I work with, especially those over 35, have not kept up to date with how concealers have evolved. Often using a heavier coverage foundation and skipping the concealer altogether which makes it hard to get a natural finish. I often get asked how to get dewy skin without losing coverage and I always recommend a lighter, dewier foundation and a good concealer. They've come on a long way since the 80s/90s bullet. Now you can get the coverage you need, where you need it whilst still keeping a light coverage everywhere else.

Red Lipstick

Lady Danger, Fire & Ice, Berry, Raven

Red lipstick is such a classic look that most make-up wearers have at least tried it even if they don't already own a few. In fact a lot of people I speak to have tried a red lip and felt that they couldn't pull it off. I can really understand this - a red lip is a bold statement, you need to feel confident to carry it off and even though it's a classic look it can be hard to wear. You need the right red which in this day and age is hard to find just for the sheer amount of choice.

What I personally love about a red lip is when it isn't a statement but just a chic everyday look - Monica in friends often wears a red lip but she's never a character I think of as being particularly make-up based. Get the rest of the make-up understated, team it with the right red and it can look incredible.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils - Quick Review

A quick review of the jumbo eye pencils from NYX



You can read my full review of these here

*UPDATE* You can sharpen these - you need a midsize sharpener - the one from Nudestix is ideal. 

Sleek Makeup Solstice Hightlighting Palette

This palette is one of the biggest releases of 2016 and although I find highlighters pretty resistible I had to try this one out for myself. It's taken longer than expected though as I got stuck on just using the cream colour as an eye base and for a while I didn't get much further. But we're here now. I finally got my bum in gear.

So we should start with the cream product which is the one I've used most. For me if I had to choose I'd always want cream over powder. This is purely personal preference and this palette is popular despite only 1 of the 4 highlighters being cream. A lot of the reviews are from people who prefer powders. It is what it is. They say you can use this on the body. Again I would prefer to use a liquid - I still have a tin of Bettina from Benefit which I use if I need to (and remember).

The cream highlighter, Eclipse, and it's on the top left of the palette. It's a very pretty pale purple colour which, in my opinion, is lovely  used as a base for the eyes but is also the most subtle of the 4 to use on the cheeks. It is unlikely to last all day unless you don't touch your face or speak on the phone at all. But it doesn't last all day on me - but it's great for going out for drinks in the evening.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils

When NYX do something well they completely nail it. Where there's a high end cult product NYX can usually produce a similar product for a fraction of the price and not bad quality. The Jumbo Eye Pencil's fall into this category and though I have definitely found fault with them I keep using them and getting different colours and can see myself getting more.

What's good? These can be used as a liner or an eye shadow and it's the flexibility of these that I love. Most days I scribble one of these (preferably youghut or iced mocha) all over my eye lid and blend it out with my finger but if you want more intensity you can do a really good line along the the lashes. If you don't like wearing a lot of your eyes a line with the right colour one of these will make your eye colour really stand out without looking very over the top. You could also draw a heavy line along the lashes and smudge it upwards over the lid for a really effortless smokey eye.

The range of colours is pretty incredible and make these a great choice for those who want to be a bit more experimental with colour but don't want to shell out a ton of money. These are highly pigmented so they are great for pro kits who want loads of colour to work with and won't cost the earth. I don't use that many bright colours so I love having a couple of these to hand just in case.

NYX The Curve Liner

Yet another great product from the one of my favourite affordable brands of the moment. Getting the right eyeliner for you can be a time consuming and frustrating experience. It all depends on the finish you want, what kind of applicator and product you find easiest to use and your budget. If you are a massive fan of liner it can get even more technical. I have favourite pencils, gel pencils, gel liner, felt tip liner, kohls and liquid liners. All of which I love and which I use for different occasions. Black eyeliner is one of the reasons I'm a make-up artist and make-up obsessive.


Originally I wasn't even going to try The Curve Liner - it just felt a bit gimicky. It arrived in a huge bag of goodies I was given to try in March at the UK relaunch of NYX.* But I gave it ago and although it took a little while to get used to it, it is now my go-to liner when I need something quick and reliable. Also the colour is properly black - which may sound obvious but some liners, and mascaras for that matter, are just not black enough.

NYX HD Eyeshadow Base

I've been wanting to review this for ages but it's been hard to find a UK stockist but finally NYX HD Eyeshadow base is available in Boots (hurrah!). As regular readers will know I find primers a tricky thing to review. I do test them using one side of my face so I can see the difference but I think often they depend on skin type, what you are wearing over them etc etc and it's the same for eye primers. Those with oily lids will need to use a primer but different forumla's will work better than others...

