Benefit POREfessional Powder Review

Benefit The POREfessional Agent Zero Shine Powder

This powder joins the pore minimising balm in Benefits POREfessional range.

 

This is a recent release in the UK and as I liked the original balm so much I thought that I would treat myself and buy the powder to compliment it. And indeed it was a treat with the £23.50 price tag (pricey for a powder).

 

 

As with the majority of Benefit packaging I love the way this product looks. It has that colourful retro look which unified this product amongst the rest of the brands 1950’s comic bookesque packaging.

 

 

As Benefit are famous for their boxed powders (you the ones, Hoola, Coralista, Rockatuer etc.) I had high hopes as powders seem to be what they do best. However as this is a loose powder rather than a pressed powder I was excited to see how well they had managed the transition into this form.

 

 

The packaging is ingenious as it is a loose powder like you have never seen before. As you can see from the picture below you tip the product into the cap and use the brush at the bottom to apply it.

 

 

Benefit claims that the product is mattifting, pore perfecting, has an invisible finish and is ultra lightweight.

 

And do you know what, it actually does what it says!? Like with the POREfessional primer as soon as I had applied it my pores disappeared, my skin had that matte but not powdery look, and you cant feel it on your skin. Overall the product did last a good 5 hours, before I started to look shiny and had to top it up.

 

I tend to keep this in my handbag for on the go applications as I feel it is more secure than a compact that could smash or leak the product everywhere. This does however mean I need to keep a compact mirror if I’m not going to be applying it in the bathroom or in my car.
 

 

You can buy this here.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Love Hannah xoxo

 

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette Review

The Naked3 palette has arrived!! I have had mine about a month now and have been thoroughly testing it out, hence why I didn’t post this straight away as I wanted to have some opinions on it first.

The packaging is very much like the second palette with the tin case but this one is in a rose gold colour emulating what is inside. I prefer this packaging to that of the Naked1 as I think it is more practical with the larger mirror and more secure fastening. It will definitely withstand a few knocks!

Inside the palette there are 12 eye shadows with a rose gold hue, they are a mix of matte, shimmer and glitter shades.

 
As with all Urban Decay eye shadows these ones are beautifully pigmented. However I do find the glitter shades in this palette noticeably harder to blend that the others, even than the glitters in the other two palettes were easier to blend. The main culprits are Buzz and Trick, but with a bit more work they do blend out, it just tend to avoid them if I am in a rush to do my eye shadow.
Here are some close ups of the shadows:

Strange, Dust, Burnout, Limit

Buzz, Trick, Nooner, Liar

 

Factory, Mugshot, Darkside, Blackheart

In the box you also get a double ended brush which is pretty good and 4 primer potion samples: Original, Eden, Sin and Anti-Aging.

I think that this palette would be great for those who have blue or green eyes as the rose tones on the shadows will make your eye-colour really stand out.

In the UK you can get Urban Decay from Debenhams, House of Frasier, Beauty Bay and Look Fantastic.

I ordered mine from www.lookfantastic.com as they had it there first and there was free delivery.

Is it worth it? Do I need all three?

I would definitely say that you don’t need all three as with the £38 price tag getting all three would be rather expensive.

I think that Naked1 and Naked2 are quite similar in the shades but one is cooler toned and one is warmer toned but the Naked3 is totally different from the first two palettes.

I, however, do own the other two palettes as I like to collect makeup but I have done a full review of each:

 

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Bourjois Happy Light Matte Primer

Bourjois Happy Light Matte Primer

Happy Light is the newest range from Bourjois. The range is supposed to be formulated to make your skin look good in any light.

There are 4 products in the Happy Light range:
- Happy Light Foundation
- Happy Light Concealer
- Happy Light Luminous Primer
- Happy Light Matte Primer

This blog post is all about the Happy Light Matte Primer, to see my review on the Happy Light Foundation click HERE.

First Impressions
The packaging is nice, very similar to the Happy Light foundation as it has the glass bottle and a pump applicator. I like having a pump applicator in a primer as I feel it is more hygienic and it ensures that you do not use too much, so points to Bourjois there.

