17 Lasting Fix Lipstick: Hawaii Pink

(available from Boots for £4.29)

17 lipstick states that it provides 'long lasting, non-drying coverage for your lips' and I've always been eyeing it up from afar. There are so many colours to choose from but I settled for a Hawaii Pink which is a bright pink but doesn't 'pop' too much. I like pinks but a lot are so bright that they look quite artificial. The packaging itself is definitely appealing - it's subtle and the hint of reflective pink adds a touch of girly elegance that looks cute in my bag.

This lipstick has a very smooth application and although it's pink it's quite understated. It's well pigmented and  lasts a long time. I feel like a bad blogger saying this but after night outs where I've fallen straight into bed without removing my make-up (make sure you never do this - it's not good for your skin or general well being) it's remained on my lips still. It's quite pigmented and I'm very impressed with the 'lasting fix' essence of it. It definitely lives up to its statement. This is a lipstick brand I definitely plan on revisiting as there are a beautiful number of shades.

Good for: A very long lasting lipstick that is quite pigmented
Bad for: Moisturising lips. Although this is not a claim it makes my lips don't feel overly hydrated with this product

17 BB Cream

(available from Boots for £6.99)

Blemish Balms are becoming a lot more popular recently. Their whole aim is to cover up imperfections but in a lightweight way that foundation doesn't as such. This specific 17 BB cream describes itself as 'your no make up, make up' that 'gives your skin a complete natural, flawless finish'. Garnier launched a similar product a while ago and more are making themselves available on the market. At current they only have shades available in 'light' and 'medium' which is slightly disappointing but this is the case everywhere.

I've said that this year I want to use less make-up and I thought BB cream would be my answer to this as it's a lighter formula and the idea of it being that you know you're wearing make-up but it's very subtle and moisturising whilst achieving coverage and 'barely-there beauty'. This seemed perfect for me as I could feel I was wearing make-up without it looking as extreme as foundation. For example, I don't need a full face of make-up when seeing friends or popping out to town.

When it came to application I'd say it had very light coverage and felt as though I wasn't wearing much at all. This is definitely something I'm not used to and didn't feel confident stepping out of the house with it on. It covered up some little imperfections I had but without the use of concealer, primer or powder I felt like my face was naked. I would recommend it for those that welcome the concept behind it and feel confident without wearing too much make-up. I'd wear it again for a day out when I feel like my skin needs a break but other than that I think I'll be sticking to my foundation ritual. This definitely doesn't have a heavy enough coverage to give me the confidence to go out without other products and made me feel more like my skin needed another layer rather than feeling 'flawless'.

Good for: Feeling as though you're not wearing make-up with the relief of actually wearing it at an affordable price

Bad for: Heavy coverage and long-lasting: it transferred a lot

17 Photo Flawless Primer

(available from Boots for £4.99)

I've only just discovered the world of primer in the last year. As I'm sure you're aware they are ideal for helping keep make-up on longer and build a base and canvas to work from. Ideally I look for a primer that aims to make my skin look less shiny and I've had my eye on the Photo Flawless Primer for a while now but have never specifically hunted it down until now.

This is such an affordable primer that I couldn't not pick it up under a Boots 3 for 2 offer! It was slightly watery on the first use but after warming up the tube it worked perfectly. The formula blends in wonderfully and sinks into the skin. It makes my skin feel so much smoother and gives it a lovely canvas for my foundation to be applied on. It makes my skin feel really nice and does indeed make my foundation last slightly longer.

This product is very affordable, even on a tight budget, and leaves my skin feeling so gorgeous after. As you can see the product itself is very attractive, the design is sleek and stylish and looks classy amongst my make-up bag.

Good for: Silky, smoother skin that helps foundation last longer
Bad for: I can't really find any negatives other than the smell but I don't believe there are any primers that exude anything other than the normal 'make-up' smell