Balmi

It's rare that I get sent something to try out that I absolutely love. I know that sounds ungrateful, I don't mean to, I still find it a great privilege to be sent anything at all, even nine years in it's a nice thing to happen, but I don't often get really passionate about something I'm sent. This is an exception.

If you watched my March favourites video you will see me waving my raspberry Balmi around on my house keys. I have been raving about it to anyone who will listen since I've received it about a month ago and I am seeing how to go about becoming it's official biggest fan.

The packaging is gorgeous and easy to use, the balm itself takes actual seconds to apply thanks to the cool pyramid shape it comes in, the raspberry flavour tastes great and the balm itself is so incredibly moisturising that it actually does make your lips feel better. That sounds weird but how many times have you used a moisturiser only to find that actually once it's worn out your lips feel dryer and more likely to crack? Not this time.

Fantastic for those of you who are always losing your lip balms in the bottom of handbags as you can attach it to your keys or your handbag. Would be a great gift for someone going travelling though I'm not sure how much heat it could withstand though that is the same for all lip balms. I just love, love, love this product.

Barry M Supersoft eye pencil

Now even though it may not feel like it summer is coming and that means bright makeup - at this rate it may be the only summery thing this year. Following trends has definitely become easier with great, cheaper brands available like Sleek Makeup but although on most of these new palettes the colour payoff is great sometimes they can have terrible drop down and staying power. Using a soft eye pencil underneath eye shadows really helps give a more vibrant colour and means they will stay on much longer and Barry M's Super Soft Eye Crayons are perfect for this.

Available in matt and shimmer colours - for doing bright eyes I like to use the shimmer ones - these fat crayons are easy to use and come in a great selection of colours. For only £3.99 each you can buy a couple of colours to play around with and be set for the summer. The only disappointing thing is there isn't a really light colour available that could be used under all eye colours but the green and blue that I have been using are just fantastic.

Simply scribble over your lid where you want the colour to be and buff and blend with a brush before pressing on the eye shadow of your choice over the top. It actually makes doing bright eyes much quicker as you need less shadow to get really impressive colour.

Chemist/Drugstore Purchases September 2013 - Friday Video

To stop myself buying the lipstick I really wanted because I deemed it too expensive I bought a whole load of cheaper stuff from Superdrug that I didn't need or know I wanted...

Collection Way-to-Glow Shimmer Shades - Product of the Week

Perfect for adding a bit of shimmering bronze to your cheek bones and high points now that summer is finally here. Way-to-Glow is a great quad of colours that add subtle, highlighted colour without making you dirty or orange. Add to the top of cheek bones and high points of brow for a summery shimmer. Loved it two years ago - my original review is here.

Avon Supershock Liner

Black, Flash, Aqua Pop and Khaki

In my school year book one of the things I was most remembered for was black eyeliner - I still wear it all the time. How then have I lived for so long without Avon's Supershock Gel Liner? Not only is this a fantastically easy to use waterproof pencil but it goes straight onto the waterline and stays there. OK so it probably won't last all day, but it will last a very long time, much longer than any other liner I've tried (and that's a lot).

It gives you a properly black waterline, top and bottom, and it's easy to apply. As with all Avon products this is incredibly reasonably priced, usually £6 it is £2.99 at the moment and it's now available in five new colours - Khaki Shimmer, Silver, Flash, Steel and this seasons must have blue, Aqua Pop.

Black, Flash, Aqua Pop and Khaki

Most days on my top lid I like to use a kohl so a softer, smudgier look. This is not the product for that although if you are quick you can smudge and wing it a bit, but what is particularly great about his product is that often with kohl's they can rub off from the inner corner - a little bit of Supershock over the top will last the whole day.

I cannot tell you how fantastic this product is - I'm going to do a vlog on it soon - the only thing I will say is that looking at the reviews online it seems this may not be ideal on the waterline for contact lens wearers. I can't confirm this - may have to try it out on my contacts-wearing husband at some point.

In fact I loved it so much I bought four for my kit - black, flash (a sort of shimmery pink which would also be great on the waterline to make eyes look bigger), khaki and Aqua Pop. I love them all - just fantastic eyeliners.

What You Need to Know - Avon Supershock Gel Liner

• £6
• 4 Shades available
• Waterproof
• Available from Avon