Some High Street Skincare Loves

Some High Street Skincare Loves

Thursday, 21 September 2017

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Skincare might be my one true love. Really. I love it. Truly, madly, deeply. It's my thing. Once upon a time my thing was all of the lipstick. Now it's skincare, although I do still love lipstick. 

The Ride or Die Beauty Tag

The Ride or Die Beauty Tag

Thursday, 29 September 2016

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The Ride or Die Beauty Tag has been making the rounds on the internet for the past couple of weeks now and I figured it was high time I joined the conversation. If I lost all my make up and skin care in a freak make up catastrophe, admittedly it's unlikely, but if I did then my debit card would take a walloping, because there are just some things that would need to be replaced immediately! These are the true beauty loves of my life, the things I cannot, nay refuse, to live without. We're not messing around here.

MAC Matte Lipstick in Mehr £15.50 from MAC

Mehr is my ultimate favourite lipstick. A rosy nude with plummy undertones, it's very flattering, it looks good on everyone and it's really low maintenance, due to the amazing formula and the long lasting matte finish. It's the best lipstick ever.

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner - £13 from Cult Beauty

For a long time I stopped wearing liquid eyeliner, I'm not really sure why, but then I fell in love with this incredible long lasting, pigmented, waterproof babe of an eyeliner. It's perfect! It has an impossibly fine nib that makes for really clean and precise lines so it applies beautifully. It doesn't drag the lid, it doesn't skip or smudge or flake or crumble, it stays in place all day. I love it!

MAC Powder Blush in Dame - £18.50 from MAC

Dame is the first MAC product I ever bought. I got it in the MAC store in Times Square 4 years ago, and to this day I've never found a blusher I like as much. It is stunning! A cool toned pink with a satin finish, it adds a subtle, but noticeable, healthy rosy glow to the skin, and is especially flattering on pale complexions. It's pigmented, it has amazing colour pay off, it's buttery soft and smooth and it applies like a dream. It's the perfect everyday blush, and I can say that as a fact because I did wear it everyday for 3 and a half years, and now I have a new one I'll probably do it again.

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

I haven't found a foundation, high end or high street, to match this one. Even after it's reformulation last year it's still my favourite and has been for nearly 10 years. It gives excellent coverage, has a natural skin-like finish and is basically a good skin day in a bottle. 'Nuff said.

Urban Decay's The Naked Palette - £38.50 from Urban Decay

I love a neutral eyeshadow palette, I have a lot of them, but nothing beats the original Naked palette. It's my most used eyeshadow palette ever,  I've used it pretty much everyday for the past year and it's still going strong. I really love it, it has an amazing shade range and the shadows themselves are really blendable and buttery soft, aside from a small amount of fall out and the hideous fuzzy packaging, I really can't fault it. It is gorgeous!

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara - £7.99 from Boots

After years and years of searching I've finally found the perfect mascara, and the best part is that it's only £7.99, well that and it is amazing! The formula is a true black, it's really long lasting but not a nightmare to remove, it doesn't flake or smudge and the curved rubber wand does everything. It lengthens, defines, volumises, separates, lifts and gives me lashes for days. You put this on and it's like BOOM! Lashes!

Beauty Blender - £16.00 from Beauty Blender

If I had to sacrifice all my make up brushes and keep only one tool for applying make up, this would be it. This humble, egg shaped sponge is a make up game changer and I would be lost without it. I have tried a ton of Beauty Blender dupes but they just don't compare. I've found them to be a lot denser and heavier, and no where near as soft or effective. The Beauty Blender is amazing, I use it every single day because it does everything. I use it for foundation, concealer, blusher, contouring, bronzer... the list goes on and on, but I particularly like it for sheering out make up where I've been a bit heavy handed and it's amazing for making everything look really natural and dewy.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel - £29.50 from Cult Beauty

Before this miracle bottle of epicness entered my life my skin was in a sorry state indeed. From the moment I started using this my skin has been on the upswing and the acne I was suffering from, for nearly two years, has all but disappeared. If I don't use this for a couple of days I instantly see the difference in my skin. My skin doesn't feel as clean, it feels really dry and a break out is inevitable. This just seems to keep my skin really balanced so I don't break out and it feels really nice. It also removes make up quickly and easily, with minimal effort. I love it, I love it so much.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil - £85 from Cult Beauty

