Boots Camp Essentials

A while ago Boots were kind enough to send me what they called their 'Boots Camp' kit - a few bits and bobs perfect for the weather as it got a little hotter in olde Blighty. At the time I was going slightly mental finishing off uni so this post is overdue (sorry, Boots!) but better late than never, right?!

First up, the Nivea Q10 Anti Wrinkle Colour Correction Tinted Day Cream (long enough name there, eh, Nivea?) As it gets warmer, a lot of people prefer switching their usual heavy duty foundations for tinted moisturisers and all together lighter formulas. Nivea's CC cream is sheer and moisturising, complete with SPF 15. Due to my oily and very uneven complexion this one aint for me, but if you have drier, yet healthy looking skin it might be the one for you. RRP £10.99

Next we have the No.7 BB Lips Beauty Balm in 'Blink Pink', a lovely girly pink liquid balm which applies beautifully smooth and lightly tinted to give a 'my lips but better' look. Beauty Balm promises colour, nourishment and UV protection with its SPF 15. RRP £9

An essential for all seasons - mascara. Before anything, can we all just admire the glitzy red packaging?! Amazing! Overall the No. 7 ' Lash Impact' mascara is a decent every day mascara if you're after length and volume in equal amounts. My only qualm is that it can flake, though it does generally last quite well. RRP £13.50.

Last of all, a pretty Summery nail polish by Revlon - 260 'Girly', a sheer pink with dark purple, hot pink and baby pink glitter. I imagine it would look amazing over opaque pale pink or lavender polish! Unfortunately I can't test it out as I'm allergic to nail polish, however, I did find a couple of reviews here and here if the colour takes your fancy :) RRP £6.49 

All together some lovely picks from Boots and well worth a look if you're after something to treat yourself to! I especially like the balm, and I know I'd love the polish could I actually wear it.
What are your Boots Summer essentials?
 Items recieved for review purposes.All opinions 100% mine and 100% honest, as always!

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REVIEW - The Body Needs Lip Lusters

Back in the days when I frequented Livejournal make-up communities and Specktra was my make-up bible, I'd frequently make sneaky little purchases from The Body Needs for MAC samples. Soon after I discovered indie companies like Fyrinnae and my 'need' for MAC pigments died out...The Body Needs lay behind, forgotten...until recently...

I placed an order for a few lip products from The Body Needs own cosmetics range, since I'm always looking for an indie cosmetics line who can do lip colours well (it's a rarity, I find.) My order arrived from the USA within a couple of weeks, safely packaged along with an invoice and a free lip luster.

 

  CHICK FLICK - 'Chick Flick' is a blue toned rose which just lingers on the pink-plum border. With its semi-sheer colour payoff, glossy texture, and flattering colour, 'Chick Flick' is a perfect everyday shade.

 

CORALBERRY - 'Coralberry' is a bright, well pigmented yellow toned coral which looks raspberry in some lights. If you find bright corals hard to wear (like me) 'Coralberry' is what you've been looking for...

 

CAFE CON LECHE - I was a bit taken aback when I opened this as on the site it looks much peachier, but 'Cafe con Leche' is definitely more brown than anything else. If pale browns are your thing, go forth and buy, otherwise...nah. I'll be using this to mix with other nude shades.

Overall, I'm mega impressed with the formula of each of these! They're all very comfortable to wear, non-drying, non-sticky, lightly moisturising and scent free. They glide on easily and they're great for layering should you want to build up the colour. 

And the best thing? Probably the price - at $2.79 (£1.85!) each, there isn't really an excuse not to order a few - pop over to The Body Need and see which take your fancy.

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REVIEW - Anatomicals Body Butter and Lip Balm

I love when brands have a distinct look and feel - a personality, it makes them feel more approachable. Anatomicals are definitely one of these brands, with bright packaging, puns, cheeky innuendos and weird little slogans - Anatomicals has a clear sense of fun! I was sent a couple of new items to check out...

Orange Flower and Amber Body Butter - Orange flower and amber? Why yes, it does smell as amazing as it sounds! A light, warm floral for people like me who don't usually 'do' florals. I think the amber tones mean that this could pass the 'sniff test' for blokes, too.

