Weekly Loves #1

Everybody loves a weekly blog segment, so I thought I'd give this one a go. I may be getting ahead of myself by titling it '#1' and setting myself up for failure, but only time will tell. For now, I've got some products to natter on about so let's get to it.

First off is a rediscovered foundation love. I used to wear Revlon Colorstay Foundation (Normal/Dry Skin) on a daily basis. However, I eventually fell out of love with it, as it was highlighting my dry skin more than I would have liked, and moved forward with my quest to find the perfect foundation (for reference, I am still on said quest.) I recently repurchased it as I was looking for something with a fuller coverage than my other foundations. I'm not sure whether this should be put down to the reformulation, the change in my skin condition or both; but suddenly this foundation is hitting all the right notes with me.

Next is a seriously hyped up product, in the form of Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer. For the first time in what seems like years, I have cast aside my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in favour of something a bit more luxurious. Unfortunately for my bank balance, I much prefer the Nars. The shade Chantilly is a good match for my alabaster skin tone, so it's a good one for pale beauties. Though I think it may be intended for under the eyes, I personally find it a bit too drying for that area and much prefer it as a blemish concealer. It covers every imperfection but never looks cakey; I've definitely been converted. *bank card weeps in the corner*

I recently purchased a new toner, the Lush Tea Tree Water, as my skin was feeling red and spot ridden. Not great a few days before your sister's wedding. I had always used the Lush Eau Roma Water as my toner, but I think I may actually prefer this as I feel it does much more for my skin. I noticed a difference pretty quickly, with those pesky spots shrinking down within a couple of days. I love using this in the morning, especially, as the smell is just so refreshing!

Lastly, I've been loving the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. I have probably tried just about every eyeliner pen found in the aisles of Boots, but I think this may be my favourite thus far. The nib is long and thin, so it's the perfect shape for lining the lashes, even for eyeliner noobs like myself. The formula of this is on point: I wore it for the aforementioned wedding and found it totally intact for most of the day. I found some slight smudging on the outer corner at around the eight hour mark, which is pretty good on somebody who usually looks like a raccoon by hour two. Definitely one that lives up to its name! 

What products have you been loving this week?

A Lip Crayon Craze

In the beauty world, things always happen the same way. A brand, often from the higher end of the market, will create a new, 'revolutionary' form of product and then every other brand  will jump start to make their own version. This was certainly the case with lip crayon trend. It all started with the Clinique Chubby Stick (whether they invented the idea or simply were the first to bring it into the public eye, I am unsure). Then everyone else picked up on the craze, and suddenly every makeup stand in Boots is stocked with a different version. Personally, I have no problem with this as I am a massive fan of the lip crayon. A moisturising lip colour that can be easily applied without a mirror? I'm sold. So here's a look at my ever-growing collection of lip crayons.

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturising Lip Colour Balm in 07 Super Strawberry

It may shock you to find that the original, in this case, may not be the best. Apparently what applies to films does not apply to lipsticks. I picked up this mini version for free with a magazine and, I must say, I am glad I never splurged on a full size. This product has very little colour pay off, and translates as more of a sheer tint on the lips than an actual lipstick. Personally, I wouldn't mind this if the formula was nice and hydrating. Unfortunately this product is pretty drying on the lips, especially for something with the word 'balm' in the name. It doesn't moisturise my lips as it claims to do and, after a few hours wear, leaves them looking chapped. From what I've heard, the Chubby Stick Intense is much better but as for its original counterpart, I wouldn't waste the money.

Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain in 001 Honey, 005 Crush and 040 Rendezvous

Formerly known as the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains, these have had a recent (and much needed) name change. These were my first foray into the world of lip crayons and are still much loved staples in my collection. They have reasonable, but very buildable, colour pay off and give a good amount of moisture to the lips. They initially give a nice glossy finish which lasts for around 2-3 hours and then fades to a stain on the lips. I have the shades Honey, a lovely muted pink; Crush, a deep berry pink; and Rendezvous, a sheer orange. I will always come back to these, time and time again and would totally recommend them to anyone who will listen.

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in 205 Elusive, 215 Shameless and 250 Standout

Another offering from Revlon, who seem to be at the top of the game in lip crayon releases. The basic concept of these is a balmy lipstick with a matte finish. The blogging world went kind of cray over these earlier in the year, and for good reason. These have to be one the most moisturising matte formulas I have ever come across. The finish isn't entirely matte as it does have a slight sheen to it. I prefer this as I find it more comfortable to wear- but if you're looking for a full on retro matte finish, this isn't it. These don't have the staining quality that came with the original balm stains. They have a lengthy wear time when left undisturbed, but they do come off when eating and drinking. I have the shades Elusive, a neutral pink that is not dissimilar to the Balm Stain in Honey; Standout, a beautiful deep red which is my personal favourite in the range; and Shameless, a super vibrant purple that I have no clue why I bought. The shade range is a bit iffy, but if you can find colours that you like these are good to have.

Bourjois Color Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in 01 Red Sunrise, 04 Peach on the Beach and 06 Plum Russian

This is one for those who love a good glossy finish. These have great colour pay off and are very moisturising on the lips. They have a lovely glossy finish to them without having the stick factor that usually accompanies glosses. The colour usually wears for around 3-4 hours on me, though the glossiness wears off long before that so it is one that needs to be reapplied. I have the shades Red Sunrise, a vibrant true red; Peach on the Beach, a bright peach; and Plum Russian, a darker plummy pink.

Rimmel Colour Rush Balm in Not An Illusion and Keep Mauving

Rimmel's offering is the most moisturising of the bunch- at the end of a day's wear, there are no dry lips in sight. They have good colour pay off and leave your lips with a nice sheen. They also smell uncannily like Mac lipsticks, which is a nice bonus. They have an fair colour range of 12 shades so there's plenty to choose from. I have the shades Not An Illusion and Keep Mauving. Not An Illusion is a lovely, easy-to-wear coral shade. A little birdie, also known as the gorgeous Maddie from Qworter Life Crisis, mentioned that this shade is also a perfect dupe for Mac See Sheer. Keep Mauving is a pinky purple colour which, when worn side by side on the lips, is almost identical to Mac Plumful.

Have you tried any of these? What are your thoughts on the lip crayon trend?