Another skin care item that has helped to dramatically improve the appearance of my skin. It's a retinol oil so is excellent for treating acne and signs of ageing. I don't use Luna everyday, because another bottle will set me back £85, so I live in fear of the day I run out. But, again, if this was taken from me the first thing I would do is drop the best part of £100 on another bottle, because it is that darn good! Luna is reserved for days when my skin is congested, or breaking out, and needs a little love. I apply 2 drops of this to my face before going to sleep and wake up with a guaranteed good skin day. Obsessed!

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion - £13 from Beauty Bay

I forgot to put this in the photo! Argh! Anyway... let's get past it. I love Mario Badescu's skincare in general, the Rosewater Facial Spray is another firm favourite of mine, but this is definitely one a hero product and my favourite item of skin care ever! Because it actually works! When my skin was at its very worst I was using this every night to reduce the appearance of spots and cystic acne. You pop this on any spots before you go to sleep and then in the morning it's worked it's magic, and the appearance of spots is significantly reduced, if not gone completely. It's amazing.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown - £15 from Cult Beauty

We all have one eyebrow that is perfect and one that's letting the team down, and we all have a favourite brow product to fix this. ABH's Dipbrow Pomade is mine, it's brilliant. It's a waxy mousse that shapes and defines my brows and covers any sparseness while still looking really natural. I use it every single day and you only need the tiniest little bit to get perfect brows, so it lasts ages too. Love it.

So there were definitely a few more products than I thought, I've added it all up and I would need a spare £261.98 just in case all my faves go missing... eeep.

What are your Ride or Die Beauty favourites? Let me know by commenting below - I always reply so check back -, 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

What's in My Travel Make Up Bag?

What's in My Travel Make Up Bag?

Saturday, 3 September 2016

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l-r: Look Good Feel Better Blending Brush, Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush, RT Angled Highlighter Brush, RT Duo-Fibre Face Brush, RT Brow Brush, Unbranded Flat Eyeshadow Brush, Unbranded Concealer Brush, RT Stippling Brush & RT Multi

When it comes to packing make up I am a maximalist, more is more! In my mind it's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it - having said that even I was shocked when I realised I took 10 make up brushes, plus a beauty blender away with me! - Anyway it turns out I didn't really need it, because I ended up wearing make up maybe twice in the week I was away. Other than suncream, I use the La Roche Posay 50 +Antihelios XL just fyi, I really didn't put much on my face. Even though I didn't use it very much I still thought you guys might like a peek inside my travel make up bag.

Becca Backlight Priming Filter - £32 from Space NK

I'm really glad I took this away with me because I ended up using it the most out of everything, to make the most of my *ahem* tan. I've found that the best way to apply it is by dotting it on to the skin and then blending out with a beauty blender. It gives some serious glow! It adds a really beautiful luminescence to the skin without highlighting pores and imperfections. Some days I even wore this as my base with just a bit of concealer and it worked really well. I have a new found appreciation for this stuff. It's gorgeous.

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

I actually took two foundations with me, this and Maybelline's Fit Me Matte and Poreless Foundation but I really didn't need to, as the CC Cream was more than enough, and I barely touched the stuff anyway. I'll go ahead and say that Bourjois's 123 Perfect CC Cream is the ideal foundation to take away with you, especially if you're off to sunnier climes, as the coverage is there but it is very light weight. It doesn't feel heavy or thick on the skin at all and applies beautifully, plus it's packaged in a plastic squeezy tube making it very travel friendly. To be honest all the same things could be said about the Maybelline foundation but I used the CC Cream more.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair & Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 10 Fair - £4.19/£5.99 from Boots here and here

I like to use the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer to cover my under eye baggage, as it is such a light shade and really brightens the whole under eye area. You do have to be careful though because it has a really creamy formula so does tend to crease if not set with powder. It's very covering and stopped me looking completely knackered on the days that I could be bothered to apply it. I took the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer as a more of a multipurpose concealer, as it has good coverage but is not as heavy as the Collection one. I used this all over my face to cover any blemishes or redness and it works a treat.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Lash Multiplying Mascara - £7.99 from Boots

I've been using this mascara, pretty much constantly, over the past year and I have reached the conclusion that it's my favourite mascara ever. So when I was packing my make up bag this was the first thing to go in. The curved rubber brush gives me really long, defined, voluminous lashes, the formula is a true black and isn't a total bitch to remove and, in my opinion, it's pretty much perfect.

