In Flight Beauty: My Skin Care Essentials

In Flight Beauty: My Skin Care Essentials

Tuesday 30 August 2016

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This may seem a little OTT, especially as the flight to Bulgaria isn't long, 3 hours if that. But me and my skin have finally reached a tentative truce, it won't break out in billions of juicy cystic spots and blackheads if I treat it right. So for my very short haul flight I wanted to keep my skin happy, well hydrated and protect it from 3 hours of air conditioning, these are all the odds and ends that helped me do that.

Simple Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Wipes - £4.19 (currently on offer for 3 for £5) in Boots

The first thing I like to do on a flight is take all my make up off, especially if it's an evening flight, which ours were, there and back. So I needed something that would take all my make up off without me having to faff about with cotton pads and cleansers. Enter Simple's Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Wipes. Now I'm really not a big fan of face wipes, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a beauty blogger who is, but these micellar wipes are a whole different ball game. Simple wipes in general are the only face wipes I tend to use, because they are really good, but the micellar ones are my favourite. Soaked in Simple's micellar water, incidentally my favourite high street micellar water, they're alcohol and oil free and really kind on the skin. They're really gentle but remove make up, including waterproof mascara, absolutely effortlessly and leave the skin feeling clean and fresh. I love these. 

Pixi by Petra Hydrating Milky Mist - £18.00 from Cultbeauty

Pixi's Hydrating Milky Mist is one of my favourite facial sprays and an absolute essential when flying. As the mist is essentially a liquid moisturiser I was mainly using it to inject a bit of moisture back into my skin throughout the flight, effectively giving my skin a double dose of hydration to combat the air conditioning. With an ingredients list that boasts black oat, hyaluronic acid and pro-vitamin a to soothe the skin and encourage it to retain moisture, the fine mist is light and refreshing but provides intense hydration, leaving my skin feeling soothed and nourished. Trust me you need this in your travel bag.

REN Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream -  £28.00 from Ren Skincare

This teeny tiny tube of REN's Evercalm Global Protection Day Cream was an absolute life saver. Formulated specifically for sensitive skin this nifty little moisturiser is quite the multi-tasker. It soothes and calms the skin, protects from irritants and inflammation whilst also moisturising and protecting the skin from free radicals and environmental factors. The light cream is fast absorbing and left my skin feeling nourished and refreshed. I'll definitely be picking up the full size when I run out.

Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm with Pink Grapefruit - £3.69 from Boots

The idea of having to stick my finger into a pot of Carmex becomes really unappealing when I'm on a flight, surrounded by at least 100 other people and their collective germs and bacteria, and the collective germs/bacteria of the hundreds of previous passengers. Luckily Burt and his hive of Bees provide the solution to this problem. Pink Grapefruit is one of my absolute favourite lip balms, because it is super moisturising, smells incredible and comes in a tube so is more hygienic then my beloved pot of Snoopy Carmex.

Garnier Intensive 7 Days Restoring Hand Cream - £2.99 from Superdrug

It's no secret that I have OCD and really struggle with my hands, especially when I'm in situations I'm not exactly comfortable with, like flying for example. When I over do it with washing or hand sanitiser my hands get really dry and sore, this is the only hand cream I've come across that intensely conditions and protects my hands from my hand sanitiser happy ways. It's fast absorbing, so it doesn't leave my mitts feeling greasy, which I absolutely hate, and even lasts after washing. It's fantastic and saves me from myself a little bit.

Tesco Pro Formula Cleansing Hand Wipes and Antibacterial Hand Gel -  both 75p from Tesco

Speaking of my hands there was absolutely no way I was getting on a plane without my trusty anti-bac wipes and a bottle of hand gel. I like to use the wipes as much as I can as they are much gentler on the skin than hand sanitiser. I also like to have them with me so I can give my seat a quick once over before take off, although it has to be said you do get some funny looks. The hand sanitiser is fairly standard, it contains alcohol so is very drying on the skin but it does get rid of any nasties and contains aloe vera extract to help combat some of the dryness.