Anatomicals body butter sinks in really quickly, without leaving that greasy, clammy feeling which many butter do. This is ideal for topping up moisture after the bath/ shower, but I think those with truly dry skin would need something a bit richer.

Overall, a lovely product which retails at £5 for 200ml - bargain!

Anatomicals 'Never Lose your Cherry' SPF 15 Lip Balm - When I first received this, I kept re-reading the box and tube for the funny (if mildly creepy) innuendos and word play. I still read the tube every time I use it! 'Never Lose your Cherry' has the consistency and look of a gloss (minus the horrible stickiness) with a tiny tint of cherry red. It smells exactly like 'Cherry Drop' sweets - delicious! I love using this just for the scent.

'Never Lose your Cherry' would be ideal for those who like to use balms just for the hell of it, I think those with problematic dry lips would need something more moisturising. My box reads SPF 8, although the press release image and sites this is sold on read SPF 15.

Available at £2.45 for 15ml of product at quite a few online retailers such as ASOS and in store at John Lewis.

Do you use 'Anatomicals'? Any products you would recommend?

Items received for review consideration. All opinions 100% honest and 100% my own - as always!

REVIEW - Miss Sporty 'Dr Balm' in '03 Gossip'

Does anyone else have the annoying habit of utterly annihilating their favourite lip balms in the washing machine? I do. My lip balms always end up in a watery grave! After destroying two Darling Girl Cosmetics lip balms in this manner, I was on the look out for something cheap and cheerful...

Miss Sporty 'Dr. Balm' is a new product to the line - a moisturising, healing lip balm with a super faint hint of colour. 'Dr. Balm' first caught my eye due to the slightly old school packaging, but what really sold me was the smell - watermelon sweets! Easily pleased, right?! I also love that these have lipstick shaped bullets, which makes them feel less like a balm and more like a make-up product.

So far, I'm impressed! 'Dr. Balm' moisturises well, lasts a long time, smells delicious, provides the perfect amount of sheer colour and best of all - they're only £1.99! Bargain or what?!

Available in five shades. Purchase in Superdrug or the Miss Sporty website at £1.99 each.

BLOGS IN BLOOM - Kelly's Favourite Lip Products

In this week's 'Blogs in Bloom', Kelly from Kelly's Makeup Bag talks us through her favourite lip products!

Tell us a little about yourself...
Hi everyone! My name is Kelly, and I'm a sophomore History/Secondary Education major from Chicago. I love all things beauty related (duh!) and I'm obsessed with reading! I will read anything and everything - I was totally that nerdy kid that read the encyclopaedia. Whoops! 

What can we expect to see from your blog?

My blog has a bit of everything: I just sort of document my beauty likes/dislikes. Sometimes I post moments when I forgot I'm a broke college student and went shopping, and other times I show what products I slap on my face in the morning. It's fairly laid back! Recently I've been getting requests for basic tutorials, so I will be doing more of those too!

Top 3 blogs/ sites?

Ohhhh this is tough. You should see my subscription list! Vivianna Does Makeup is definitely up there. I think she was the first UK blogger I found! I also really like LilLadyLife and Hauls Reviews and More! Those girls are so sweet. There are tons of other blogs that I love and follow (including Beauty's Bad Habit ;) ).

Kelly's Favourite Lip Products

Hi guy and dolls! Today since Lily has so graciously let me be apart of the Blogs in Bloom series I thought I would share some of my favorite lip products. I used to never be into lip goodies (I'm much more of an eye shadow girl!), but lately I've been obsessed with making sure my lips are nice and smooth. Here's what I use to make sure my lips aren't 'crusty crusts' (PLEASE tell me you've seen that youtube video!!)

CO Bigelow Mentha Lip Buffer

Alright. So I know that i could very easily make this product myself, because it's basically a granulated lip gloss. However, I love how this is in a tube, instead of a pot that I would have to store my DIY scrub in. This is much less messy and much more portable which are high priorities on my list as a college student. I love how smooth this makes my lips feel but be warned: lip scrubs are kind of addicting! Once you start, it's hard to stop!

