My Summer Face 2012

So I thought I'd create a post of the products I've been using the most this Summer and just a little bit about them. I hate any sort of warm weather so when it's a cold day I'm perfectly happy! The problem with the 'Great British Summer' is that when it's rubbish it's rubbish and when it's hot... it's really hot. These products have generally catered for both of these situations... so what's your Summer face??

1. Maybelline pure cover mineral Concealer in Nude Beige

I don't generally use concealer but in the Summer I prefer to use this under around my eyes rather than a foundation. I also don't use this dark a colour normally but in Summer I go for something darker to reflect the season.

2. Collection 2000 colour match foundation in Ivory
This Summer I've been using two foundations. This first one has a sheen that makes my face look moisturised without being greasy and is quite a light formula. This is also perfect for if I catch any colour because it adapts to whatever colour my skin is.

3. Avon Eyebrow pencil in dark brown

Shamefully I've only been pencilling my eyebrows in for the past 6 months or so and now I'd be lost without them. My face looks so much more 'finished' with this on. I use a dark brown because I like my brows to stand out. There's a blonde option but it just washes me out completely.

4. Avon Colour Trend mascara

Although this is from an old line this mascara is perfect. It's subtle but has enough oomph to make my lashes stand out without feeling like they're going to melt in the heat.

5. Natural Collection Blusher in dusky pink

I very rarely wear blusher in the Summer but when I do I go for this pink that comes out very light and again is subtle which I think is key for a daytime Summer look. 

6. Rose Otto Lip Salve

I got this free in a magazine near the beginning of Summer and initially I hated it but I got used to the scent/taste and can say it's a gloss that isn't sticky or shiny and my hair doesn't get stuck in it at all which is good when you're walking along and a gust of wind gets you.

7. Maybelline Falsies mascara

This is one of my favourite mascaras of all time. It makes my lashes look great and long and adds extra volume. There's not much left of this so I use this as a 'top up' to my Colour Trend mascara.

8. Avon SuperShock Eyeliner in Black

I'm a big fan of eyeliner and find this one of the easiest to put on compared to eyeliner pencils or liquid eyeliners. It's easy to distribute and isn't too bold a colour (it comes out as a light glitter-black rather than strong) which is good for a more natural take.

9. MUA Matte Foundation in Soft Sand
I've spent most of my Summer at work or out when it's quite hot and I hate the feeling of a sticky foundation some times which is where this foundation is perfect as it keeps my skin dry and stops me looking too greasy/shiny. 

10. Natural Collection pressed powder in Cool

This is my saviour! One swipe of this around my cheeks/nose and I'm good for the day without having to worry about looking shiny. My ultimate make-up fave!

11. Maybelline Eye Studio Mono in Gold Sands

I love a bronze/gold eyeshadow under eyeliner and I think it completes a look by making eyes pop without being too much.

Collection 2000 Lasting Colour Lipstick : Cherry Bomb

(newer versions of this lipstick are available from Boots for £2.99 but I snapped mine up from Discount UK for £1!)

This older edition of the product is no longer in stock so I'm using the claims of the new Collection 2000 Long Lasting lipstick which is slightly more improved but there are no real excessive differences. The range claims to be a 'collection of bold, bright, bang on trend shades to suit every tone' and it has a 'luxurious creamy feel and locks colour to lips all day'. I purchased this in Cherry Bomb as I don't own a bright red and I believe every girl needs some varying shade of red in her lipstick collection.

The package itself is a little bland. It's a plain black design with little hints of pink on the top and around the side. It's really not the most attractive of designs and it wouldn't draw me in if it weren't so cheap. Initially the colour, upon opening, was a massive 'wow' and really stood out. It scared me a little because it is so bright - definitely for the bravehearted.

The product itself glides on easily and, although quite bright, it does look good. It stands out but that's the whole point! I definitely agree that it's creamy and packs a punch - for make-up purposes I'd have to dress down the rest out of my face and tone down my eye make-up with a subtle look in order to make sure it doesn't look too much.

The swatches below show how strong the colour is but I've also included one to show how easily it smudges. As well as this the 'long lasting' colour is something I definitely do not agree with. It lasts around 1 - 3 hours maximum and transfers to everything. This is obviously understandable but with many of my other lipsticks it does still remain on my lips but with this one it comes off completely leaving me with what looks like ridiculous lip liner. I like to refer back to pricing and for £1 and for £2.99 the colour is very good and strong - I'm happy with this although it means that I do have to take it out with me when I'm wearing it.

OUT WITH THE OLD - Collection 2000 Granite Eyeshadow

(i obtained this from cheapsmells.com for just £1.79 which seems to be the only place that stock this older model)

In the past year I've adopted a more 'smoky' eye look using gold that blends into a black sweeping over my eyelids. Before now I've been using a cheap but effective unknown eyeshadow that came free with a magazine. I finally thought it was time to put a bit of money into my eyeshadow and treat myself to this Collection 2000 shade in Granite.

It states it is 'crease resistant' and 'lasts for up to 8 hours'. This is something I definitely look for as my gold eyeshadow lasts a long time but without the black to blend into the look definitely becomes tiresome and weary and much less dramatic.

The palette itself is quite dull and boring and I'm glad they've updated with a more see-through plastic look recently which makes it look less blocky and dull. The palette itself is a black colour with slight hints of glitter streaking through although not so much that it overpowers the colour. A sponge applicator is provided but I find it far too big to use on eyes and end up smudging the eyeshadow a fair bit so I prefer to use my own brushes and use this applicator just to blend the colours in the middle slightly.