 

The primer itself has a slight pinky peach colour and feels like a cream/gel primer rather than a silicone one. (i.e. more like Smashbox Light rather than Smash Box original/Benefit Porefessional if you have them).

I went on well and I left it a few minutes to absorb before I put my foundation on (I didn’t use the Happy Light foundation with this as I wanted to test them separately). It made my skin look slightly more matte and did make my skin look more even and smoothed over my pores (to a point) and was lightweight.

After testing this primer I didn't see much difference in the longevity of my foundation and there was little to no oil control. These are the reasons that I wear a primer under my foundation so this product really didn't do anything for me - while it did minimise the appearance of some of my pores there are products that do a way better job of that (Benefit Porefessional for example) so this primer is very disappointing.
 
What Bourjois says about this primer:
Mattifies and refines pores
For normal to combination skin
Wear alone or under foundation
1 shade suits all

I agree that it refines pores and that you could wear it alone (like you could with any primer!) and that one shade suits all. But I don't think it really mattfies for that it is suitable for combinations as it doesn't work in any oily sections, maybe it would work better on normal skin.

Price
This primer is currently priced at £10.99 in Boots.
www.boots.com - Bourjois Happy Light Matte Primer

Rating
Overall I feel I have wasted my money on this one which is really disappointing as the foundation is so good. So I would give this 1/5 purely because I like the packaging.

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Instagram: hannah_price93

 

Bourjois Happy Light Foundation

Bourjois Happy Light Foundation

 

Happy Light is the newest range from Bourjois. The range is supposed to be formulated to make your skin look good in any light.

There are 4 products in the Happy Light range:
- Happy Light Foundation
- Happy Light Concealer

- Happy Light Luminous Primer
- Happy Light Matte Primer

This blog post is all about the Happy Light Foundation, to see my review on the Happy Light Matte Primer click HERE.
 

 

First Impressions

The packaging if this product in uniform with the rest of the Bourjois foundations i.e. Original Healthy Mix and 123 Perfect. 

I like the glass bottle and the pump as it looks smart and clean.

The coverage is medium (which you wouldn't expect form the name) which is good as you can sheer it out with blending or build it up for a higher coverage.

This foundation has a satin finish making it somewhere between matte and dewy, it looks really natural. I have quite oily skin and I find that this is not too dewy for me so I think it will suit most skin types skin types.

I have both the Healthy Mix foundation and the 123 Perfect foundation from Bourjous but I like this one so much more, as the Healthy Mix gets oily too quickly and the 123 Perfect doesn't last very long on me.

How Long Did It Last?
On my oily skin it lasted about 6 hours before needing a powder touch up, and even then it just looked a bit dewy (not oily), which is really good for a foundation not formulated especially for oily skin.

Colours

There are only 5 colours in the range which is pretty bad to be honest, they are also very light colours, which is good for those who have fair skin but not for those with darker and more tanned skin tones. Although I think that this is quite common for Highstreet/Drugstore foundations as none of them seem to go very far down the deeper end of the shade spectrum.

I picked it up in the shade 52 which is about right for me.

What Bourjois Say: (from www.bourjois.co.uk)

Happy Light foundation gives a luminous and flawless complexion in any light. It’s translucent  pigments correct without masking giving your complexion a flawless radiance.

Its supple texture glides smoothly onto the skin for a flawless complexion with no caking. The result is your complexion is left luminous and flawless for 16 hours in any light with an ultra-natural finish.

They also add that it gives 8 hour hydration.

I agree that this foundation does give a luminous, radiant, natural finish. It does go in well and doesn't cake, it also isn't drying on the skin.

However I don't think that it would last 16 hours as it will wear off throughout the day but when it does wear off it does it naturally and doesn't go patchy or cakey.

Price
Happy Light foundation is currently priced at £11.99 at Boots in the UK, which is a standard amount that you would pay for a Bourjois foundation.
However Bourjois is often in a 3 for 2 offer so take advantage of that when you can!
Boots.com - Happy Light Foundation

Rating
Overall I think this foundation is brilliant and I have found myself reaching for it a lot (which is saying something with the number of foundations I own). I also feel that this would truly be a great foundation for any skin type as the finish is very natural and its neither greasy or drying. I would therefore give it 4.5/5 as the colour range lets it down.

