January Empties

Sorry guys I had to take this picture in the snow! It was too hard to resist! I think it looks pretty cool and it's making the most of the natural light that we have at Winter time (which is not a lot). This is my very first empties post and I'm excited to be doing it. I love reading blog posts and watching videos on YouTube of empty products. It shows which products people are actually using and get their real opinions once they've used all the product up and not just for one day! Some of these items I have reviewed and I will leave the links for them below. But I plan to leave a mini review on this post anyway. 

Schwarzkopf Kids Supersoft Detangling Spray - This has lasted a long time! I use it every time I wash my hair. I have long, thick hair and after shampooing and applying conditioner my hair can become quite knotty. I simply spray this all over my hair, focusing on the ends, and comb through. My hair is very damaged and I'm always worried that I will damage it further by combing whilst knotty. It doesn't make my hair greasy or weigh it down. I absolutely love the scent of milk and strawberries. It's sweet yet refreshing. I will definitely be repurchasing (if they still make this). If not, I will be on the look out for another detangling spray. Do you have any recommendations? I think I want a Tangle Teezer too!

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - This needs no introduction! This is probably Liz Earle's most sold product and it has won a variety of awards. I have been using this for a year and I have repurchased it several times and I will continue to repurchase it for a long time. I love how luxurious it feels on my face and I like how it dissolves my make up. I use a muslin cloth with the cleanser and it gives my face a daily gentle exfoliate, which leaves my skin feeling smooth and soft.

Impulse Body Spray Tease - You can't beat an Impulse body spray! I reckon everyone has bought at least one Impulse body spray in their life! Out of all the fragrances that I have tried, Tease is my favourite and it's the one that I bulk buy when I see it on offer for 99p! Bargain. I have noticed actually that they have repackaged them. I have been using them that long, I remember them having a different packaging before the above design! I use a body spray on a daily basis. I want to smell nice but I work in a school so I don't particularly want to waste my perfumes. Especially as I have an expensive taste in perfume!

Simple Eye Make Up Remover - I have sensitive eyes and I've found this the only bearable eye make up remover that I have tried. But I still have to rinse if off straight away. If I don't, my eyes sting so much. Not good. I use this to remove my eye make up then follow with Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish to remove the rest of my make up. The remover isn't oily, which is a good thing as I can't stand putting oily removers on my eyes. This is another product that I have purchased over and over again and I will continue to unless I find something that doesn't sting my eyes!

Liz Earle Skin Repair Normal/Combination Moisturiser - I bought this in October and I have been using it every night since. It's lasted me three months before I ran out, which I think is pretty good going. Luckily, I had already repurchased it so I will continue to apply it each night until mid Spring to keep my skin moisturised. I think it will be too much for my skin in Summer and possibly late Spring/early Autumn so I will use it for a half a year each year before switching back to using just the light version morning and night.

Avon Advance Tecniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Mask - Another product that I've already repurchased. I'm not stuck in a beauty rut! Why fix something if it's not broken? I use this hair mask 3 to 4 times a month. Usually once a week if I remember! As I mentioned in my review, I only apply this to the ends of my hair. It leaves my hair feeling smooth, soft, silky and manageable. Result! This is supposed to be £5.50 but it's almost always on offer for around £3. 

Which products have you used up this month? Have you been loving any of these products?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Liz Earle Skin Repair Normal/Combination Moisturiser - Review

Liz Earle Skin Repair Normal/Combination Moisturiser £18.75

As I'm sure you're all aware, I'm a massive fan of Liz Earle. Especially the skin care. Almost every step in my skin care routine is a Liz Earle product. The Liz Earle mantra is cleanse, tone and moisturise and they offer a package on their website which offers the three products for £41. You can find it here. I find I need to repurchase this every other month but sometimes I am drawn in every month just for the offers, which is obviously the plan! For £41 you get; Cleanse & Polish, Instant Boost Skin Tonic, your choice of LE moisturiser, free delivery and a free gift. I have received many products for free just for ordering what I need! Some examples are Eye Bright, Gentle Face Exfoliator, Sheer Skin Tint and Lash Definition Smudgeproof mascara. Bonus!