MAC Burgundy Times Nine Eyeshadow Palette - £25 from MAC

This tiny little gem of a palette is incredible. It is so travel friendly because it's so tiny, but contains a whopping nine mini eyeshadows. The shadows themselves are pigmented, as soft as butter and blend beautifully. It's also amazingly versatile, with everything from deep plum shades to mauve toned neutrals and even a pale gold-y peach. I mostly just used Honey Lust - the peachy gold - as a wash of colour all over the lid, just to give my lids a little somethin' somethin', but it has everything you need for a burgundy smokey eye. It's lovely. 

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Hot Pepper - £8.99 from Boots 

For bold lips there is nothing better, high end or high street, than Bourjois's Rouge Edition Velvet Liquid Lipsticks. I won't bore with you the details because I have so many times before. Hot Pepper is my go to red for an evening out because it stays in place for hours, the formula is bouncy and gel like so is super comfortable to wear and it has incredible pigmentation. They even stay in place when eating or drinking. I didn't wear it once while I was away but it is still one of my absolute favourite liquid lips. I have nearly the whole collection, but Hot Pepper is a firm favourite. 

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

Again this is another old favourite of mine and I have gone on and on about it's pinky, rosy nude awesomeness more times than I could shake a stick at it. But it is amazing, so I'll just bore you with the deats one more time. It is the most amazing, effortless nude lipstick, and even though I hate the phrase your lips but better that is the best way to describe it. It smells amazing and it's incredibly moisturising, this does mean that it does need to be reapplied a few times throughout the course of the day but nothing major. I really love it and I wore it loads on holiday.

Still Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner - £13.00 from Boots

I really don't know why I took this on holiday, because I didn't use it once. No one wants to faff around trying to get their wings even when it's so hot outside now do they? Having said that this is my absolute favourite liquid liner, and if I had chose to rock some feline flicks by the pool then this would have more than held up to the challenge. It's very pigmented, it's waterproof and stays in place for hours, it isn't a nightmare to remove and the nib is impossibly fine, giving really clean and precise application. I love it, I just didn't use it.

Primark PS Kohl Eyeliner Pencil in Black - £1.00 from Primark

A black pencil eyeliner for me is a make up bag staple, I like to use it to tightline and fill in my waterline when I'm wearing smokey eyes or winged liner, and Primark's eyeliner pencils are surprisingly good quality for such a low price point. It's not waxy but blends nicely, is well pigmented and stays in place a decent amount of time. But once again this is not something I used while I was away. It was way too hot for eyeliner.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Medium Brown - £15.00 from Cultbeauty

There was no way that I would be going on holiday without my eyebrows. Although to be honest I probably could've got by without it because I'm quite lucky with my eyebrows, they're a decent shape but are quite sparse in places. Anastasia's Dipbrow is my favourite brow product as it is so easy to use. Even I can shape and fill in my brows without any problems. It's great.

Rimmel Kate Sculpting Palette in 002 Coral Glow -£6.99 from Boots

Rimmel's Sculpting Palette contains a contour, blush and highlighter, making it another nifty little palette that's perfect for travelling. The powders are soft, finely milled, well pigmented and creamy in texture. It has a really nice shade range that is ideal for sun bronzed skin, which sadly I don't have, luckily it works really well for us pasty peeps too! The contour is quite a pale honey tone that doubles as a bronzer, the blush is a matte coral that looks super pretty on and the highlighter is a light chamgagne-y colour that leaves a subtle shimmer on the cheekbones. Overall I am a big fan of this palette. It's really nice.

Beauty Blender - £16.00 from Beautybay

My love affair with this insanely awesome make up sponge continues. I use this for everything! To apply my foundation and concealer, to sheer out anything that looks cake-y, to blend in my blusher and contour. It's awesome and it is multi-use, which makes the £16 price tag a little bit easier to bear. The two times I did wear make up this was what I used to apply it, making the 10 (!) make up brushes I packed basically useless.

