how i clean makeup brushes

Washing makeup brushes can be a chore, especially if you have a collection to rival even the most experienced of make up artists. However, it is important to know that makeup brushes are a breeding ground for nasty bacteria that can cause angry blemishes and other skin problems. As well as spot cleaning after each use, a thorough deep clean every two weeks or so can really help to improve the quality of your skin and makeup application.

You'll need to have some sort of cleaning liquid. I like to use a cleansing but mild shampoo, such as the Johnson's Baby Shampoo. This is my favourite brush cleaner at the minute as it is super gentle and doesn't leave any residue after use, just a fresh and light scent. You can pick this up for around £1 in most pharmaceutical stores. You could also use antibacterial hand washes or any other gentle cleansing product.

To start off, I take all my brushes and lay them out flat on a towel in order of size. Starting with the smallest, I add a dollop of baby shampoo into the palm of my hand. To avoid overloading your brushes with product, I'd suggest that you use a blob around 1/2 the size of the diameter of the brush head. Run the bristles of your brush under lukewarm water (holding it by the handle with the brush facing down) and then swirl it into the pool of shampoo in your palm. Continue swirling as it begins to lather up, by which point you'll probably notice all the grime beginning to dispense from the bristles, and then run the brush back under the tap as before. Squeeze out any excess shampoo and makeup from the brush head, and repeat the previous steps if necessary. I usually wash my face brushes twice, just to ensure that all the makeup, dirt and oil have been removed!

Once you've washed a brush, mould it back into shape and lay it flat on a towel or even upside down if you have a fancy brush stand! Try to avoid standing wet brushes with their bristles facing upwards, as this will make the water to run into the adhesive that keeps the brush together and cause the bristles to fall out. Continue until all of your brushes are cleansed and makeup free!

And, voilà! You've got lovely clean brushes that will feel like like new again! I always notice a big difference when I've taken the time out to clean my tools, it makes the effort so worth it!

How do you clean your makeup brushes?

Liv xox

l'oreal paris mega volume miss manga mascara

A few weeks ago I picked up the L'Oreal Pais Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara (longest name ever?) in black whilst it was on offer in my local Boots. I had heard mixed reviews about this, and whilst some claimed it was a total life-changer, others stated that it didn't really do anything for them. So I thought I'd risk it and try it out for myself!

First up, I was rather disappointed when I learnt that L'Oreal doesn't do waterproof version of this mascara. To me, that is a bit of a let down as I find waterproof mascaras to be much better at holding a curl, which is what I really want. But - oh well!

Moving on from that, the cone shaped brush is super bendy and flexes 360 degrees to make application easy. The bristles aren't plastic, which will be to some peoples delight! I usually much prefer plastic wands but this one isn't too bad actually. I find that I can build volume and length pretty quickly, and I love, love, love this for my lower lashes! I turn it sort of horizontally and use the conical tip of the brush to coat my lower lashes and give a wide, doll-eyed effect! You do get a bit of clumping on the eyelashes, but I kinda like this so it isn't much of a problem.

The only real issue that I have with this mascara, is that I just end up getting the product ALL OVER MY EYES. I don't know what happens but by the time I've finished applying this I look like a panda. No joke. I think maybe the brush is slightly too big for my eyes or perhaps I'm pushing it too close to my lids? Either way, it's annoying as hell.

Overall, a good mascara. Not the best, but most certainly not the worst. It's easy to use and remove with a micellar solution, and it lasts pretty damn well throughout the day. If like me, you're all about waterproof mascaras, I've heard that L'Oreal are releasing one very soon so keep your eyes peeled for that!

Have you tried the Miss Manga mascara?

Liv xox

revlon colourstay shadow links

The last few times that I have visited Boots, I have been eyeing up these little guys. Revlon are a brand that I know always come out on top when they bring out new products, and I was drawn to these as soon as I saw them! And not just becuase they look so cute and dinky, I swear...

 

The Revlon ColourStay ShadowLinks are a unique and interesting new concept! The idea is to purchase your favourite interchangeable shades separately in rectangular pans, and then slide them together using the little grooves at either side to create your own personal palette!

I find these easy to snap and click together, and don't get stuck when you try to pull them apart. They're really great for travelling as you would imagine due to their small size and ability to create customised palettes for different occasions!

Revlon say that there are 30 shades at the minute, but my local Boots only had a small selection of colours so it may be worth purchasing online. The ones I have here are Taupe (left) and Cocoa (right), which I find work great alone or together! The formula isn't the most groundbreaking, but it's nothing a good primer won't sort out and for £2.99 each I'm not complaining. 

Overall, I'm in love with this latest eyeshadow offering to hit the beauty industry. Although the product isn't as pigmented as I'd like, they are easy to build up and not to mention as cheap as chips! I think the whole idea is just genius and I'll definitely be picking up a few different shades as time goes on.

Have you tried the ShadowLinks yet?

Liv xox

the body shop honey bronzer

If there are any other fair skinned ladies reading this, I'm sure you can relate when I say that there never seems to be any decent bronzers out there for us pale gals? Well, I may have just found the solution! Say hello to the beautifully packaged Honey Bronzer from The Body Shop!

I have the shade 01 light matte, and the three other shades are 02 fair matte, 03 medium matte and 04 dark matte. Obviously, go for the shade that you feel suits your skin tone best, but if you're a little bit unsure then I'd suggest always going for the lighter option to avoid any faux tan related mishaps!

This shade is perfect for me, and can be used as a bronzer or a contour (if i'm feeling fancy!) due to there being no shimmer within the product. To bronze up the skin, just take a medium fluffy brush like the Real Techniques Blush Brush, swirl into the honeycomb stamped powder and swish around the cheeks and temples. This will give you that lovely sun-kissed glow without looking like you've overdone it!