You may have read my review of the Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser, which is my chosen moisturiser from Liz Earle. I use it every single day. However, during the winter months I felt like my skin needed an extra moisture boost. For this, I would like to welcome the Liz Earle Skin Repair Normal/Combination Moisturiser. Since October, I have been using the light moisturiser in the morning and the normal/combination moisturiser in the evening. This has kept my skin plump and nourished during the cold, winter months and I haven't suffered from any dry patches.

The moisturiser contains naturally active ingredients, which includes borage oil, which is a rich source of the essentially fatty acid GLA, and antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin E to replace lost moisture and protect against dryness. Other ingredients include Wheatgerm oil, Glycerin and Avocado Oil. The moisturiser doesn't soak into my skin straight away, which makes my skin look a little greasy and is the reason why I only used the moisturiser at night. However this may not be the case on everyone, if you have dry skin I imagine it would soak in right away.

I love the smell of all Liz Earle products and this one is perfect for night time as it has a soothing and relaxing smell. Liz Earle do three different moisturisers so you are sure to find one suitable for your skin type. I always say this, but I 100% recommend Liz Earle products, they are higher end products but I feel they are totally worth it!

Do you use Liz Earle products? Have you tried the Liz Earle moisturisers?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Week 4

The first high end make up I ever got which my mum bought me years ago, Tea at Mum and Dad's, Dairylea Dunkers, Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala, Here comes the snow, Liz Earle Skin Tint and Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, Giveaway for reaching 100 followers, Snow, Pizza Express, Pepperoni Pizza, Pyjamas, Skin care.

I said I would do these posts on a Sunday but I never have time on a Sunday night and I take some photos in the evening which I want to include. Therefore, I have decided it would make more sense if I did this post on Monday and include the previous weeks pictures and a summary. This will be from the previous Monday up until Sunday. 

Just when you thought you'd seen the last of the snow, it comes down thick and fast! It began snowing Friday morning but it was very light and on and off. Then Friday evening came and so did the thick snow. The layer on the ground got thicker and thicker. My other half was out and I was getting worried about how he was going to get home. Looking out of my window, I could see a winter wonderland. It was beautiful. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thought it should have been Christmas all over again! On Friday night, I was hoping it would stay around so I could play and build a snowman. As I was working on previous snow days, I didn't get the opportunity to.

As I looked out of the window on Saturday morning, I became extremely excited. I quickly got ready and wrapped up warm ready for an adventure outside. However when I stepped outside in my new Primark wellies, I was disappointed. I think it must have rained on top of the snow as the snow was icy. It wasn't sticking together and my dreams of building a snowman was shattered.

Yesterday, me and the fiancé went to The Trafford Centre. I only bought a ring in the Topshop sale. We weren't really there to shop! Plus I have no money. Then we went to Pizza Express. We both love Pizza and Pizza Express and nearly always order the same thing. How boring! We hadn't been since before Christmas so decided to treat ourselves and we had a voucher for 40% off! Woooo! 

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I am lostinlipstick. Please leave your Instagram name below if you're on there. I love finding new people to follow! 

What  have you been up to this week?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

100 Followers Giveaway!

image from we heart it

Two weeks ago, I reached 100 followers. I want to say a massive thank you to each and everyone of you who read and follow my blog. It means the world to me and it makes me so happy to see people enjoying my blog. I started my blog in September after reading many other blogs and deciding I wanted to share my love of beauty products and make up. My own little space on the internet to voice my opinions and share my recommendations. As I have a full time job, blogging is only a hobby. It can be difficult fitting in blogging around work but I absolutely love blogging and it's extremely therapeutic. I am so glad I took the plunge to write my own blog. I love it and I am so proud of Lost In Lipstick. 

As I said earlier, I am so grateful of every single person who follows me, who reads my blog posts and who leaves comments on my posts. Each time I get a new follower, a new comment or my blog views have gone up, I smile like a Cheshire Cat! I would love to thank everyone personally but that's not possible. Because of this, I have decided to hold a giveaway. 

I debated for a long time whether or not to hold a giveaway. I know that holding a giveaway can equal 'fake' followers and that's not what I want. I want my followers to genuinely want to read my blog and not just win a beauty product. I proposed my idea of a giveaway on twitter and my issue that I had with them. The majority of people said I should still go ahead as a way to say thank you. So here it is! 