I'm not gonna go into too much detail with the make up brushes, otherwise you'll be here all night. I took the Look Good Feel Better Blending Brush, the Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush, the RT Angled Highlighter Brush, the RT Duo-Fibre Face Brush, the RT Brow Brush, an unbranded Flat Eyeshadow Brush, an unbranded Concealer Brush, the RT Stippling Brush & the RT Multi-Task Brush... phew that's a lot of Real Techniques brushes! I didn't use them very much at all. I do tend to apply the majority of my make up with these brushes and then blend it into the skin with the beauty blender because I find that that's what works best for me.

That was everything I took away with me, and so much of it was unnecessary... oh well.

What make up do you take away with you? 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

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

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

L'Oréal True Match Foundation: Then & Now

L'Oréal True Match Foundation: Then & Now

Tuesday, 5 April 2016

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L'Oréal's True Match Foundation in Rose Ivory - £9.99 for 30 ml from boots

L'Oréal's True Match Foundation is a firm favourite of mine, one could even say it is my favourite foundation. In fact I have said that... many times. So when they reformulated it last year I was a bit put out, my thinking was if it ain't broke don't fix it, and I was reluctant to try the new one. But with my last bottle of the original formula running low I figured it was time to bite the bullet and try out the new formula.

L'Oréal's True Match is a classic! It's long lasting with a medium but buildable coverage. It mimics the skin leaving a really fresh and glowy, but most importantly, flawless and natural finish. It's a good great skin day in a bottle. The original formulation was so good that L'Oréal didn't feel the need to change it in 10 YEARS! As in an actual decade! So why the sudden change of heart and formula? And more importantly what's changed?

To answer the first question I don't know why the change of heart. Maybe the market's changed. Maybe L'Oréal felt like shaking it up a bit. Who can say? But what I can tell you is that I LOVE the new formula. It's not as long lasting or as covering as the original but there's really not a lot in it. It's lighter on the skin due to the addition of oil, which has seriously improved the level of moisture, making it so comfortable to wear. It has the same finish, natural, glowy and gorgeous, and new pigments, or shade enhancers, have been added to create a perfect match for both tone and texture. The formula is a little bit more liquid than the original, and, as I've said, is less covering but it makes for the perfect everyday base.  The original formula was my go to for an evening look (and still is)  due to it's lasting power and general awesomeness, whereas I am more inclined to rock the new one during the day due to it's lighter feel and flawless finish. It's a really lovely foundation.

I'm still a HUGE fan of the original True Match, but I have to I am really loving the new version.

Have you tried the new True Match? Thoughts? 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

February & March 2016 Favourites

February & March 2016 Favourites

Tuesday, 29 March 2016

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I'm not gonna do that whole 'OMG where did *insert relevant month here*?!' thing that I do every month. We all know that time goes scarily fast. Even faster as you get older and as we are rapidly approaching my 25th birthday I may start freaking out little.  Sorry that was a bit of a weird tangent, let's just talk about my favourites from the last 2 months shall we?

Primark PS Concealer in Light - £0.80 from Primark

This concealer cost 80 pence and it is freaking amazing. If you've been reading me for a while you'll know how much I love Seventeen's Phwoarr Pain under eye concealer, however I've found that it can be quite waxy and feel heavy on the skin. Primark's PS Concealer is really similar except it comes in stick form. It is just as creamy, covering and long lasting as my Seventeen fave but has a less weighty texture and feels a lot lighter on the skin whilst giving the same level of coverage. I. Love. It.

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in 1C Rose Ivory - £9.99 from Boots

I'd been really reluctant to try the new formulation of L'Oreal's True Match because I am such a huge fan of the original, once I even crowned it my favouritest foundation ever. But after some umming and ahhing I decided to try it,  and then wear it throughout the majority of March. And I have to say I really like it. It's very similar to the original formulation except it feels more comfortable to wear. It still has a lovely satin finish that looks really natural on the skin but gives excellent coverage. I'll be going into more detail in a post next week, so keep your eyes peeled. All I'll say for now is that it's still my favourite high street/drug store foundation, reformulation and all.