I also had floss, hairbands, a clip and chewing gum with me, because no one wants unruly hair and bad breath now do they?

What are your in flight essentials? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

My Top 8 Lip Products from the High Street

My Top 8 Lip Products from the High Street

Sunday 28 August 2016

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l - r: L'Oréal Privee Color Riche Lipstick in Julianne's Perfect Nude, Revlon Color Burst Balm Stain in Honey, Primark PS... Velvet Matte Lipstick Crayon in Nude, Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipstick in Pommie Girl, Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Olé Flamingo and Hot Pepper, Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in Red Essential 

I love lipstick! So much so that I couldn't limit myself to just the 5, instead you're being treated to a Top 8 you lucky things! When it comes to lipstick I prefer my finishes matte, the formulas liquid and the pigmentation bold, on point and long lasting to boot. Every now and then, however, I like to shake things up a bit with more sheer formulas or pinky nude tones. So this is more of a comprehensive lip wardrobe from the high street, with everything from the sheerest nudes to the deepest berry shades. Enjoy!

L'Oréal Privee Color Riche Lipstick in Julianne's Perfect Nude - £6.99 from Superdrug

This isn't just Julianne's perfect nude, it's mine too! I'm not normally one for nude lipstick, bright matte bolds are way more my thing,  but this is dreamy!  It's not a nude nude, it's a really pretty, rosy pink with a moisturising formula and a sheer finish. It has decent colour pay off and it smells amazing, just like parma violets. It isn't the most long wearing of beasts, and it doesn't tend to stick around for long if food or drink is involved, but it is the most beautiful nude pink that I've come across. I'm on my third tube of the stuff and I completely love it.

Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain in Honey - £7.99 from Boots

Revlon's ColorBurst Balm Stains are perfect for low maintenance glossy lips, as they're a hybrid between a lip gloss and a super moisturising lip balm. Personally I think they're the perfect lip crayon to chuck in your bag for easy on the go application. I have quite a few from the range but Honey is my absolute favourite for everyday. The colour is a lovely mauve toned dusky pink and it has nice pigmentation, so it can be worn really sheer for something quite subtle or can be built up for more of a medium coverage. It also smells like peppermint and feels really cooling on the lips. It's always in my handbag.

Primark PS... Velvet Matte Lipstick Crayon in Nude - £2.00 from Primark

At just £2.00, from good ol' Primark,  this lip crayon is the cheapest offering on the table. Normally I would find such a low price tag off putting but this is really good. Like really, really good. It's a  lovely peachy nude with a matte finish and a good formula. It's buttery, reasonably long lasting and applies like an absolute dream. Primark's make up line is a bit hit and a miss but there are definitely some gems hidden away in there, and this one of them.

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lipstick in Pommie Girl - £9.00 from Boots

One of my absolute favourite lipsticks is Soap & Glory's Super Colour Fabulipstick Matte Lipstick in Pom Pom which was, annoyingly, discontinued a while back... luckily S&G have since released Pommie Girl, which is identical. It's a deep pink with plummy undertones that looks absolutely stunning on. It's matte in finish,  and does tend towards the drier side of things, however I've found that applying lip balm about 15 minutes beforehand solves this problem. It lasts ages, it's beautiful and that dreamy packaging though! I'm so glad they didn't get rid of it completely. 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Olé Flamingo! and Hot Pepper - £8.99 from Boots

I've sung the praises of the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets time and time again. They are the best liquid lipsticks on the high street, and my liquid lip of choice for a night on the town. They're pigmented, super comfortable to wear and last hours. They rarely need touching up and, though I've never tested it I definitely think they could last a full 24 hours, although I don't why you'd ever need them too. I love these lipsticks.