Then, obviously, I had to decide what I wanted to give away! Almost everyone that writes a beauty blog and holds a giveaway has a MAC lipstick as the prize. I wanted to be different so I knew what I didn't want to giveaway! In 2012, I fell in love with Real Techniques brushes. I currently have five in my collection. Therefore, I have decided to give the winner the choice of one of the five brushes I have as I love them all. (Obviously you will get a brand new brush, not one I have used!) Real Techniques make amazing brushes and if you haven't heard of them, where have you been? 

So the five brushes that I have that I am giving away one of are; the Expert Face Brush, the Foundation Brush, the Powder Brush, the Blush Brush and the Setting Brush. You can read what I think of each brush by clicking on the previous links, which will take you to my individual review of each brush.

Giveaway Rules

There will be one winner.

The winner will win one Real Techniques brush.

The giveaway is open to UK residents only (sorry).

Ask permission if you are under 18 before entering. 

The giveaway is open from 26 January until 26 February 2013.

The winner will be notified and announced on my blog shortly afterwards. 

Entry to the giveaway is via Rafflecopter (Please read additional infomation below).

To enter there are five things you must do;

1. Follow via GFC (you can find this to the right)

2. Leave a comment below telling me which brush you would like to win

3. Leave your email (via Rafflecopter)

4. State which brush you want to win (via Rafflecopter)

5. Follow me on Twitter here

There are also five things you can do for additional entries;

1. Tweet about the giveaway

2. Like Lost In Lipstick on Facebook here

3. Follow me on Instagram (lostinlipstick)

4. Follow me on Bloglovin' here

5. Follow me on Hellocotton  here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

Rachel x
Lost In Lipstick

Real Techniques Blush Brush - Review

Real Techniques Blush Brush £9.99

As you all know, I love Real Techniques! They are fantastic quality and are really affordable. I have five RT brushes altogether but I have many more on my wishlist! In my collection I also have; the Foundation Brush, the Expert Face Brush, the Powder Brush and the Setting Brush. I use every single one of them everyday. I use this brush for both bronzer and brusher. It is a great size for contouring and it has a tapered end. I also use it to apply powder blusher to the apples of my cheeks. Even though I want the RT Contour Brush, it's part of the Core Collection and I don't need it as this brush does the job.

Real Techniques brushes have a lightweight, aluminium handle, which makes them super easy to use and hold. The bristles are made from synthetic taklon and are 100% cruelty free. The bristles are soft and feel so gentle and luxurious on your face. The brushes wash really well and dry really quickly. They keep their shape and the condition of the brushes is like brand new even though I have washed them several times (with baby shampoo). I have no experiences of shedding and I have been using Real Techniques brushes since September. The Real Techniques brushes are created by Samantha Chapman. Her tutorial video for the Brush Brush can be found here. As you can see in the video, Samantha uses the brushes herself and talks about the different uses that this brush has. 

Is the Blush Brush in your collection? Which make up brush can you not live without?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick by Kate Moss in 107 - Review

Rimmel Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick by Kate Moss in 107 £5.49

I have had this lipstick a while now but I've only worn it a few times as it's not an every day lipstick for me. I love the colour and I would say it suits me but it's too much for my pale skin during daylight! For evening however, it's perfect! This is the second shade that I have from the range. The other is 101, which is much more suitable for everyday wear and is perfect for my skin tone. I love the packaging of these lipsticks. They look a lot more expensive that £5.49 and they are very sturdy. The formula is moisturising and soft, which means it glides onto the lips evenly and effortlessly. When first applied it has a sheen but once this is dry you are left with a matte colour, which is highly pigmented. I would recommend exfoliating your lips before hand and applying a lip balm to help the application of the lipstick. Chapped lips with hints of matte lipstick is not a good look! This shade is almost like a lip stain and stays on your lips a few hours. This can be a good thing depending on your opinion but it means you don't have to keep applying throughout the day/night! If you want a sheen, you could always apply a clear lip gloss over the top. There are 5 shades in total in this collection and hopefully more will be released. I definitely recommend the Lasting Finish Matte Lipsticks as the formula and staying power are fantastic. 

Have you tried any shades from the Kate Moss collection? Do you like the look of this shade?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Week 3

Cold week ahead, Mini Avon Haul, Coolest Avon page ever, Primark Super Cosy tights really are super cosy!, Friday night feast, Empty Liz Earle moisturiser, Mini Eggs, Boots, Superdrug and LUSH haul, New boots, Cheryl on Superdrug magazine, Meatballs for dinner made by my sister, Body moisturiser choices for Sunday night pamper.

