NYC indivudual eyes: Smokin' palette

(Available here and from Superdrug stores for £3.99)

New York Colour is a range brought over to the UK relatively recently and are good quality products at low quality prices - similar to the MUA range that is so often talked about as of late.
These palettes come in three colours - brown eyes, blue eyes and green eyes - although the only one available in my local store was the blue eyes (mine are green). The palette itself comes with a primer, illuminator and 4 colours to highlight and contour eyes. It claims to identify and highlight specific eye colours.

The palette itself comes with instructions on the back as to how to effectively create a smoky eye which is like a mini tutorial and perfect for people that aren't sure how to apply eye colour. For me though, my eyes are small so I prefer not contourign with such a dark colour and use the highlight as a base colour to blend into. This is, of course, up to the individual.

The colours themselves range from a gold to a slightly darker and more steel shade and then onto a dark gold and finally a warm brown. Unfortunately, I have a vice against glittery eyeshadows and prefer more matte colours although these are not overly glittery and add a hint of shimmer as opposed to all over.

Unfortunately, as my eyes are green, I cannot determine as to whether it intensifies eye colour although I can't imagine it does too much work on colour itself but instead the shades compliment each other. This is a gorgeous smoky eye kit that is slightly more subtle than using darker black shades. The palette is perfect for 'first time blenders' that have not worked with a full kit before and, considering the price tag, it's a good little find!

MUA eyebrow pencil - brunette

(Available online or from Superdrug stores for £1)

 

I'll admit it, I never used to be an 'eyebrow' fan. With such light eyebrows I used to completely ignore them and let them grow and occasionally (beauty error) shave them! Now, I can safely say I use tweezers and pencil them in with the rest of my other make-up. It's safe to say that eyebrows well and truly frame the face.

 

I purchased this MUA brush online as I loved the idea of having soft bristles to shape at one end with a pencil at the other end. In all honesty I should probably have purchased the blonde shade but I prefer a striking looking eyebrow.

 

 

The brush, as shown above, has smooth bristles so that it doesn't tug on eyebrows but gently shapes them into place. The only issue I've found with this is that it doesn't shape my 'brows as nicely as I'd like and they need some extra tweaking to keep them in place.

 

 

The pencil itself is faultless - with a soft texture it doesn't drag on the eyebrow too much but just darkens them nicely. It allows to build up the eyebrow with precision and without making too dramatic look (I'm not one for a Scouse 'brow)! And it's a complete steal at just £1. This is something I'd repurchase over again and have no doubts about the quality of the product.

MUA Lipstick - shade 15 (Juicy)

(available online and in Superdrug stores for £1)

I used to be a huge fan and advocate of MUA but recently I feel like their reputation after their recent online voucher discount fiasco has tarnished the brand slightly. Nevertheless I purchased this in a bulk online quite a while ago!

The first thing I've noticed is that they're beginning to label lipsticks more with names which makes things far easier when wanting to find the perfect one. The packaging is always very simple, yet stylish, which is something I love about MUA. It has a very sleek feel to it although the products themselves are very affordable.

There are no real claims on the website as for what is expected of the product which is a little disappointing - it is just reiterated that the price is only £1! The colour itself comes across as a salmon-pink with tones of peach and coral running through. To look at it can be seen to be quite shiny and potentially moisturising although, obviously, with no claims come no real expectations!

The lipstick itself applies smoothly and easily and it comes out slightly lighter on the lips than expected. With the wrong colour foundation it can clash slightly and look too pale which isn't ideal for me as I prefer definite pinks as opposed to this which I'd say is more of a peach.
It has an average staying power of 1 - 3 hours depending on activity (i.e drinking/eating) which is good given the costing. The formula itself though dries rather 'cakey' and feels like it clings to my lips. Before application it would probably be advised to buff lips or use a gloss to avoid this.

Overall this is a decent product although some aspects to reflect the price.

Simple Radiance Brightening Facial Wash

(Available from Boots, Sainsburys and Superdrug from £4.75/125ml)

I received this as part of a recommendation from Simple after discussing products I may be interested in. This will not sway my judgement on the product itself.

Simple Skincare is a British brand that prides themselves on skincare products designed for even the most sensitive skin. I first came across Simple several years ago when I found their moisturiser which I have grown to love and use daily. The Simple Radiance range was recently released which is described as being 'perfect for women over the age of 25'. I'm nearing the age of 21 so this may be slightly for those more older but due to the constraints of work and late nights I definitely need something to perk up my tired looking skin so this is the perfect range for me and my current situation. 

The packaging itself is consistent with the Simple range which evokes a sense of quality but gives across the main points and remains, as the brand is defined by, Simple. I love the highlights of yellow which reflect the mango and the 'brightening' theme. 