Burt's Bees Lip Balm

I use this product before I go to bed each night, and I keep a tube on my bedside table. The air in my dorm room is super dry, and if I don't use this stuff fairly often my lips become drier than the desert. Plus it just plain old feels good on your lips, and let's be real: that's half of why I like it :D

Korres Pomegranate Lip Butter

This has replaced an every day lip gloss for me. Lately I've been pulling away fro lip gloss and towards balms and lipsticks. This is the perfect half-way product: it still gives a glossy shine and a hint of color without being goopy and doesn't get tacky on my lips. This stays in my school bag at all times!

MAC Lipstick in Everhip

I love MAC lipsticks in general, but lately I've been reaching for this one more than the others. It's a fun summer color without being totally in your face. I wear this when I' not feeling the in-your-face coral that Vegas Volt offers, or if I'm in a hurry and want something I can just smear on my lips and run out the door because I'm late for class . . . not that this has ever happened! 

Thanks Kelly for being the first EVER participant in 'Blogs in Bloom'! Like what you've read? Hop over to Kelly's Makeup Bag to learn more about her beauty treasures :) 

FOTD - Easy, Everyday Shimmer

A look I wear when I feel like being a little more polished and presentable than usual! It only takes about two minutes extra than my usual 'everyday' face, but makes a big difference to my look (I think, anyway). The only things I've added are a shimmery, pink-brown eyeshadow, black eyeliner and some highlight. I'd usually wear lipstick but all I wanted was some balm today :)

[[ SMILE! ]]

 [[ Out of focus shows the beauty of this eyeshadow the best! ]]

[[ Can definitely tell I'm STILL due a proper hair cut :S ]]

EYES - UDPP, GOSH black pencil eyeliner, MAD Minerals 'Ruby Sunset', Sassy Minerals 'Sensible Shoes', Sassy Minerals 'Happy Hour', mascara

FACE - Kryolan Ultra Foundation as concealer, Collection 2000 Matt + Minerals foundation, custom mix face powder, Shu Uemura Medium Peach glow blush, MAC 'What a Dame!' beauty powder, Sleek 'Peach' glo palette.

LIPS - Figs & Rouge 'Rambling Rose' lip balm.

I can't express my love for MAD Minerals 'Ruby Sunset' often enough - it's just....GORGEOUS! Soft, sandy brown which glows with a golden pink in different lighting. It's one of those neutrals which you just can't stop staring at and well worth a look if you're after a neutral with a little something special.

REVIEW - Figs & Rouge 'Rambling Rose' Organic Lip Balm

In dire need of a new lip balm, I went on a little hunt. I wanted something petroleum free (I can't stand the feel of petroleum based products) and containing as many natural ingredients as possible. Enter Figs & Rouge - a UK brand whose products are 100% organic, free from mineral oil and free from petroleum but packed up with lip loving ingredients instead.

I ordered from Super Smoocher and my package arrived a couple of days later. The balm was wrapped in a twist of hot pink tissue paper and as I opened it, tiny red sequin hearts fluttered out onto the table - how cute!? I love when companies pay attention to detail, presentation is everything, right? Also included in the package was a discount code and a couple of Vegan Society leaflets.

[[ Pretty! ]]

Figs and Rouge lip balm tins are undeniably gorgeous! I'm a sucker for vintage looking packaging and art nouveau, so combine them and you've got me hook, line and sinker. The bottom of the tin contains all of the important stuff - weight, ingredients and directions for use. I imagine the tin would take quite a battering in the bottom of a handbag, but the lid is tight enough not to be falling off.

[[ Clear, free of flavour ]]

The balm itself smells stunning, a soft, slightly herbal rose scent which reminds me a little of Turkish Delight. It isn't the least bit overpowering and I can't smell it at all once applied. Also, it is completely taste free. Solid until warmed by your finger tips, Figs and Rouge balm glides on effortlessly without tugging at your lips. On me, it lasts a few hours before wearing off and leaves my lips feeling well moisturised and protected.

I'd certainly recommend for anyone looking for a more natural, moisturising lip balm, with a mature look and feel to it. Other scents include 'Peppermint and Tea Tree' and 'Sweet Geranium'. RRP £3.45 for 7g of product. Super Smoocher currently have a sale on Figs & Rouge lip balms - well worth checking out!