Avon Gel Finish Nail Enamel in Moon Dust - £3.50 (on offer, usually £7.00) from Avon

The Avon Gel Finish Nail Enamels are extraordinary! They have such an amazing formulation; they apply really evenly and smoothly. They're creamy, thick yet easy to work with and opaque in only one coat, this includes the really pale shades too. Plus the wear time is amazing, with the gel shine top coat they can last up to two weeks before chipping, without the top coat you can get a good 6 days out of them. Out of all the ones I've bought so far, and it's a lot, Moon Dust is my favourite. It's a springtime appropriate pale grey and it has been gracing my nails pretty much constantly. It is gorgeous. 

Urban Decay Naked Pallet - £38.50 from Urban Decay

I have used this every day since I bought it, which annoys me a little bit because it took me so long to buy it and I love it so much. The colour pay off is amazing, there is very little fall out and the shadows are beautiful. 

Real Techniques Stippling Brush - £7.95 from Amazon

Until recently the Real Techniques Stippling Brush was probably my least used make up brush. But then I started using it to apply foundation and it was a total revelation. It doesn't absorb any product and being quite small it allows me to buff/stipple foundation into the skin really quickly, leaving a flawless airbrushed finish. I really like it, so much so that I bought another one and now have two. 

Urban Decay x Gwen Stefani Blush Pallet - £35.00 from Urban Decay

I picked this up in a recent High End Haul and have used it pretty much everyday since. It's so versatile and the powders are lovely, really finely milled and super pigmented. You really need to use a light touch or risk looking a bit like a clown but other than that it's amazing. 

Eve Snow London Nail Lacquer in Skyler - £14.00 from Eve Snow, currently out of stock

I'd never tried Eve Snow before until I found this in the beauty aisle at T.K. Maxx. Now I have approximately a million blue polishes, but it never hurts to add one more to the collection. That and it only £2.99, which is a massive reduction from it's original £14 price tag. Eve Snow's polishes are formulated with 3 added ingredients to really nourish the nails and are free of several toxic ingredients, including formaldehyde, that are found in other polishes. It applies beautifully, it has a thick brush that does the nail in two strokes, but not in a clumsy way, and the colour is beautiful. It lasts well on the nails and only takes two coats to achieve opacity, which is super impressive with a colour this pale. Plus the bottle is absolutely gorgeous. I will definitely be adding more to my collection.

Avon Ultra Colour Lip Crayon in Raspberry Rush - £5.00 from Avon

Berry lips are my jam! They're my favourite lips to wear all year round, and this spring time appropriate offering from Avon has become a firm favourite (I went a bit mad with an Avon Haul read it here) It's a lovely colour, a rich pink, with a satin finish and a creamy but wearable formula. It's not the most long lasting but it applies nicely. I really like it. 

DW Home Richly Scented Candle in White Rose -  £6.99, Unavailable online but may be available in store at T.K. Maxx

I found this candle in T.K. Maxx for £6.99 and just had to have it. It smells BEAUTIFUL! I'm not usually a fan of rose scene, sometimes they can be a bit grannyish and sickly. This is the complete opposite of that. It's really fresh and floral. It's quite subtle but noticeable. I've been burning it constantly because it smells like springtime. It also burns really evenly, which I find is an important quality in a candle. I love it. 

Finding Neverland Original Cast Recording - £8.99 from iTunes

So you might know this, you might not, but Musicals are pretty much my favouritest thing ever. Have been since I was about 13. If I could sing constantly then I think I would be a significantly happier person. My current musical obsession is the original cast recording of Finding Neverland. It's lovely and features some amazing people: Laura Michelle Kelly, Matthew Morrison & Kelsey Grammar to name but a few. My favourite tracks are All That Matters & Circus of your Mind. If your a musical fan it's definitely worth listening too. 

Jenna Marbles and Jenna & Julien's Podcast

Sometimes I feel like I am super behind the times. Relevancy is kind of everything these days and sometimes I feel like I have my finger right on the pulse and I know EVERYTHING. And then I discover someone like Jenna Marbles, who has been a YouTube sensation for years, and then I realise that I've barely scratched the surface. Like I said Jenna has been around for years but I came across her videos maybe two weeks ago, and already I'm sporting a major girl crush. Firstly because her videos are brilliant and really funny. Secondly because she's very relatable and honest and has the magical rainbow hair of a mermaid/unicorn, which gives me hair goals for days! I've been binge watching her videos and she is awesome. I also really like the podcast she does with her boyfriend Julien Solomita it's really funny and clever.  Love her.