Maybelline Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencil in Red Essential - £4.99 from Boots

Maybelline's Color Drama Intense Velvet Lip Pencils are right up there with some of my very favourite lipsticks. A pretty spot on dupe for Nars' Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, the formula is matte yet creamy and comfortable to wear and it is insanely long lasting. Red Essential is a classic blue toned red - every lip wardrobe needs one! - and it's beautiful.

Rimmel Kate Matte Lipstick in #107 - £5.49 from Boots

Rimmel's #107 is a high street classic! It looks intimidating in the bullet but it's actually a super wearable deep purple with just a hint of red in it. It has a matte finish and seriously incredible longevity. It lasts hours! It rarely needs touching up, only after eating and barely even then. When autumn, my favourite season, rolls around this is the only lipstick to grace my lips because it's the perfect autumnal berry shade and one of my absolute favourite lipsticks.

What's your favourite high street lipstick? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

5 Songs Guaranteed to Keep Me Motivated at the Gym

5 Songs Guaranteed to Keep Me Motivated at the Gym

Friday 12 August 2016

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Over the past couple of weeks I've been hitting the gym. Hard! But don't worry it's been hitting me back harder! So far I've learnt that weight training is my friend, it hurts but only for a little bit. Apart from Hip Abduction and Hip Adduction, which I hate and have nicknamed the Slut Machines, other than that I can handle it. Whereas cardio is the actual worst! It sucks! But I'm always so proud when I've done it because I really, really don't like doing it and it's really hard. I have a theory that 1 minute of cardio equals 20 minutes in real time! So I've made a playlist to keep me on the crosstrainer or treadmill for an extra 5 minutes. 

Ain't Talking 'Bout Love by Van Halen

You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC

Poison by Alice Cooper

All Night Long by Rainbow

Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

Now these probably won't work for everyone, unless you're a fan of Dad music, but for me they're the songs that keep me going when all I want to do is fall to the floor in a sweaty, tearful puddle.

What are your favourite songs to work out too? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

My Top 5 Concealers from the High Street

My Top 5 Concealers from the High Street

Tuesday 9 August 2016

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l-r: Primark PS Concealer, Maybelline Fit Me Concealer, L'Oréal True Match Concealer, Seventeen Phwoarr Paint & Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. 

Concealer is one of my favourite products, if you get the right one, it will cover what you want covered, without caking or bunching up, while still allowing the skin to breath. To be honest it's a tall order to find a really good concealer, and even harder to find one with a reasonable price tag. Luckily I've done all the hard work for you. Here's my Top 5 Concealers from the High Street. Enjoy!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 - £5.99 from Boots

Maybelline's Fit Me concealer is probably my favourite concealer. It gives the best natural looking medium to high coverage. It doesn't crease or cake but applies smoothly and blends flawlessly into the skin. I've gone through three tubes of the stuff now and I love it more and more with each application. It's a really, really good concealer.

Primark PS Concealer in Light - £0.80 from Primark

This concealer is epic. It's very similar to Seventeen's Phwoarr Paint, which is another favourite, in the fact that they are both very creamy and incredibly covering but this one's not quite as high coverage, feels lighter and allows the skin to breathe. It's one of my favourites for this very reason and at 80p, yep it really does cost less than a pound, it's an absolute steal.

L'Oréal True Match Concealer in Natural Beige - £6.99 from Boots

This is very similar to Maybelline's Fit Me concealer as it gives really good, natural looking coverage. It's very creamy but long lasting and blends seamlessly into the skin, leaving behind a flawless finish. I really like it, it's a really good concealer that does a little bit of everything: covers, conceals, highlights, all that good stuff! 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair - £4.19 from Boots

Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer is a cult classic among UK beauty bloggers, and for good reason, it is seriously good stuff. It covers everything! It blends beautifully and it is so long-lasting. Now it does have the tendency to cake if you use too much and it can crease if you don't set it, but these are minor issues which the longevity and flawless high coverage more than make up for. I like to use Fair, the lightest shade, to highlight my under eye area and then use Cool Medium on any blemishes or redness. It is so awesome. 