Another week has flown by! I cannot believe it's the 20th January already! It's been super cold all week and we've had some snow but not a lot. It came down on Friday and I was hoping for a snow day but I still had to work! It was predicted to snow all weekend but it hasn't so we'll have to wait and see if any arrives tomorrow! Not really done anything exciting this week. I went shopping yesterday so I have some products to test out and I will review in due course. Obviously I need to wait until I can photograph them before I even touch them! I am dying to break into them! We've still not started to decorate our house! We've decided on our wallpaper for our feature wall. We had to take the original back as we changed our mind. Then we will be going to buy paint and paintbrushes etc next week or the week after.

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I am lostinlipstick. Please leave your Instagram name if you're on there. I love finding new people to follow! 

What  have you been up to this week?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

MUA Nail Polish in Amaretto Crush - Review

MUA Nail Polish in Amaretto Crush £1

Yes, you read that correctly! £1! Bargain! This is one of MUA's newer shades, released in Autumn 2012. A lot of people have said they prefer the new shades as they have names rather than numbers. To be honest it doesn't particularly bother me but naming a nail polish a number is pretty boring. MUA is such an affordable brand for everyone, does it really matter? 

This is the first nail polish I have bought from MUA but I thought it was time I give them a try as I have used so many of their other products and loved them. One thing that put me off is the size of the bottle. It's tiny and doesn't fit nicely in my nail polish collection! OCD! Again it's only £1 and lets be honest, do we really use all the nail polish in a larger bottle or does it go off before we get chance to! I know mine does, it usually dries out, but I have a large nail polish collection!

The polish is actually really good quality for £1. I was pleasantly surprised. One thing that annoyed me was the small brush but that's down to the small bottle. It was quite difficult to apply with such a small brush. The polish, at first, applied a little textured but soon smoothed out. I only needed two coats and the colour was opaque. I used Models Own 3-in-1 as a base coat and as I was in a hurry, I didn't apply a top coat. Without a top coat, it lasted two days before it began to chip because of housework! So with a top coat I reckon it would last about 4 days, which is totally amazing for £1! 

I will definitely purchase more shades of nail polish from MUA. I do wish the bottles were the standard size so they wouldn't look so out of place in my collection. I would pay more. Maybe if they double the size and double the price!

Have you tried any nail polish from MUA? Which shades do you recommend?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Week 2

6:00am on the first day back at work :( enough said, Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch sample (not sure what I thought of this), My first Zumba class, Lilies from my Gran, M&S Brandy Snaps from Christmas, I reached 100 followers on my blog! Thank you to everyone that reads and follows my blog, Spending my afternoon ironing...exciting! NOT!, Mini Boots haul, Giant gingerbread man from Christmas, Hello magazine just to read about Harry & Izzy's wedding, Home made Chilli Con Carne, Stocked up on Collection concealers, New hair goodies. 

I am extremely tired this week as it's my first week back to work after having two weeks off. When my alarm went off at 6:00am, I really struggled to wake up! But it's Sunday and I survived! I've not really done much this weekend. We're low on cash at the moment (I hate bills!) so we just had a quiet weekend. It was nice actually not doing anything. I feel like I've rested my body and I actually feel like I've had a weekend. Usually, I always wonder where the weekend has gone! I caught up on some washing and ironing. Boring! Does anyone actually like ironing? I made a chilli for tea tonight. I love chilli and it's so easy to do. I picked up the hot mix by accident and it was too hot to handle! I will be more careful next time!

If you want to follow me on Instagram, I am lostinlipstick.

What have you been up to this week?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Real Techniques Setting Brush - Review

Real Techniques Setting Brush £8.99

This is just one Real Techniques brush out of my collection of 5 (which will grow bigger as soon as Boots have another 3 for 2 offer on them!) I also have the Powder Brush, the Foundation Brush, the Expert Face Brush and the Blush Brush (review coming soon). This is the smallest in my collection but can be used in variety of ways. It's a great multifunctional brush. I use it to apply powder under my eyes before doing my eye make up, to apply highlighter or bronzer to contour and to apply eye shadow, as a base, all over my lid. I have also read that people use this brush for their concealer and it can be used to blend eye shadow. 

