L'oreal Rouge Caresse in Dating Coral

Left: Lightly Swatched / Right: Heavily Swatched

 L'oreal Rouge Caresse in 301 Dating Coral: Available from Boots and Superdrug for £7.99

Whilst in Superdrug yesterday buying a few make-up essentials, I decided to make the most of the 3 for 2 offer (it’s still on now!) and pick up this lipstick from L’oreal that I have heard so much about, seeing as it was technically free!

I have been loving coral lips recently, and my favourite has to be MAC Costa Chic, but I find it quite hard to wear day-to-day, and as this is more of a balmy texture I thought it would be perfect.

This product range is described as a mix between a lipstick and lipbalm and applies like a dream, giving a lightweight and moisturised feel to the lips. For me it is perfect for this time of year when I try to stay away from make-up heavy products.

The shade is a gorgeous sheer coral colour with orange and peach tones. I find it really easy to wear as it looks quite natural, due to the finish, and adds a very subtle pop of colour to the lips. As you can see from the swatches, it gives a light coat of colour, but it is build-able if you like it a bit brighter. I find this a nice change from my usual pinky day time colours and looks much more sophisticated.

For me, the glossy finish wears off during the first hour of wear, and the colour stays for about 3 hours on my lips, which I think is acceptable for the type of product it is. I think the price is also quite reasonable as it is still more of a lipstick than a balm and I think the quality is worth it. I am definitely a fan of the packaging too. It looks sleek yet feels secure when closed, so the lid won’t pop off in your bag.

This was the only shade that really stood out to me, as I was on the hunt for an easy to wear sheer coral lip product, but I am really happy with it. I know that these products are similar to the Revlon Lip Butters, but when looking in the store and comparing the two products I found that I preferred the look and colour range of these. In my opinion, the packaging on the L'oreal product is much nicer, and for a similar price these feel and look much more expensive!

What are your thoughts on the L'oreal Rouge Caresse lipsticks? Are they better than the Revlon Lip Butters? 

My Favourite Highstreet Primers

Left: Rimmel Fix and Perfect

Right: L'oreal Studio Effects

Applying a good primer is the first step in my daily make-up routine and I find it so important to give a good base to apply my foundation. My ideal primer is one that can smooth the appearance of my pores, increase the staying power of my foundation and give a soft polished finish.

Initially, I was surprised at the size of the L'oreal Studio Effects soothing resurfacing primer, and for the large price tag of £14.29 for a small 15ml I didn't think I was getting much for my money. Having said that, a little of this product goes a long way! I find I only need a small amount to cover the necessary areas of my face - I usually apply this on my T-Zone, and on the top of my cheeks where I have a few larger pores. The consistency of this product is really different to a lot of other primers, including the Rimmel Fix and Perfect, but I love it. As you can see from the picture, the L'oreal product is much less liquid, and has more of a mousse consistency whereas the Rimmel one is more like a daily moisturizer. It makes my skin feel velvety and soft, and gives a perfect base to apply foundation. L'oreal say "the combination of soft, light powders gives a matte look and a silky finish" and I would definitely agree! It really does make my make up last all day and the matte finish means I don't have to use a powder which is great.

The Rimmer Fix and Perfect primer is priced at a more affordable £6.99 and is double the amount of product than L'oreal. Rimmel state that this primer gives 5 in 1 results as it smoothes, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects the skin. I find that it does help my foundation last that little bit longer, but compared to the L'oreal primer, it doesn't minimise my pores and it doesn't give much of a matte or brighter finish. On the plus side, it is quite light-weight and feels a lot more mousturising than the L'oreal studio effects primer.

I would recommend Rimmel if you are looking for a cheaper primer because for the money you can't really go wrong! If you are looking to reduce the appearance of pores I would go for the L'oreal primer as I find the effects similar to Benefit Porefessional and it does work wonders. I also think that for the price it is a perfect mid range primer and I agree with all of the claims made by the product, which can't be said for Rimmel. I am currently switching between these products, both prolong the wear of my foundation, but on the days I feel I need a bit of added moisturizer, I go for the Rimmel primer and when I want to minimise my pores and provide a perfect smooth foundation base I go for the L'oreal.

What primer do you use? Are there any other good highstreet primers that you would recommend?

My Daily Make-up Essentials!

 Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzer in shade 51, Rimmel Exxagrate Liquid Eye Liner, Bourjois Extreme Clubbing Mascara, Dior Forever Foundation, MAC Lipstick in shade Creme Cup, Clinique Loose Powder, L'oreal Studio Effects Primer, MAC Eyebrow Pencil in shade Lingering, Benefit High Brow, MAC Blush in shade Fleur Power, Laura Mercier Secret Camoflage Concealer, Urban Decay Naked2.

I love having a few select products which I go back to on a daily basis. I am always one for trying new products, but each time I do, I end up going back to the same selection. For the price, I find these the best products for me. 