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Instagram: hannah_price93
 

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette Review

Urban Decay Naked2 Palette

Urban Decay is well known for its Naked paletts.

There are now four in the range:
- Naked
- Naked 2
- The New Naked 3
- Naked Basics

Today I am reviewing the Naked2 palette. I have already reviewed the Original Naked Palette HERE.

The packaging of the Naked2 is more robust tin over the cardboard which the Naked1 was made from. The closing mechanism is also different as this one clips shut rather than having a magnet, both of these changes are more convenient if you travel with the palette as it would withstand a few knocks around and will not open and spill the shadows everywhere.

As with the previous palette inside there are 12 beautiful neutral eye shadow shades, a brush and a mirror.

Consistent with all of the Urban Decay eye shadow these are highly pigmented and easily blendable.

This palette contains a double ended, good quality brush with one end being flat which is perfect for putting the shadow on your lid and the other being a round fluffy brush which is perfect for blending.

Here are some closer pictures of the palette:

The names of the eye shadows are as follows (L-R):
- Foxy
- Half Baked
- Bootycall
- Chopper
- Tease
- Snakebite
- Suspect
- Pistol
- Verve
- YDK
- Busted
- Blackout


In the UK you can get Urban Decay from Debenhams, House of Frasier, Beauty Bay and Look Fantastic.

I got mine from Beauty Bay because there is free delivery (yay) you also get a mini lip gloss too!
www.beautybay.com - Naked2

I think that this is definitely worth the £38 price tag. This is because they are so wearable, the quality is so good and they are very pigmented.

I would recommend this palette to anyone looking to start out in make up as the neutral palette is so diverse and you can create so many looks with it.

However I don't think that everyone needs both palettes, they are quite expensive, just pick your favourite one!

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Revlon ColourStay Foundation for Oily/Combination Skin Review

Revlon ColourStay Foundation Combination/Oily Skin

ColourStay must be the most popular foundation by Revlon as the YouTube and blogging world have been all over it since it's release.

I must admit that I was really slow on the uptake of this one and only recently bought it, even though I have really oily skin and this seems to be a holy grail product for my skin type.

 

First Impressions

My first impressions of this foundation were that the packaging in the glass bottle was good, it didn't look cheap like some drugstore foundations do, although I am disappointed that it doesn't come with a pump as I feel it is messy, unsanitary and rather wasteful if you pour it onto your hand. I also think that with the price point being £12.95, which puts it at the higher end of the drugstore range, they could have made a pump for it! 

First Application

My first time applying this foundation was awful as it caked up, was really heavy on my skin and I had also bought the wrong colour which didn't help, it just looked a mess. I had never had this from a foundation before, I really couldn't understand why people kept raving about it.

However I then looked into some of the reviews and tutorials for it and realised that with this particular foundation it was best applied with a damp sponge. Once I had learnt this I have it another go, mixing it with a slightly darker foundation to get the right colour and this time applying it with the new Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and it was brilliant, the coverage was much sheerer so you could build it up with more layers if needed and it wasn't cakey at all, the damp sponge made such a difference!

 

I have now bought the right colour and this has turned into one of my favourite foundations as it drys matte and stays put all day without getting too shiny.

How long does it last?
Even on my oily skin, I found that this foundation does last all day and still looks good. I also found that once it has set it doesn't transfer either. I also didn't need to apply extra powder.

N.B. I did use Smashbox Photo Finish Primer to give a smooth base before applying this foundation.

 

Colours

There are 9 different shades in the range which is relatively good for a drugstore foundation but like with the majority of foundations it doesn't go into the tanned or darker skin tone ranges far enough in my opinion, however it does cater to those I the range from very light to medium skin tones.

 

Price

This foundation is currently priced at £12.49 at Boots in the UK, but at the time of me writing this there is a 3 for 2 offer on the Revlon range.

Boots - Revlon ColorStay

A few words of caution...

Make sure you colour match before buying this foundation! As I mentioned I bought the wrong colour, this is because I was quite lazy and didn't test it first, I assumed that I would be the colour Ivory (or in the lightest colour in the range) as I am with many of my other foundations, however Revlon ColourStay goes into the very light skin tone range so I am actually in the shade Natural Beige which is three shades darker.