The brush has a lightweight, aluminium handle, which makes it super easy to use and hold. The bristles are made from synthetic taklon and are 100% cruelty free. The bristles are soft and feel so gentle and luxurious on your face. The brushes wash really well and dry really quickly. They keep their shape and the condition of the brushes is like brand new even though I have washed them several times (with baby shampoo). I have no experiences of shedding and I have been using Real Techniques brushes since September. The Real Techniques brushes are created by Samantha Chapman. Her tutorial video for the Setting Brush can be found here. As you can see in the video, Samantha uses the brushes herself and talks about the different uses that this brush has.

Is the Setting Brush in your collection? Which make up brush can you not live without?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Avon Advance Tecniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Mask - Review

Avon Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil Mask £5.50 (currently £3.75)

This is a weekly hair treatment which aims to strengthen, nourish and protect your hair. I apply it when I feel my hair needs a boost of moisture. It might be once a week or sometimes twice a week. I have fairly dry hair, but it is improving slowly thanks to all the treatments I have been using. As I have dry hair, over washing it can cause it to dry out even more and break. I can get away with only washing my hair two/three times a week. I usually wash my hair and then leave it two days before washing it again. 

Avon suggests applying the mask all over your hair, from root to tip. Even though I have dry hair, my roots can get quite greasy quickly especially if I apply too many products. Therefore, I only apply the mask to the ends of my hair. I can tell when I have used the mask. My hair feels smoother and healthier afterwards. It's a lot more manageable and it gives my hair a subtle shine. I use the mask once or twice a week and leave it on for about 5 minutes.

I have the full range of Moroccan Argan Oil products from Avon. You can read my review of the shampoo, conditioner and oil here. After using the shampoo and conditioner more, I am on my second bottle, I have to admit I don't think it is actually that great and I won't be purchasing it again. However, I love the oil and this mask and I will continue to repurchase these. I have actually repurchased the mask and I'm waiting for it to arrive.

Do you use any Moroccan Argan Oil products? Have you used Avon's version? 

Rachel x
Lost In Lipstick

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent - Review

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent £3.99

I have been using this powder for several months now. I just haven't got round to posting a review on it until now. My skin isn't particularly oily, maybe a teeny tiny bit on my t-zone. But I prefer a matte finish with my make up than a shiny finish. Mainly due to the fact I cannot pull it off. When I attempt a different finish, which includes highlighting, I always feel like my face just looks greasy. Therefore, I stick to what I know - a matte finish. Anyway, I'm blabbering.

This powder claims to control shine for up to 5 hours using natural minerals. I would have to agree but as I said my skin isn't overly oily. It also claims to minimise pores. I suffer from larger pores on my nose, my cheeks closest to my nose and my forehead. I would have to say that these are beginning to disappear but that may be down to my skincare rather than this powder or maybe it's a combination of both. Who knows?

The powder comes in six shades; transparent, pink blossom, peach glow, sandstorm, silky beige and warm beige. I went for transparent as I didn't want a shade with my powder. I want a powder to reduce any shine caused by my make up and to set my foundation. I would say that this shade lightens my face a tiny bit so it may not be suitable for people with a darker skin tone.

I apply the powder with my Real Techniques Powder Brush which allows me to lightly dust it all over my face. It doesn't appear chalky or look like I'm wearing powder. But I think it could do if you applied too much. The art is applying just enough to conceal shine and set your foundation. If you feel like you have to much on your brush, tap your brush to remove excess powder before applying.

The packaging isn't great. It doesn't feel sturdy and the lid comes off easily. I wouldn't recommend leaving it loose in your handbag. Overall, it is a great product with a fantastic price tag. The packaging is the only negative for me so I can't really complain. If you have oily skin and you want something to set your foundation, I totally recommend this product.

Do you have oily skin? Have you tried this powder before?

Rachel x
Lost In Lipstick 

Week 1

Lunch at Cafe Nero with my mum, Lots of beautiful Neom candles in John Lewis, Clarins samples to try, Muscles in a white win sauce (yummy!), I've discovered the We Heart It app, MUA nail polish, Making dinner for me and the fiancé, The finished product, The remains..., Relaxing by candle light, Weekly Liz Earle  skincare pampering session, Taking down the Christmas tree, Milkybar cow, Shower time, Trying Soap & Glory goodies that I got for Christmas. 