I love the Bourjois Bronzer and think the shade is perfect for my face for both winter and summer as its not shimmery, which I like, but also adds that little bit of extra radiance! I use liquid eye liner on a daily basis and I much prefer this to gel liners. I love the brush on this product, the colour lasts all day on my eyes and doesn't run out quickly at all! For mascaras, I love so many high end versions but, with saving money in mind,  for the price this one by Bourjois matches up most closely to the likes of YSL and Dior, which I also love. I sometimes find this a little too thick so I use a mascara like L'oreal Million Lashes to separate my lashes a bit. I posted about this Dior foundation when I first got it a couple of months ago and I still abolutely love it! You can see my review of this here. I have also posted about the MAC lipstick. This has crept its way into my daily routine as I find it so easy to use and the light colour is perfect for everyday use whilst being quite moisturizing for my lips.  You can see my first review here.

I love using this loose powder by Clinique. It gives me a light and matte look but doesn't make my face look to make-up heavy. My two favourite brow products are the MAC pencil in the shade lingering,  and the Benefit High Brow. I have posted about the pencil here. The Urban Decay palette is quite new to me but I really like the shade range and it is perfect for daytime. My ultimate beauty must have, and one I could not live without is  my Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer in the shade SC-3. I will be posting about this soon and you can see how much I love it and why!

What are your daily make-up essentials? Have you tried any of these products?

L'oreal Lumi Magique: Highlighing Pen

After toying with the idea of splashing out on a YSL Touche Eclat to cover my under eye circles, I went into Boots to make up my mind. I decided to check out what similar products were avaliable in the cheaper, high street brands. At £25, I thought that, although YSL Touche Eclat it is such a popular product and works wonders, it is a little out of my price range for what it is. After trying out all of the concealer pens, this was the one that stood out to me the most! In my opinion, a lot of the other products were too heavy for under the eye, with the consistency of a heavy foundation rather than a highlighting concealer.

The L'oreal Lumi Magique highlighting pen helps to brighten the appearance of eyes, cover any imperfections and highlight cheekbones, brow bones and the cupid's bow. I have really got on well with this product. It comes in three shades, light medium and dark - I went for the medium. It may seem that the shade range is quite small but I think as they are easily blend-able, there will be a shade for everyone! I have found it to be great under my eyes as it is light and easy to use. The applicator is really gentle which is what you need in the delicate under-eye area. I don't tend to use it on my brow bones or cheeks because I go for a highlighter instead but I am sure it would work great there too! It does last a while but I do like to re-apply a couple of time throughout the day. As you can see from the swatch on the bottom picture, it does reflect the light really well and highlights the applied area. The packaging is also great with a secure lid, great twisting mechanism and expensive-looking gold appearance.

I am sure that from my previous experience, it doesn't match up to the Touche Eclat, however, it comes a close second and at only £8.49 it is worth a try. After trying out the similar products I think that if I had not come across this, I would have been much more tempted to get the  more expensive Touche Eclat.

What do you think - Are there any other products that come close to the more expensive versions and what do you think of this if you have tried it?

The Secret to Volumised Hair!



Schwarzkpof Got2b Powder'ful volumizing styling powder, L'oreal Super Dust, John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo and conditoner, Lee Stafford Double Blow Volumizing Mousse



This is about the amount I use on my hair to give it loads of volume!

Most people love adding a bit of extra body and life to limp hair to create a more healthy look, especially in the summer months! Here is a selection of my favourite and most used products - my secret to volumised hair!

In my opinion, the most outstanding product from this selection has to be the Lee Stafford volumizing mousse. I have really long, heavy and limp hair and this works wonders! It leaves my hair soft without any stickiness or hardness, which I usually get from mousse, due to its light hold formula.

To use, I apply half a handful evenly onto wet hair concentrating it on my roots and spreading it through the rest of my hair. I then dry my hair as usual with a hairdryer (I find it is much more effective if I use a blow dry brush or turn my head upside down!). To add even more volume to my already bouncy locks, I add another half handful to my dry hair and give it a final blast with my hairdryer. Afterwards, my hair is left with natural body and bounce which lasts all day! It has quite a nice scent and it isn't too strong or overpowering.  I have found that the effect lasts quite a long time, I love the bright pink packaging and the pump works  really well.

This product has quickly become part of my daily hair styling routine as I use it before both straighening and curling -I definitely could not live without it and wouldn't change to any other mousse.


Back when I had blonde hair, John Frieda Blonde Shampoo used to be my saviour. When I reverted back to brunette, I also stopped using their shampoo and conditioners - until recently! This volume range is perfect to add that extra bounce to limp hair like mine. It smells lovely and also leaves my hair soft and nourished. I tend to change between colour protecting shampoo and the volume shampoo (Hence the smaller bottle) but I use the conditioner daily when I want volume! I only apply the conditioner to my hair from my ears downwards to stop my roots from becomng greasy and limp.

I have only recently become a fan of volumizing powder, as previously I have found them to be too sticky and stopped me being able to touch my hair at all after applying. After trying both of the above products I have found them to be much more manageable than others I have tried. I prefer the feel of the powder by L'oreal, but I like the application of the Schwarzkopf product as it dusts the powder over a larger area meaning that it doesn't concentrate in a particular place. I find these work best if a light dusting is applied to the roots underneath the top layer of hair, to prevent white patches on your head. I then rub it into my hair with my fingers, messing up the roots slightly. These are great products for instant style and volume. Even though I think they might be more suited to those with shorter styles, they are still effective on my long hair. For me, these products are perfect for a night out especially when teamed with the mousse, but in the day time I prefer my hair much softer so I tend to stick to my other favourites!

What are your favourite volumising products?