Seventeen Phwoarr Paint Heavy Duty Under Eye Concealer

Designed to conceal under eye baggage and dark circles this creamy concealer from Seventeen is a firm favourite of mine and one of my most used products, I think I'm on my fourth pan now. It has a creamy, waxy consistency that needs to be warmed between the fingers before use, once it's been worked into the skin it provides flawless coverage. I even use it to cover particularly juicy spots. It is quite thick so I prefer to use it before applying my foundation, as I've found this gives the most natural finish. Love it.

What's your favourite concealer? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

The Best Burger I've Ever Had...

The Best Burger I've Ever Had...

Sunday 7 August 2016

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I was going to tell you all about my week and how I've been eating really healthily and going to the gym everyday - sidenote: cardio is HARD! - but then last night something happened that needed to be shared with you. Last night I had the best burger I have ever eaten. It was sensational. Healthy eating be damned! 

Yesterday night me and my family went to Lambert's Grill,  an American-style Diner that specialises in the most amazing burgers. Their aim is to 'deliver the ultimate burger experience' and man do they live up to that promise. They are incredible! The burgers are made from Aberdeen Angus Beef and are prepared on site, fresh everyday and cooked to order. 

I had the Royale with Cheese, which was a 5oz burger with cheese, red onions, gherkins, tomatoes, lettuce, ketchup, mustard and special sauce, served on a brioche bun. You order the sides separately so I had double dipped fries and home made slaw.  My mum and sister had Angry Burgers, which come with cream cheese, jalopeños, tomatoes and red onion, with halloumi fries, which were incredible. Everything was delicious and my nephew even ordered another burger because he liked it so much. 

Not only is the food amazing but Lambert's Grill has a really nice atmosphere, with loads of nerdy, pop-culture references dotted around the place, which I loved! There was a Dalek and a Darth Vader bobble head on our table and a huge black and white painting of Samuel L. Jackson, eating a burger, from Pulp Fiction on the wall. The staff were nice, they had good music on and it was family friendly, with a load of colouring books, toys and games for kids, which is really good because we had two kids under 10 with us. My hometown has a load of crappy chain restaurants,  but there's not a lot of nice, independent places to eat, so it's really nice to see places like this cropping up. 

If you're in the Stevenage area then you need to go to Lambert's Grill. All their contact information can be found on their facebook page here

Where was the best burger you've ever had? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

*Disclaimer* This is NOT a sponsored post, I was not paid anything to write this and the owner's  of Lambert's Grill are not aware that I have written it. All opinions and views expressed are entirely my own. I apologise if this posts offends any vegans or vegetarians.

July Favourites 2016

July Favourites 2016

Thursday 4 August 2016

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July has just flown by in a blur of sunshine, barbecues, birthdays, - my nephew's, my sister's, my younger step-sister's, my sister in law's, my older step-sister's and my brother's! So many! - and no make up days, because really who wants to wear make up when they're all hot and sweaty?! Not me. Because I've been avoiding make up on sunny days this month's favourites post is gonna be quite short and sweet. So let's get to it. 

OPI Fearlessly Alice - £9.50 from BeautyBay

I can never resist a blue nail polish, especially when it is this pretty! Fearlessly Alice is part of OPI's Alice Through the Looking Glass collection, and is basically everything I love wrapped up in one single perfect nail polish. Seriously! I love Alice in Wonderland, I love blue nail polish, I adore OPI and the word Fearless is also significant to me - read my Fearless posts here, here & here - it's like it was made just for me! Fearlessly Alice is a bright, beautiful, cerulean blue that has been gracing my toes and tips ever since I bought it. It's a creme paint that applies smoothly, gives decent coverage and has a high-gloss finish. The wear time is not great, but I've found that this is quite common with OPI nail polishes so I'm not too fussed about that.