The range all contains Mango extract to hydrate and refine the skin whilst light reflecting particles brighten the skin. I'm not usually a fan of facial washes as I find they take up a lot of time and I'm very lazy at time when it comes to my skincare routine. Simple state that this contains 'light reflecting particles to cleans and remove impurities and leave skin visibly brightened'. 

The formula itself is very light and looks almost glittery which is quite fun (perhaps this is my childish side coming out)! It's also a smooth and thin consistency which means it's easy to spread on my skin without pulling. It's also easier to lather up than other facial washes I've used in the past. I usually keep this on my skin for 1 - 3 minutes so it just sinks in and then wash it off. I've used this in tandem with the other Simple ranges to see how well they effect my skin together. 

I must say that, since using the Simple products, my skin has looked a lot softer, brighter and younger and I'm really impressed with this range. As shown below it sinks in nicely and looks slightly like a moisturiser and feels quite cooling and fresh. I'm even more of a backer of products catered for sensitive skin after using Simple because of the amount of care they take with their products. After leaving some face masks and washes on they've started tingling which has caused my skin to break out in some sort of red rash. I'm really happy with these products and will continue using them!

Simple Radiance Brightening Eye Cream

(Available from Boots, Sainsburys and Superdrug from £7.99/15ml)

I received this as part of a recommendation from Simple after discussing products I may be interested in. This will not sway my judgement on the product itself.

Simple Skincare is a British brand that prides themselves on skincare products designed for even the most sensitive skin. I first came across Simple several years ago when I found their moisturiser which I have grown to love and use daily. The Simple Radiance range was recently released which is described as being 'perfect for women over the age of 25'. I'm nearing the age of 21 so this may be slightly for those more older but due to the constraints of work and late nights I definitely need something to perk up my tired looking skin so this is the perfect range for me and my current situation. 

The packaging itself is consistent with the Simple range which evokes a sense of quality but gives across the main points and remains, as the brand is defined by, Simple. I love the highlights of yellow which reflect the mango and the 'brightening' theme. 

The range itself all contain Mango extract to hydrate and refine the skin whilst light reflecting particles brighten the skin. I've never used an eye cream before but recently my eyes were looking quite tired after too many late nights/nights out so I thought I'd give it a go. Simple describe this product as a 'perfect blend of ingredients and light reflecting particles to help to moisturise and visibly brighten your delicate eye area'. Obviously I was slightly intrigued as to how it could brighten eyes as such as, unless it's using eye drops directly inserted into eyes, I didn't see how eyes could necessarily appear brighter.

The formula itself is white and thick in consistently but spreads out evenly, much like a gel. Obviously you have to be very careful around the eye area so I use a tiny amount and dab it on where it sinks into the skin. I can barely feel it and it doesn't appear greasy or combine with my make-up. It settles without disturbing my rather sensitive eyes.

This almost feels like a primer and using it on my eye area does indeed make my skin look fresher and perks my eyes up. I'm not entirely sure how it does this so in my eyes (ironically) it's pretty genius! It makes me look much more awake and I need to use less concealer/foundation around my eye area when I have this product on. This is definitely a winner for me and having not used eye creams before as I'm getting (slightly) older I'll be looking into them more. I'll be looking more into Simple's eye products as well.

As you can see it blends to a clear formula with a slight sheen so it doesn't disrupt or look awkward combining with other skincare routines.

P.S just a little note about packaging. How cute is this little note up the side of the box! It's always nice to see a package with lots of information and something to make you smile. 

MUA Gel Eyeliner in Underground

 (available from Superdrug & MUA online for £3)

As I've previously mentioned, I am a huge fan of the MUA range. They are a brand that have high quality products at a low price that are affordable for even the most budget of beauty shoppers! They have lots of new additions including this Gel Liner.

This particular eyeliner comes in 4 shades: Underground (black), Fairground (grey), On the Move (brown) and Tribe (blue). This makes a change from the typical just black which makes a change, however I plumped for Underground as it's a colour that goes with how I've been doing my make-up lately.

Finding the brush was a little mission at first. I had no idea where on earth to find it and thought I may have to use my own brush. But there is a small indent on the bottle (on the large picture it is just below the sticker showing the colour of the gel liner) which I think they should perhaps make a slight bit more obvious. This makes it handy for on the go applications to whip out your make-up bag and use whenever, wherever.

The brush itself is wonderful. Its bristles are stiff but relax onto the eye making the gel smooth to apply whilst still retaining its shape. This not only makes application a lot easier but its a dream to hold without feeling too flimsy or a pain to put on. 

Previous gel liners I've tried are very stiff and take a little warming up to take the liner out of the pot. The MUA gel eyeliner is perfect though - only a little is needed to build up an eyeliner effect which stands out. The formula itself is smooth and blends perfectly on my eyelid without creasing or losing pigmentation.