For contouring, I'd suggest using some sort of angled brush like the Avon Blusher Brush. Dab a little bit of product onto the bristles, tap off any excess, suck in your cheeks and start to layer up the colour in the hollows of your cheekbones. Add a little bit at a time, as it is harder to remove once it has been applied. Remember, you're trying to enhance the natural shadow that your cheekbones cast, so a little bit goes a long way.

For £13, this is an excellent bronzer and I've used this everyday since I bought it, even surpassing my much loved Accessorise Baked Bronzer! The Body Shop offer some amazing products and are always doing great deals so make sure you check them out before you make a purchase!

Have you tried the Honey Bronzer before?

Liv xox

forever repurchased

Within every beauty-lovers stash is a small handful of products that will always have a special place in their hearts. For me, it's these three gems. Let me talk you through them!

1. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer

I'm pretty sure I've sung the praises of this product before, but it really is that good. A beautifully scented toner with aloe vera to revitalise & soften and vitamin E to soothe & refresh, with additional benefits from other naturally active ingredients including calendula, chamomile and cucumber. Even though I spritz this everyday without fail, my last bottle lasted around a year which is pretty incredible. It just makes the skin feel amazing and I use this for so many different things: 

• on a morning after cleansing to freshen up my skin and wake me up from my slumber;
• throughout the day to add a little bit of moisture back into my skin;
• after applying my make-up to set;
• after applying make-up to remove any unwanted cakey-ness;
• on an evening after cleansing as a soothing toner;
• to relieve dry skin of that tight / stripped feeling;
• as a pick-me-up in between the day.

Yup. A total wonder product and a complete must have in my opinion.

2. Hydraluron

Indeed Labs struck gold with this moisture boosting serum. A clear, lightweight gel texture that sinks into the skin instantly and improves the effectiveness of your usual moisturiser. This relieves any dryness instantly and helps my skin to feel plumped and hydrated. What's not to love? Oh yeah, the price. If you're a little bit tight with money (like me) then stock up on this whenever Boots knock the price down to about eighteen quid. Sorted!

3. L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Waterproof Mascara

My holy grail mascara. Nothing has ever compared to how this works. You hardly need to put any effort into applying this, it just builds up both length and volume to leave you with full, fluttering lashes that last all day! (See photo below for evidence. Application was at 7am, photograph was taken at 7pm. Impressive, no?) The waterproof formula helps to hold a curl in place all day and the mascara doesn't flake or smudge at all. Seriously. You'll need to get yourself a pretty hefty make-up remover to get this off, which I personally don't mind as I'd rather it take a bit of effort to come off rather than slide down my face during the day! Note that Bioderma Sensibio H20 and the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water stand no chance against this, but I've found that more oily cleansers work best. Try the Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil from The Body Shop for fuss free removal.

So there you have it. Three amazing products that I really cannot live without and with continue to repurchase as long as they stand on the shelves of Boots and I have pennies in my bank.

What products do you repurchase?

Liv xox

rimmel 60 second nail polish / rita ora edition

After my recent love affair with Seche Vite, I have been picking up a few new nail polishes to add to my relatively small collection.

Whilst browsing the isles of Boots, I saw that Rita Ora had released a new collection of products for Rimmel London, including nail polishes. I ended up only buying one from that collection, a lovely milky pink shade called 203 Lose Your Lingerie (classy name.) The other two were part of Rimmel's 60 Second Nail Polish group, in the shades 800 Black Out (a true black, pictured left) and 813 Round and Round the Garden (a khaki green, pictured right and below.) 

The brushes on these polishes are really wide and dense, giving a thick layer of polish that coats the nail with just one swipe. I go from just above the cuticle all the way to the tip, starting in the middle of the nail, then the right and left, making sure that the finish is smooth and there are no lumps or bumps. They have a better drying time than your average nail polish, but I always use my new top coat to ensure that they dry super quick as I'm prone to ruining a fresh manicure!

I'm loving these polishes, and think the colours are bang on trend in my eyes! As I've said before, super bright shades don't really float my boat but these minimal, washed out colours have got my name written all over them! For around £4, they're a bargain!

Have you tried the Rimmel 60 Second Rail Polishes before?

Liv xox

l'oreal paris super liner perfect slim

It is a well-known fact that I suck at applying eyeliner. I always end up it all over my eyes and forehead with around twenty ruined cotton buds dotted around my floor. You get the picture.

Previously, I had always been a big fan of the Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen, and still am. However on a recent trip to the shops I picked up the L'oreal Paris Super Liner Perfect Slim on a buy-one-get-one-half-price offer.

This is another one of these pen-like liquid liners, similar to the Soap & Glory offering, only this has an even thinner 0.4mm nib. As you can see in the photo above, the pen end is tapered which I find makes it super easy to switch from very small lines to thicker, more bold shapes. I also really like that the tip is flexible enough not to stab your eyelids, but sturdy enough to allow precise control and accuracy.

I find that every look I attempt with this works really well and I don't end up with liner all over my face. If I do make a little mistake, I like to take a cotton bud, dip it in a tiny bit of make up remover (Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, I'm looking at you) and gently sweep away any unwanted product from my eyes.

Wavy lines are also made easy with this product, should you wish to get a bit more creative with your liner. However, I like to keep things simple! For day time wear, I love to apply this in a small stroke as close to the upper lash line as possible, just to enhance them slightly and make my lashes appear a little bit fuller. Come evening, I'll use this to create a retro cat eye with little flicks and pair it with a matte red lip for the ultimate vintage inspired look!

Overall, this pen is awesome and costs less than a tenner woop woop! Grab one at your local Boots or Superdrug or order online!

What's your favourite eyeliner?

Liv xox