Carmex Snoopy Edition Classic Lip Balm - £1.99 from Superdrug

I've had really dry lips for the past couple of weeks and nothing was working, not even Blistex's Relief Cream, which is usually my go to for when my lips are sore. Now I'll be honest I was totally drawn in by the ridiculously cute Snoopy packaging, because it's Snoopy and it's adorable!, and wasn't actually expecting it to make any difference. I was wrong. Normally I'm not a fan of petroleum based lip balms but this really does lock in a lot moisture, and is formulated to heal and soothe chapped lips almost instantly as it is so fast-acting. I wasn't expecting to love it, but I really do.

Sleek Solstice Highlighting Palette - £9.99 from Boots

I raved about this last week in a Sleek Haul post (read it here), so I won't go into too much detail here for fear of repeating myself and boring you all. This is one of the prettiest palettes I own, it's so beautiful! Solstice is made up of four highlighting shades: a cream, two shimmer powders and a baked powder, it's a really versatile little palette, with everything for a subtle shimmer to a more dramatic highlight. I've been using it so much, because it really is gorgeous but also super wearable. I was initially really intimidated by Hemisphere, which is a frosty lilac, but it blends out beautifully into a silvery white. I particularly love Ecliptic, which is the cream finish, as it is a stunning champagne colour that adds a subtle radiance to the skin that is still noticeable but not too in your face. If you're into highlighters in a big way then you need this palette!

Nivea Men Sensitive Cooling Post-Shave Balm - £5.35 from Boots

Again I've raved about this in a previous post (read it here) so I won't bore you with the details. I've been using this everyday as a primer and it is seriously good stuff. I'm serious, it works wonders. It feels very cool and soothing on the skin and with glycerin as an active ingredient, it gives make up a tacky base to stick to, giving it some real lasting power. If you haven't tried this yet then you need to, because the hype is there for a reason. I love it.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil  - £85 from Cultbeauty

With an eye watering price tag you would expect this stuff to work skin care miracles. Luckily it does. My skin and I have had our ups and downs over the past two years, except there have been way more downs than ups. Since using Luna my skin seems to have turned a corner, *touches wood*, and is looking the best it has in a really long time. Luna is a night-time retinol treatment that fights signs of ageing and visibly reduces the appearance of acne. I've been using it once or twice a week when my skin has been feeling dry and congested and it has made all the difference. It's amazing, and I am so gutted because £85 is a, quite frankly, ridiculous price tag. Oh well.

Jeffree Star - watch his youtube channel here

I'm not gonna weigh in on the controversy surrounding this particular YouTube star. I just like his videos. He does the fiercest make up looks, knows so much about make up and makes me laugh with his hilarious, over the top reactions.

Community - streaming on Netflix

After I finished watching Orange is the New Black I was at a bit of a loss as to what to watch next. I know the entire internet is going crazy for Stranger Things and I will get round to it,  but I wanted something more lighthearted and funny and easily watchable. Community is all of those things. To sum up Community is about Jeff, a lawyer who faked his Bachelors degree and gets caught, so has to go back to college to get his degree. In his first week he meets Britta in his Spanish class and they form a study group. I've been watching it non-stop because it is tears rolling down my face, stomach hurting from laughing so much, funny. If you liked The US Office and Parks and Rec you'll love this. It's ridiculous but brilliant. Plus Troy and Abed are EVERYTHING!

What are your July Favourites? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx

My Top 5 Foundations from the High Street

My Top 5 Foundations from the High Street

Tuesday 2 August 2016

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l-r: Soap & Glory One Heck of  a Blot Foundation, Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream, L'Oréal True Match Foundation, Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Powerless Foundation and Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation. 