You may have noticed that I only recently posted an Instagram post. Well I have decided to do things differently. In 2012 I was writing an Instagram post when I had about 12-15 photos that I hadn't shared but I didn't like how irregular that was and it didn't motivate me to want to take photos. I posted Instagram #8 last week, but that was in fact pictures from 2012 (with a few from the beginning of January). I've decided that I am going to aim to write an Instagram post every week (on a Sunday) with the photos that I have taken from that week. I much prefer the regularity of that and it prompts me to take more photos. Not only do I want to share a bit of my life with you, I want  to document my life too for myself. Plus I might be a little addicted to Instagram! So each Sunday you will see a post like this with a little bit about my week too. 

I cannot believe Christmas has been and gone! It went so quickly. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas. We took our Christmas tree down today :( Christmas is truly over. I'm back to work and back to reality tomorrow :( I have enjoyed my two weeks off so much. It has been lovely spending so much time in our new house. I'm almost at 100 followers, thank you so much! I'm so happy and proud that in four months I have reached 100 followers. I want to hold a giveaway to say thank you to you all for reading my blog and subscribing but I don't want to gain followers just because I'm holding a giveaway. Dilemma! What should I do?

You can follow me on Instagram, I am LostInLipstick.

What have you been up to this week?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - Review

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush £9.99

I have been using this brush for a while now to apply my liquid foundation. I much prefer it over the Real Techniques Foundation Brush, which I have been using to blend my concealer. In my review of the Foundation Brush, I said I wanted to give the Buffing Brush a go. However, after much research online, I decided that the Expert Face Brush would be much better suited to me as I use a liquid foundation. The Expert Face Brush is specifically for cream or liquid foundation.

The brush has a lightweight, aluminium handle, which makes it super easy to use and hold. The bristles are made from synthetic taklon and are 100% cruelty free. The bristles are soft and feel so gentle and luxurious on your face. The brush is ultra film and broad, allowing smooth application and making it easy to blend your foundation. As the bristles are short and dense, they pick up more foundation and leave you with a heavier coverage. This is perfect for those days when you have pesky spots or, like me, every day! The base of the brush is flat, meaning it can stand up on its own.

The Real Techniques brushes are created by Samantha Chapman. Her tutorial video for the Expert Face Brush can be found here. I have become slightly obsessed with these brushes. I have 5 in my collection now and I want ALL of them. Next time Boots has the 3 for 2 offer on them, I am going to stock up! The others I own are the Blush Brush and the Setting Brush. I will review them soon, but I love them all!

Have you tried the Expert Face Brush? What are your opinions? Which brush do you use to apply foundation?

Rachel x
Lost In Lipstick

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - Review

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19

I've never been particularly happy with the concealers I've used in the past. They have always been cheaper concealers from Boots or Superdrug. I was prepared to pay more for a higher quality product until I saw all the hype surrounding this product. I read numerous reviews on other beauty blogs which all raved about how great this concealer was. They claimed it was long lasting and provided excellent coverage. All for £4.19?! Only one way to find out...

I have to 100% agree. I'm on my second already and I have two others stocked up! Because of the price and status in the beauty world, they are quite hard to get hold of. When I go to Boots or Superdrug, they are either sold out of my shade or someone has decided to use them all. Who does that? I think Collection should maybe apply something to stop this from happening, then we would know if someone has already used the one we're buying or not. I think it's disgusting. Anyway I digress. Therefore, when I do see my shade I pick up two or three. They are often on offer 3 for 2 as well, which makes them even cheaper!

They come in four shades; fair, light, medium and deep. I use light as fair looked a little too fair for me. Even though it's soft and creamy, I only use this on my spots and around my nose as I find it too thick to use under my eyes. I don't mean it's too thick to blend but the skin around my eyes is extremely thin. I apply it before my foundation and I use the Real Techniques Foundation Brush to blend. The concealer is buildable so if I have a really pesky spot, I just apply another layer. I don't find it cakey at all and it blends quite well. It provides excellent coverage for a drug store brand that costs £4.19. Bargain! Collection claims it lasts 16 hours. I can't say I agree with this. It lasts a while but if applied in the morning, I do need to reapply if I'm going out in the evening.

