February favourites!

Photo from Penelope Row

This is Boots Natural Collection Moisture Shine Lipstick in Rose Bud. I love it because it's a subtly pretty pink that's suitable for day but still pretty for night

Photo from Midnight Violets

This was free in 17's winter GWP and for ages I didn't use it as it looked oppressively red, but recently I have used it - it's a lovely dark pink that I think would suit all skin tones.

Photo from Boots

I was given this as part of a gift set two years ago, but only just started using it - and it smells really nice. Mine is a mini, which means it's quite good for putting in the bottom of my bag for when I've got to school and am melting.

Photo from Boots

This Soap and Glory hand cream and I have an ongoing love affair. It smells so lovely, of marshmallow and so on, and it works really well. I've also used it as a face moisturiser in a pinch, and it works well for that too. I've currently got a full size one and a mini on the go, and a spare of each thanks to Christmas and my birthday

Photo from elf

This primer has made a huge difference - it means that my eyeshadows stay on just that little bit longer. Plus, because I have it in Champagne rather than Sheer it works well as a pale base across the whole eyelid.

On hindsight, this is a very pink favourites list... Oh well, I'm a teenage girl!

What have been your favourite products to use this month?

FOTD: It's Party Time!

It's my friend's birthday party tonight, which I'm really excited about

Products used (in order):

• elf Nail Polish in Purple Pleaser (mentioned here)
• elf eyelid primer (mentioned here)
• Hello Kitty Liberty eyeshadow palette (the white shade in the inner corners of the eyes, and then the dark reddish and the dark silver glitter over the eye)
• Collection 2000 Extreme 24H eyeliner (upper lash line)
• Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Black (lower lash line)
• Natural Collection LashCurl Mascara in Black
• Collection 2000 Shimmer Shades in Blushalicious
• Natural Collection Loose Powder
• Benefit Watt's Up! highlighter
• 17 Ultimate Volume lipgloss in Very Berry

FOTD: Red Lips and Cat Eyes

Products used:

• Elf eyelid primer
• Elf eyeshadow in 'driftwood'
• Collection 2000 Extreme 24H eyeliner
• Elf blusher in 'shy'
• 17 Ultimate Volume lipgloss in 'very berry'

New Years Eve look.

Right, so I had the joys of spending NYE with my parents this year, so this is a special family dinner kind of a look.

I wore a navy blue Miss Selfridge dress with a cream collar and trim, so I decided to go for a navy eye.

Picture 1 - my 'before' face

The first thing I did was moisturise with my Neutrogena Multi-Defence Daily Moisturiser. I started using this in the summer and I love it. Then I put some Boots Natural Collection ShineAway Foundation (I use shade 'porcelain') on my cheeks, to de-pink them a bit.

Next was a thick line of Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in shade 021, denim blue, along the top lash line and halfway along the lower lash line. This will smudge easily as I add the rest of the eye make up.

Then I swept No7 Stay Perfect Eyeshadow in shade 69, Starry Night, ( another freebie from the gift I mentioned in my lipgloss review) across the whole eyelid as a base and to blend with. Next was Boots 17 Eyeshadow in shade Regal, a lovely blue, which I put towards the outer edge of my eyelids and blended with my finger.

Last came mascara (Boots Natural Collection in Brown/Black), lipgloss (No7 High Shine in Whisper, reviewed below) and blusher (Natural Collection cream blusher in Rosy Pink).
Then I was done :)

Picture 2 - the products I used, in order from left to right

Picture 3 - the 'after' face

In hindsight, looking at the photo, I could probably have done with a tiny bit more blusher. I also made a duff choice with the lip gloss which, while it was great that it didn't leave marks on my drinks glasses, did get lots of hair stuck to it on the walk into town for dinner, when it was quite windy. I can report, though, that the lip gloss has quite good staying power - nearly four hours after I put it on, after eating and drinking, while it's not as glossy as it was, my lips still look fairly shiny and glossy with a faint bit of the shimmer. The rest of the look seems to have held up well, though, and the foundation has done as promised and kept shine at bay.

Picture 4 - the 'hours after' face.

NB: you may notice that these photos are better quality than up to this point - that's because I took them on my proper camera rather than webcam for once.

Review - No7 High Shine Lipgloss in shade Whisper

Before I start I shall disclose that I didn't have to pay for this - it was in a free gift that was given out when you spent £22 on the No7 range.
It's normally out of my price range, but my mum ended up with the free gift, so we split the contents between us.
Normally I'm an eye makeup girl rather than being into lippy, and I must admit that I initially picked this out of my makeup box to attempt a more negative review than my last two, but I think it's great.
Initially I was fazed by what is a bit of an odd colour in the tube: I couldn't think why anyone would want lips such a pale shade of pink - which was why I thought this would be a negative review. However, upon putting the gloss on (in the photo my top lip is bare and the lower lip has the gloss on) I found that really it just adds shine - and a bit of fairly subtle sparkle. I've also swatched it on my hand, to show the transparency of the gloss. I suppose I should have taken more notice of the product's name, it really does add shine.
It also has a great applicator (pictured) - something I think I will keep to use with other glosses after this tube is empty. Unlike some of the other wands, it's got a small unfluffy end which makes it easy to apply the gloss on the lips and not around them. Lily likey.
The only issue I can find with this gloss is that it is sticky. This may not be such an issue if you have less wayward hair than mine, but I have quite a lot which likes to go in my face, and this lip gloss seems almost to attract the hair, and it is sticky. Admittedly it's not the most sticky lip gloss I've ever tried, but it's certainly more sticky than, say, chapstick. (not capitalising that as I use Boots' own brand).
Then there's the price. I will enjoy using this tube, yes, but with a replacement cost of £9 I don't think I shall buy another or try any of the other colours. When I come to start spending that sort of money on makeup, or for Prom maybe, I'll come back to it, but for now it's out of my price range, and I'll go back to the lip salve and Vaseline when I run out of this.
http://www.boots.com/en/No7-High-Shine-Lip-Gloss_927422/

Picture 1: swatched on my hand

Picture 2: the fab wand

Picture 3: on my lower lip, with the top lip bare - you can see the shine

Picture 4: the tube, showing the oddness of the colour as I thought it would be