The colour itself is bold and vibrant - a lot of other liners can be glittery. This feels like a mix of both liquid and pencil eyeliner - taking the softness of the pencil and the pigmentation/boldness of liquid without taking forever to dry or looking chalky. It takes the best of both worlds.

Having used this eyeliner several times I am very impressed at its staying power and refusal to smudge. As you can see creating different lines and textures is easy and versatile looks can be made in an instant. Another 5* for MUA - very impressive! 

MUA Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

  

 (available from superdrug or MUA online for £1)

Recently retailers such as the likes of AVON and MUA now have eyebrow pencils with brushes included - this makes application so much more easy as you can shape your brows ready for the pencil at the other end. Perfect for someone on the go!

 

The design of the pencil itself is very simple and plain with sleek silver highlights that make it look classy. Having a seal around each end to protect it from getting all over my make-up bag or spreading bacteria is brilliant as it ensures that my make-up is well looked after. 

The MUA range is one I love with prices ranging from £1 - £4 throughout the whole collection which is brilliant for someone on a budget, like myself, without compromising on quality. The brush itself is soft, unlike those that are structured with a bristles wrapped around a metal wire which can hurt a little. This means that it doesn't tug on my eyebrows but lightly brushes them into a nice shape perfect for before pencil application.

The pencil only comes in brunette or blonde although both come out a lot darker than expected. This is definitely for those that want a stand-out 'brow rather than something more subtle/natural. I've found that using the flat side of the brush (holding it slightly sideways) makes it more easy to blend as using it front-on makes it come out too dark.

Hardly any pressure is needed to obtain a good looking result without going overboard. Obviously if you have darker hair then more may be needed. Yet again, an issue I've had with several eyebrow pencils, is that I'd much prefer a twist-up style rather than hunting around for a sharpener.

I can't fault any of the MUA range (so far - although I doubt my impression will change)! It's a beautiful collection with prices that are perfect for those on a budget. For £1 you cannot go wrong. Well done MUA!

(bottom picture shows how easy it is to blend without losing too much pigmentation)

Soap & Glory: The Righteous Butter

(£10.50/300ml)

First of all I have to talk about the consistency within the Soap & Glory range. The packaging of their products are absolutely stunning - from the descriptions to the colours and the imagery - they're all in line and unique. This is similar with the smell. It's made with shea butter and aloe vera although it smells rather florally but not overpoweringly so.

This is described as a 'smooth, creamy and velvety intense body lotion' which I think describes it well although more should be focused on its moisturising attributes. This is a massive pot that I would not have paid £10.50 for but I got this as part of a set of Christmas and I've hardly used any. I'd definitely recommend getting a travel size as I honestly don't know how I'll ever use up so much.

The formula itself appears very thick but is actually a lot smoother once spread out. It's really moisturising especially after shaving and the scent lingers for a good 6+ hours after application, which is something I really look for in a body butter/lotion. I'd put this more under the lotion category though as I see a butter as something slightly thicker. I'd say it has the consistency of butter icing where it looks thick but spreads out a fair amount.

This is the 'very dry skin formula' and I must say it has hydrated my skin much more than any other product has. I get slightly impatient waiting for it to dry though and I'd say it takes a good 10 - 20 minutes to soak into my skin fully which to me is a fairly long time. Having said that this is a beautiful product but with a hefty price tag. It's extremely good value for money though and one pea-sized amount goes a long way so slather it on!

Denman D91 Dress-out Brush

(RRP £2.87 + VAT & P&P from Denman but I purchased mine from Amazon for £3.19)

I'll be honest in saying that I'm not a brush or comb person and invariably wash my hair, blow dry and occasionally go over it with a Tangle Teezer. I rarely straighten my hair or use any sort of brushes but on a night out to add volume to my hair I like to backcomb it which is where the Denman Dress-Out Brush comes to light. The brush itself looks like more of a thin comb to me and the styling itself is gorgeous. It's a pink-purple and doesn't feel too bulky, perfect for popping in a handbag. 

The brush itself has a pin tail that can be used for sectioning hair and 'taming' and the brush part itself has three rows of nylon bristles for grip and control. The handle itself is sturdy and strong enough that it can backcomb my hair steadily without feeling as though it's tugging on it providing a good balance. Unlike other brushes it doesn't leave my hair frizzy or tacky and, due to the quality of the bristles, backcombs to an extent where my hair is still styled naturally rather than looking overly ruffled or damaging.

I love the Denman Dress-Out Brush and am so happy with my purchase, it leaves natural looking volume which is perfect for a night out without looking like a scarecrow. My only, very small downside, is the packaging which I feel really could be improved a lot. It is a thick 'plastic' container which is tricky to undo and very fiddly. I feel as though it could be cased in something much more friendly to open and prettier looking. Despite this I'll definitely be looking at others in the Denman range.