This is my favourite concealer and I will continue to use it for a long time. I'm 25 and I still suffer from spots so that will be a long time then! If you have been hiding under a rock and haven't used this concealer, I urge you to nip down to Boots or Superdrug and purchase right away! Oh, just in case you were wondering, I use Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer under my eyes. I will review this soon.

What are you thoughts on this concealer? Which concealer is your favourite?

Rachel x
Lost In Lipstick

Instagram #8

RIP Fiorelli bag, My Liz Earle Collection, HEMNES dressing table with MUJI storage, Terry's Exploding Candy Chocolate Orange, Repurchased my new favourite foundation, Manchester Christmas Markets, Yankee Candle wax burner and wax tarts found in sale, My Liz Earle order arrived, So many Liz Earle products, Daily Milk with Oreo, Late night bubble bath, New handbag, Mum's Christmas candle decoration, My 12 Favourite Products of 2012, Depressing weather outside not allowing me to photograph products.

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a fantastic new year. I spent lots of time with my friends, family and fiancé, which is how it should be at Christmas. It was perfect. I moved into my first house with my fiancé in November so it was lovely to spend our first Christmas there, even if it was a little hectic as everything wasn't fully unpacked!  We're going to start decorating over the next few weeks so that should be manic but we can't wait to make it our own. This Instagram post is a little Liz Earle heavy. I fully admit I have a Liz Earle obsession. I cannot get enough of the stuff! I cannot believe Christmas is all over, it arrived and passed so quickly. We're sticking with tradition and won't be taking our tree down till Sunday. Then I'm back to work and reality on Monday. I have absolutely loved having two weeks off work, I've spent most of the time indoors. I suppose I should have done lots of housework but I've just been so busy with Christmas. Any excuse eh?

What did you do this Christmas? Do you follow any Christmas traditions?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

MUA Immaculate Collection Palette - Review

MUA Immaculate Collection Palette £8

My review of the MUA Undressed Palette is one of my most popular posts so I thought I would share what I thought of this MUA palette. Since my review in September, I have been wearing eye shadow more often and creating a few different looks. This palette is fantastic for doing just that as there are so many different shades, 24 to be precise. The shades range from white to black with everything in between that you could possibly want in an eye shadow palette. Each eye shadow is highly pigmented and the palette contains a mixture of matte and shimmer shadows. 

On a daily basis, I reach for my Undressed palette and that will continue to be my favourite MUA palette. However, over the Christmas period especially, I have been reaching for this palette to create more dramatic looks and straying away from a safe nude eye. I have experimented with a few of the shimmery shades in the evening and Christmas day! The shimmer shadows contain glitter and there is actually quite a bit fall out from these shadows, which is disappointing but holding a tissue under your eye helps to catch any fall out. The matte shadows only have a tiny bit of fall out and you can get away without using a tissue. I can't really complain for how much product you get for £8.

The only other MUA palette that I need in my life is Heaven & Earth. I would love to see how it compares to the Undressed palette as they are both MUA's top selling products. I honestly don't think I would use any shades from the other palettes as this one has enough 'out there' shades for me! 

Do you own any MUA eye shadow palettes? Which is your favourite?

Rachel x

Lost In Lipstick

My 12 Favourite Products of 2012

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

I began my Liz Earle journey a year ago now, when my mum got me the starter kit for Christmas 2011, and I have been using it ever since. I won't go into too much detail as you can read what I think in my review here. I love love love Cleanse & Polish and I use it morning and night without fail. It has improved the condition of my skin so much over the past year. I used to suffer from the occasional dry patch and quite bad acne. My dry skin has cleared up and although I still have a few spots, they are under control with the help of Liz Earle.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser

Every single step of my skin care routine is Liz Earle. Even though it's all my favourite and I couldn't live without any of it, I didn't want to choose it all in this post as it wouldn't leave much room for anything else. I settled for Cleanse & Polish as I think it is the greatest cleanser ever made, I think it truly deserves all the awards it gets, and the Skin Repair Light Moisturiser. You can read what I think about the moisturiser in more detail here but I feel it deserves more recognition than it gets. My skin is oily/combination as I said I suffer from spots and dry skin. Many people think you need to skip moisturiser if you have oily skin but that couldn't be further from the truth. You need to feed the spots and this light moisturiser is perfect. It sinks into your skin leaving a smooth, supple and moisturised surface for your make up. 