This foundation like many other long lasting ones drys very VERY quickly so I would avoid dotting it all over you face first and just apply and blend it into one section of your face at a time.

I have also read that some users of this foundation find it difficult to remove which I can understand as it is a long lasting foundation (Revlon claims it can last up to 24 hours) but I removed mine with Loreal Micellar Cleansing Water and it was fine. 
 

 

Rating

In all I think that this foundation, when applied correctly, is absolutely perfect for oily skin.
I give this foundation 4.9/5 (would have been 5/5 if there was a pump!).

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo
 

Micellar Cleansing Water

Micellar Cleansing Water

Micellar Water Cleansers are the newest craze in the beauty world and it all started off with Bioderma a short while ago.

This type of cleanser is usually advertised as gentle no-rinse cleanser and makeup remover. 

The way they work is that the cleanser removes impurities using micelles, which breaks down and dirt and makeup in your skin and you wipe these particles away with a cotton pad.

I'm not really sure if the science behind it but I did see that lots of bloggers and vloggers were raving about them so naturally I had to give one a go.

I first looked into Bioderma but at the time I couldn't get it in the UK so I looked at some other recommendations and the L'Oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution seemed to be compared to Bioderma and it was easily available I the UK go I gave it a go.

I am one of those people that loves make up wipes (even though I know how bad they are for your skin), I am just too lazy to cleanse, tone and moisturise twice a day.

So this kind of product is great for me as it removes makeup, cleanses all the grime out of your skin and tones as well.

L'Oreal say:
Swiftly dissolving all traces of make-up, the 'micellar' solution acts like a purifying magnet on the skin's surface to capture and draw out excess oil and impurities rather than spreading them around your face like some wipes can. So gentle, skin feels soothed and toned. No need to rinse or rub.
I think that this is correct as it is really gentle on your skin and leaves it feeling fresh and clean. You also do not need to rub when removing makeup, I tend to apply the solution to a cotton pad and put it over my eyes for a few seconds and swipe all my makeup off, I also removes waterproof mascara you just need to leave the cotton pad on your eyes a bit longer.

The only think that I do not like is that it is quite drying even on my oily skin but I just moisturise straight after and its fine.

Overall I would recommend this product for all the lazy people put there like me as it works really well and this is better than using make up remover wipes.

This particular Micellar water is also really quite cheap compared to other ones as you can currently get a 200ml bottle at Boots for £4.99.
http://www.boots.com/en/LOreal-Paris-Skin-Perfection-3-in-1-Purifying-Micellar-Solution-200ml_1299734/ 

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

 

NEW Rimmel Colour Rush Balms | Review and Swatches

Rimmel Colour Rush Balm

Although a bit late, Rimmel have jumped on the Lip Crayon bandwagon and brought out the Colour Rush range.

 
These may look the same as the Bourjois Colour Boost or Clinique Chubby Stick but these beauties are very different.

Firstly they smell like vanilla cupcakes, yum! They are also the most like a lipstick.
They go on glossy but throughout the day the gloss wears off to leave a pretty stain - to look like a lipstick.

 
These balms are moisturising and are very pigmented, especially the darker, more intense shades.

Colour Rush also last ages, I wore the red one out shopping and I only had to touch up once after eating. Other than that it lasted all day!

 L-R: Give Me A Cuddle, Not an Illusion, Rumour Has It and The Redder The Better

There are seven different shades in the range but I picked up 4, and their names are awesome.

 
Give Me A Cuddle is the first one that I bought (that's why the writing has worn off a bit). I was attracted by the bright baby pink colour and I thought it would look great with an neutral eye.

 
Not An Illusion is the most neutral shade that I bought it is a slightly deeper, more rich natural lip shade. I think this is the most wearable of the ones I bought as it is quite 'safe' and would suit all skin tones.

 

 
Rumour Has It is a beautiful raspberry colour that is great for Autumn/Fall. I think that this would also be a great day to evening lip colour as it look good in the day with a simple eye makeup look and they look glam in the evening with a more smoky eye.