Buzzfeed's The Try Guys

Again The Try Guys have been around forever. I had seen a couple of their videos, my favourite is The Try Guys Try Wedding Dresses, but recently I've really got into their videos and may have watched all 57 in one sitting. They're hilarious and utterly ridiculous and clever and cool and stupid and all that good stuff. I really like them, but Eugene's my fave.

What were you loving throughout February & March? Let me know in the comments 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.

January Beauty Favourites 2016

January Beauty Favourites 2016

Sunday, 31 January 2016

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La Roche-Posay Serozinc - £8.50 from boots.com

I recently raved about this in my Mini Skincare Haul (read it here) but I've been using it every single day and I seriously love it. It has made my terrible skin look so much better, it's just bad skin now.  It has become an unmissable step in my skin care routine because it is so so good. It calms down any big, juicy spots, completely gets rid of little ones and gives the overall appearance of clearer skin. LOVE. IT.

Max Factor Gel Shine Lacquer in #35 Lacquered Violet - £7.99 from boots.com

I picked this up at the end of last year and it's been on my nails pretty much ever since. I love purple nails and Lacquered Violet is such a sophisticated and pretty take on that. The colour is absolutely gorgeous, the perfect blend of purple and blue, and it has a fabulous formula with great opacity - one coat! - and a high shine finish. The packaging is really pretty too. It's lovely.

Michael Kors for Esteé Lauder Blush Trio - No longer available.

For a really long time I was too scared to use this because it's so beautiful and I didn't want to hurt it. Then I realised that thought was completely ridiculous and I got over it. It is seriously B-E-A-U-Tiful! The trio is made up of a plum, a bright pink and a light mauve. The blushes are finely milled, buttery soft in texture, blend easily and are well pigmented with a subtle shimmer running through them. They're so pigmented that you need to use a really light hand with them or risk looking like you're permanently embarrassed - a lesson I learnt the hard way - even so they're amazing. Individually they're lovely, but when swirled together with my trusty Real Techniques Blush Brush they create a lovely pink-y mauve that gives the cheeks a really pretty glow. It is gorgeous AND that packaging though! It is seriously dreamy! - Sorry for being a tease guys! This blush was part of a limited edition collection and is no longer available :(

Superdrug Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum - £5.99 for 100ml from superdrug.com

I've been kind of obsessed with skincare for the past couple of months, hoping to find the miracle product that will give me the  flawless, english rose complexion of Emma Watson or Emilia Clarke.  Alas so far that has not happened but I have found some darn good products, Superdrug's Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum is one of them. It's a really nourishing serum, with a silky smooth gel like texture that sinks into the skin so quickly. It gives me a much needed burst of hydration and really brightens up my dull, grey skin. I've been using it every night and I really like it, plus it smells amazing! Seriously amazing.

Soap & Glory No Clogs Allowed Super Self-Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask - £11.50 for 100ml from boots.com

I picked this up a couple of weeks ago after reading some rave reviews online and thought it was definitely worth a try with my clogged and congested skin. It is so good. It starts working it's self-heating magic the moment it applies to the skin, really getting into the pores and giving them a proper deep clean. It's been really good for my skin. I like it a lot.

Naked 2 Palette - £38.00 from urbandecay.co.uk

I've been OBSESSED with the Naked 2 palette throughout January. I've had a bit of a thing for matte eyeshadows - I blame Adele and the make up she wore on the 25 album cover - and I've been particularly loving the shades Foxy & Tease. Foxy is a slightly yellow,  creamy nude that I've been packing on all over the lid and Tease is a light, almost lilac-y toned chocolate brown which I've been using in the crease to give my eyes some smokey definition. It's a combination I've been loving all month and wearing pretty much everyday but the rest of the palette is just as heavenly. The shadows are pigmented, blendable, buttery soft and incredibly wearable, with a range of finishes including shimmers, glitters and the odd matte. They apply beautifully and there is no creasing whatsoever with these bad boys. Naked 2 is basically perfect. The obsession is so real people!