No7 Stay Perfect Foundation in Calico

Before I purchased this foundation, I used Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse and when I ran out I couldn't remember what shade I had previously so I just picked up any! I actually did that for quite a few years and I have no idea why. It wasn't amazing but it did the job. I went along to Boots for the No7 Foundation Made Service. You can read what I thought of the matching service and what I think of the foundation here. I'm so glad I went. I'm currently on my second bottle since August/September but I use it every single day. When I apply the foundation, it's like applying a second flawless skin rather than applying thick foundation. That sounds cheesy but it's true. It gives me the coverage I need without making me look like I've applied my make up with a trowel! 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

I'm so glad I jumped on this bandwagon! Everyone has this concealer and for £4-£5 I don't blame them. It provides good coverage and lasts a fair few hours. When I nip into Boots or Superdrug, it's always a mission to find one unused, especially shade 2 which is the shade I use. When I do see my shade, I always pick up at least two to stock up. I only use this concealer on my spots and blemishes as I find it a bit too thick to use under my eyes. Instead, I use the Collection Illuminating Touch Concealer, which is a great highlighter as well. 

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent

I'm not sure when this product first launched but I'm pretty sure I used it years ago when it was in different packaging. For the past few years, I removed powder from my make up routine as I just didn't need it. However, since I am getting older and my spots are persistent in staying I feel I just need a light dusting of powder to take the shine away. The shine stays away for a few hours before I need a touch up, which for a drug store brand is pretty good going.

Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Precious Posy

I got this blusher two years ago. I have used it almost everyday since and it's still going strong. It's gone up in price to £21 since I got it for £14 two years ago. I'm not sure my wage has increased by a third! Anyway... The colour is buildable depending on how intense of a colour you like. During the day, I apply one or two brush strokes on each cheek where as in the evening, I build up the colour for a slightly more dramatic look. It lasts several hours even without a primer but for a higher end product that is expected.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Peach Parfait

I have to admit that I only bought this product because of all the hype. I jumped on the Revlon Lip Butter bandwagon and boy am I glad I did! As you can see it made my 12 favourite products of the year. I love the moisturising formulation and the fact it looks and feels like a lipstick. I often find myself reaching for this over a boring lip balm. I would definitely repurchase this, maybe in a few other shades. 

Topshop Lipstick in Rumour Has It

I am a big fan of Topshop lipsticks. I have two shades and I have my eyes on a few others. You can read what I think in depth here so I won't go into too much detail. I have a few lipsticks that I turn to for day to day but when narrowing it down for this post, the formula of this lipstick won hands down. I just love how moisturising and easy to apply it is even though it's a matte lipstick. It is far from drying and the colour lasts a few hours before it needs a touch up.

Rimmel Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eye Liner in Black

I always wear eye liner, usually on my upper and lower water line, but it isn't a product which excites me. I usually just grab the first eye liner in my reach but I have been choosing this one over any others lately. With it being waterproof, it lasts so much longer and I find it doesn't run as much as my other eye liners. Although I have been using a setting brush to apply powder under my eyes. The formula allows it to glide on smoothly without creating drag, which is definitely a good thing when your eyes are concerned. 

 MUA Undressed Palette

MUA have announced that this is their best selling product of 2012 and I am not surprised. Since I have started wearing eye shadow more often, I wear shades from this palette on a daily basis. I have actually started to see pan on two shades! I reviewed this palette in more detail and you can read it here. I love a neutral eye, hence why this has made my favourites list. The palette is so versatile, ranging from light to dark neutral shades with a mixture of matte and shimmer shadows. I choose lighter matte nudes for the day, adding darker shimmer shades for the evening. A perfect palette.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

I have five Real Techniques brushes and to be honest I could have chosen all of them to feature in this post. I chose the Expert Face Brush as it really has changed the way I apply my foundation and my skin looks flawless when I have used it. I have the foundation brush but I now use that to blend my concealer. When I used the foundation brush to apply my foundation, I found that it left streaks on my face. I also have the powder brush, blush brush and setting brush with many others on my wish list.

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover

I can't believe I put up with 'regular' nail polish remover and cotton wool pads for so long! This is a god send. It removes nail polish so quick and easy and there is no mess. (Glitter nail polish is another story!) You can read what I thought by reading my review here.

What are your favourite products of 2012? Have any of my favourites made your list?

Rachel x
Lost In Lipstick