 

 
The Redder The Better is a deep red shade, I wear this with lots of mascara and maybe a little gel liner in my top eyelid. As someone who doesn't normally wear red lipstick it was a bit is a shock to see it on me but after getting used to it it makes one hell of an impact.

Swatches:
L-R: Give Me A Cuddle, Not an Illusion, Rumour Has It and The Redder The Better

Overall I would highly recommend this range as the range of colours is great, the pigmentation is great, the lasting power is great, the smell is great everything is great!

The price is also great, this range is currently priced at £5.99 each at Boots.
http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-London-Colour-Rush-Balm_1376503/

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Instagram: hannah_price

Huge October Makeup Haul

October Makeup Haul

I have a little (ok massive) makeup haul for you. At the end of September I got paid from my full time job and I went a little bit crazy, I have bought lots of things from Fragrance Direct, Boots and Superdrug. So I thought I would show you what I bought. I haven't used all of it yet but once I have I will be reviewing some of them on here.
 
So lets get started!
 
Revlon Colour Stay Foundation - Fragrance Direct £6.99

 
Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation (Original Formula) - Fragrance Direct £2.99

 
Loreal Matte Magique Foundation - Fragrance Direct £5.99

 
Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Compact Foundation - Fragrance Direct £3.99

 
Maybelline Dream Matte Powder - Fragrance Direct £2.99

 
Revlon Powder Blush in Tawny Peach - Boots £7.99

 
Maybelline Pure-Liquid Mineral Foundation - Fragrance Direct £3.50

 
Sleek Blush in Pixie Pink - Superdrug £4.49

 

 
Rimmel Scandaleyes Eyeliner in Bronze - Superdrug £3.99

 

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 07 - Superdrug £4.49

 

 

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Instagram: hannah_price93

September Favourites

My Makeup Favourites from September

Hello October, where did you sneak up from. Now Summer really has gone.

Anyway, now for my September favourites!

 

My first favourite product that I have been using and loving throughout September is a new purchase, it is the New Rimmel Stay Matte Mousse Foundation.

This stuff is bloody brilliant if you have oily skin as it stays put all day and looks flawless. It is also really really inexpensive too!

 

My next favourite is an eyeshadow pallet, it is the Sleek pallet in Au Natural. It is pretty much a cheaper version of the Urban Decay Naked Pallets but the quality and colour pay-off is great. I have a couple of the Sleek pallets and this one is my favourite as it is so wearable, has matte and shimmery shades and it's only about £10.

 

My next favourite is a blusher that is also from Sleek, this one is in the colour Coral. It is literally all I have been wearing this month as I think it is beautiful. It has a slight shimmer which gives your cheeks dimension rather than it being matte. It is also quite versatile as you can use it lightly for a sweet and pretty look or build it up for evening glam. I also like that the Sleek products have a handy mirror in the lid.

 

Maybelline's Gel Eyeliner is my next favourite. It is the only eyeliner I really use because it stays put all day (even on my oily lids) and is so black, not a washed out kind of black like some liquid eyeliners. You can also use it on your waterline and it stays there too! It also lasts ages to, I've had the same pot for about 6 months and there's over half of it left. After I bought it I saw that other people were comparing it to the one from Mac and Bobbi Brown and saying it was just as good, and it's way less money. Although Gel eyeliner may be scary if you haven't used one before but practice makes perfect and it really is worth it. I also picked it up in brown too for a more natural look.

My favourite lipstick this month is Rimmel Kate Moss in 03 because it is just the best nude lipstick, its only about £5 and it lasts for ages.

My last favourite is a brush by Real Techniques. Its the Expert Face Brush which I use to apply my foundation and sometimes blend in my concealer too. Compared to this, normal foundation brushes and sponges are rubbish, It is definitely worth the hype! I have a few of the Real Techniques brushes and this one is definitely the best and there isn't anything really like it around. After using this I don't think that I could go back to using another brush or a makeup sponge - it is that good!

Those are all my favourites for the month of September!
What have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments or leave a link to your blog and I'll check it out.

Thanks for reading!

Love Hannah xoxo

Instagram: hannah_price93