Collection Extreme Felt Tip Liner - £2.99 from boots.com

Another product whose presence here can be attributed to Adele. Back in the day I used to wing my eyeliner everyday like it weren't no thing. I could do it in seconds, no mistakes made and be out the door. Oh how I miss those days. Now it's a bit of a different story. Being out of practice and my eyelids having become curiously wrinkly (don't think about it!) I've had to go back to basics to get my eyeliner back on fleek. The Collection Extreme 24Hr Felt Tip Liner is the liner that helped me perfect the wing originally due to it's sturdy nib, long lasting, blacker than black liquid formula and it's general awesomeness. I've been reaching for it on a daily basis to get the practice in and my wings back and I still really, really love it. Maybe even more than Benefit's They're Real Push-Up Liner.

L'Oréal Color Riche Exclusive Collection in Julianne's Perfect Nude - £6.99 from boots.com

Okay it's pretty safe to say that all my make up favourites this month are due to Adele. That was one seriously amazing make up look that's all I can say. But oh man this colour is so dreamy. I'm not normally a fan of nudes (tehehe) but this is the most beautiful pink-y nude lipstick that is so easy to wear but looks like I've put a lot of effort in. It is seriously beautiful.

What were your January Beauty 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

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Mattifying Base Review

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Mattifying Base Review

Thursday, 25 June 2015

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Hi Guys! I hope everyone's having a lovely week and enjoying the sunshine. Today I'm gonna share my thoughts on L'Oréal Paris's Infallible Mattifying Base with you lovely people.

Now for me primer is one of those products that I'm quite happy to skip, unless I need my make up to last a particularly long time but other than that I don't really use it. However I wore this to my brother's wedding and it kept my make up in place all day without even a hint of shine, we're talking a good 14/15 hours here.

The product itself is a fast absorbing, super light weight gel formula that leaves the skin smooth, matte and evenly textured. It promises all day comfort whilst enhancing foundation and neutralising shine. But does it deliver?

Yes. Yes it does.

I was expecting it to feel quite silicon-y and sticky but that is so not the case. When first applied it feels quite wet, which is really strange for a mattifying product, but it absorbs into the skin ridiculously quickly. It evens out any bumpiness, takes care of shine, leaves the skin velvety smooth and acts as the perfect base for flawless foundation. It's also incredibly gentle on the skin whilst still adding some serious staying power to my make up. It keeps my make up in place for hours without being the least bit drying.

My experience with products that mattify the skin have usually been quite negative. Being quite dry skinned shininess isn't usually a problem for me but at the times when it has been I've really not had great experiences with mattifying formulas. I've found them to be quite harsh; stripping and drying, which is a  pretty serious problem for those of us with sensitive skin, and have left my skin dehydrated and in dire need of some moisture. Normally I avoid mattifying base products like the plague for this very reason. However summer is now upon us and this primer has been fantastic in combating sweat induced shine and really locks in my make up, keeping it in place for hours on end. I've been using it on an almost daily basis and I love it. It's great for those of us with drier skin types who only have occasional shininess but would work really well for oilier skin types.

One of my favourite things about it, other than it's awesome, is the packaging, which is fantastic. It comes in a really handy, see through, squeezy tube with a thin nozzle that dispenses the perfect amount of product. The tube is super handy for travelling but it also shows you how much you've got left - this is one of my biggest bugbears, I HATE it when you can't see when you've run out! - The best thing though is that it gives you detailed descriptions of the product, including the texture, what it does and how to use it, which I think is the best idea ever and should be on all make up. Overall it's amazing! Actually amazing.

I was so impressed with this product and I haven't even mentioned the super low price point yet! Seriously I would expect this kind of performance from a much more expensive, higher end product but this set me back a mere £6.99. So it's a bargain too!

Have you tried L'Oréal's Infallible Mattifying Base? What did you think? Let me know on twitter, by commenting below or dropping me an email at lolarocknroses@gmail.com. Also check out my instagram, facebook, bloglovin', snapchat - search lolarocknroses & pinterest for daily updates.

Love love love xxx