Now for the comparison...

When put side by side it is clear that the free eyeshadow (picture on the left) is far more glittery. Upon further use though the glitter is not excessive when on the eyelid and is actually a lot more subtle than it appears. This texture instead makes the eyeshadow more grainy which helps it stay on the eyelid a little while longer as it's quite tough.

As you can see from the swatches the collection 2000 eyeshadow (right) is far more pigmented and more of a solid colour whereas the freebie is glittery and can look tacky after too much build up of colour.

Although my free eyeshadow was great as a starter to see whether my small eyes could take such a heavy colour I'll definitely be using my collection 2000 eyeshadow now. It's really good value for money and helps bring out my smoky eye look perfectly!

Collection 2000 matt & minerals foundation

(available at Superdrug & Boots for £2.99)

This product was Pure Beauty Award's Best Foundation Launch of the year in 2009 and states it gives a 'fresher looking complexion', has a 'longer lasting formulation' and 'blends easily to provide a flawless, smooth complexion' as well as being 'ideal for oilier skins'.

I personally have quite oily skin which I'm always very conscious of so when I received this for Christmas I was really happy to try it out. However, I did have a few problems with this product but, after seeing the price tag, I realise that as a budget beauty foundation it is very good.

My first error in this product was the shade - I'd been given shade 2, natural blonde, whereas I should've been using shade 1, natural ivory. There aren't that many shades to choose from and the differences between each vary quite widely. The one I've purchased really doesn't look like it fits the definition of natural blonde as it implies there should be yellow-ish undertones and should be a lot paler than it came out. A lot of people have mentioned on reviews that even the lightest shade comes out very dark so it's not ideal for those with pale skin like me.

The formula itself comes out very thickly which makes it really quite hard to blend. The only way I can blend it all over is by pressing quite hard and pulling on my skin which is obviously not the impression I'd like from a foundation. It definitely isn't easy to blend like it claims. It also doesn't make my skin look fresher, it actually leaves it rather patchy in some areas. The packaging itself looks very boring and old. I do, however, like the style of the squeezy tube rather than the glass pump as it's much easier to get out.

I don't believe this foundation lives up to what it states at all but, considering the price, it is a budget foundation that can be mixed with moisturiser to make a tinted moisturiser look, making it runnier and easier to blend. I wouldn't recommend it unless you have darker skin and are on a very, very tight budget. 

Good for: Mixing to make a tinted moisturiser
Bad for: Blending, even coverage & pale skin

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer

(Retails at £4.19 from Boots & Superdrug)

I've seen this product around blogspot for a while now and always find that the concealers I've been using up to this point are either the complete wrong colour or too tacky on my skin. I was tempted for a long time to buy a higher priced concealer such as MAC or Benefit but I stand by my belief that paying an extortionate amount for something you wash on and off when there are just as good cheaper products is ridiculous.

Collection 2000 claims this oil free concealer conceals flaws, imperfections and blemishes for up to 16 hours and provides beautiful, shine-free, blemish-free skin for every waking hour. This bemused me a little as concealer is generally used to conceal spots or under eyes so how it would provide shine-free skin seems a little odd but nevertheless here I am with my review of it!

I'm against spongey type applicators where germs can spread easily, however, this design is very simple and the bristle itself is soft on skin and the perfect amount is applied with each use. It blends in with my skin perfectly and conceals spots and redness for a very long time. In this aspect it completely lives up to its claims. It doesn't leave my skin looking tacky or stand out unlike some concealers and is easy to blend in for a smooth and seemingly 'invisible' application. I'm very impressed!

Collection 2000 colour match foundation

Collection 2000 launched this new foundation and claim that it contains 'a unique skin tone technology that adapts to the skin's natural tone to help deliver a subtle, flawless look that lasts' available in 6 shades and aims to enhance, correct and harmonise, delivering a subtle, flawless look that lasts. 

I've never really used Collection 2000 as they seemed like a fairly cheap foundation and at the time I'd decided that a higher price = better quality. This is not necessarily the case though.

(retails at £5.99 from Boots)

I must say this is one of the best foundations I have used. The formula itself is quite runny which means very little needed to be used as it spread evenly on my skin whilst retaining a medium coverage - making my skin feel as though it had another layer to it (boosting my confidence) without feeling cakey or thick. I purchased this in Ivory but as it said it adapts to your skin colour I thought it wouldn't look too pale on me and should darken to my skin colour. It does exactly what it states, it blends in and looks very natural on your skin. I'm used to buying foundations a shade or two darker than my skin but with this it settled in perfectly and didn't feel too heavy.

The design of the bottle itself is subtle yet stylish. The frosted bottle fits in with the other foundations in the collection 2000 product line but the pink adds a touch of femininity and brightens up my make-up bag without trying too hard to be too 'out there' with the design. A lot of make-up I've tried also smells very 'make-up esque' - no surprise there - with a hint of stage make-up which is slightly off putting but this smells over so slightly like sun cream without being too powerful a scent. The only true downside to this formula I can find is that it dries quite quickly but it's runny enough that it's so quick to blend that I don't have to spend myself waiting for it to dry and instead speeds up the process.

From the swatches you can see it goes very far and has a great coverage. It is an affordable foundation and one of the best I've tried - it leaves skin looking covered without being sticky and heavy and lives up to its claims. Very impressive.

Good for: Foundation coverage that matches skin
Bad for: People that don't like different smelling foundations