Foundation is literally called foundation because it is the base on which we build our entire face! So to say foundation is important is a huge understatement. Luckily, for those of us on a budget, when it comes to foundation the high street does it really well. Really, really well. It was quite hard narrowing my top picks down to just the 5, I can see a Top 10 post coming up in the future, but for now lovely people here are my top 5 high street/drug store foundations.

L'Oréal Paris True Match Foundation in Rose Ivory - £9.99 from Boots

L'Oréal's True Match is my absolute favourite foundation. I've talked about this stuff so much, but it's because I love it so much! This foundation, even after it's reformulation, is amazing. It's my go to foundation for a night out because it is long lasting, has a beautifully natural, your skin but better kind of finish and it gives excellent, non-cakey coverage. If you're just getting in to make up, than this foundation, in my opinion, is the best on the high street, plus it has a really good shade range and a reasonable price point. I love it so much. 

Bourjois 123 Perfect CC Cream in Ivory- £9.99 from Boots

I bought this for the express purpose of testing it out for this post and honestly, I didn't have a lot of faith in it. I usually avoid CC Creams like the plague, because they just don't have the coverage I need BUT this one does. It is very lightweight, but gives medium coverage that can be built up in to something more full without feeling heavy,  and it still allows the skin to breath. It's become one of my favourite foundations, especially for summertime, because it feels absolutely gorgeous on the skin. The formula is lovely too, combining skin care benefits with the coverage of foundation. It contains 3 pigments to colour correct the skin, Apricot: to cover dark circles and hide signs of fatigue, Green: for redness and White: to brighten. It has a  very liquid-y formula, that buffs flawlessly into the skin in seconds, and it comes in a squeezy tube making it ideal for travelling. For something I had no faith in I am incredibly impressed. Love it, seriously love it. 

Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Foundation in 105 - £5.99 from Boots

Again, this is another recent purchase but it's so good that it's already been a favourite. It's a matte foundation that has a really gorgeous luminosity to it, it looks very fresh on the skin, and it's also quite hydrating and has excellent wear time. I've even worn it to the gym - Sidenote: I don't usually wear make up to the gym but my new personal trainer is incredibly handsome, so I have to make an effort! Obviously! - and it still looked good after I'd worked out. I've been using it so much because it's awesome!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation in Ivory - £7.99 from Boots

This one is an oldie but a goodie. I love Rimmel foundations - shout out to Match Perfection, which is also amazing! - The Lasting Finish Nude Foundation just pips it to the post due to it's natural, dewy finish, medium coverage and  longevity on the skin. It lasts a really long time, and it looks good too. It covers what needs to be covered, whilst still looking really natural on the skin and adds a decent amount of dewiness without being too in your face. Definitely give this one a try, because at £7.99 it's an absolute steal.  

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot All Day Liquid to Powder Foundation in Cool Sand - £12.00 from Boots

This offering from Soap & Glory is another recent purchase that has become a firm favourite of mine, and earned it's place on my dressing table. It's a liquid to powder foundation meaning that it has amazing longevity. As the name suggests, it stays in place all day! No movement, no patchiness, nothing. Once it's on, it's on for the long haul. Again it's a matte foundation, I do love mattes! Now a lot of matte foundations have the tendency to be flat and mask-like once applied, but this actually looks really bright and radiant on the skin, and it gives amazing coverage. The only complaint I have is that the shade range is limited to 4 shades, so there is not really much in there for those with darker skin tones. I fall between Fair Enough and Cool Sand, the two lightest shades, with Cool Sand being just a tad too dark for me, although it's not nearly as dark as it looks in the picture. Having said that I think it's a really good foundation, especially if you have normal to oily skin. If you have really, really dry skin then you should probably steer clear because it will dry you out further. Personally I have sensitive skin which can get quite dry, especially this time of year, and I haven't had any problems with it so far. It's just a really nice, high coverage foundation. Love it.

What are your favourite drugstore foundations? Let me know by commenting below, on twitter, or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat -search lolarocknroses - & pinterest for regular updates.

Love love love xxx