Makeup Academy MUA Haul, again...

So, I think by now we have all realised that i have a serious make up problem!  I bought some more of my MUA luminous foundation (3 bottles of it!!) as it was £2 in the sale - my review on that can be found here along with my first review on MUA's fabulous products.  And this haul i'm about to tell you about resulted in me having to buy 2 more Muji acrylic drawers for more storage (review on these can be found here- my husband does not understand why i NEED so much makeup!  Its an addiction i tell you, i cant help it!

Anyway, let me begin my review on my latest MUA haul.  I only wanted to go on their website to see if i could get the Luxe Velvet Lips - which i actually couldnt get as it was out of stock, and ended up getting those in Superdrug.  But still ended up spending £30.34 on makeup i didnt realise i NEEDED until i saw them!!

On to my first product....  £1 Nail Polish in Amaretto Crush.
http://www.muastore.co.uk/nail-polish-amaretto-crush
MUA say:

The NEW Nail Varnish range from MUA - new shades, new bottle and a new and improved brush! A great range of amazing shades to suit any occasion- includes 3 new shades (Koala Bear, Bold Blue & Lush Lilac) that will keep you bang on trend! Apply the colour flawlessly with the new and improved brush. Don't forget to use the clear as a top coat too!

I just love this polish!  As soon as the package arrived on my desk, i got it out and put it straight on!  I'm so into pinks/corals at the moment, and this colour is just perfect for the Spring.  It dries really quickly, isnt at all gloopy and is easy to apply.  I found i needed 3 coats to make it as opaque as i liked, but the 3 coats dried well and didnt smudge - perfect! Super amazing value for a £1 when you think i spend over a tenner on most of my polishes!  More colours please MUA!



£1 Nail Polish - Amaretto Crush

£1 Lipstick in Nectar, shade 16
http://www.muastore.co.uk/lipstick-shade-16-nectar
MUA say:

Make a statement with our show stopping £1 lipstick, available in 16 shades. Make Up Academy provides on trend shades on a budget, allowing you to achieve the latest looks without breaking the bank!

This lipstick is beautiful!  I was a bit worried it might be a bit too orange for me, but i just love it on!  I wore it today (you can see it on my OOTD photo on my Instagram @blusherandbrownies ) It glides on so smoothly on top of my foundation (i always put foundation on my lips) its bright and lovely, but not too bright for work, feels really moisturising, will be my staple colour for the summer!

Nectar



 I also love Shade 15, Juicy.  Another pinky/coral colour, not as 'orangey' as Nectar, goes beautifully with my work bag!  As Nectar, goes on so smoothly and lasts really well. I probably reaply 2/3 times a day.  Lots of talking, drinking and eating.  Not bad going!


Shade 15:

Juicy

 

£1 Matte Lipstick in Pouty Pink

http://www.muastore.co.uk/matte-lipstick-pouty-pink

MUA say:

Everything from nudes to bolds, MUA's matte lipsticks are available in 5 wearable shades that glide smoothly over lips to give a beautiful non-glossy finish.
The beautiful natural pink colour glides over lips to give a soft matte finish

A pretty little pink lipstick perfect for these date nights!  I do prefer regualr lipsticks, as i find matte ones tend to dry out my lips a little, but this colour was so cute i had to try it.  Problem solved by putting a little bit of lipbalm on top!



£1 Matte Lipstick in Pouty Pink



Kiss Proof Lip Stain, £3 in Fabulicious

http://www.muastore.co.uk/kiss-proof-lip-stain-fabullicious

MUA say:

At last, colour that stays on with MUA’s Kiss Proof lip stain, the answer to the problem of 'bleeding' lipstick and lipstick that disappears all day long.

This is a very subtle lip stain that is barely there in colour. But its perfect if you are having a minimal makeup day.  Its just like a felt tip pen and it smells amazing, very fruity.  I think i should have gone for the Fruitalicious one, maybe the colour would have been a bit brighter.

Kiss Proof Lip Stain

Prime and Conceal, £1.50

http://www.muastore.co.uk/prime-and-conceal

MUA say:

Rid yourself of redness once and for all!
Our Prime & Conceal colour corrector has a yellow tone to counteract that redness around your eyes and will also tone down blemishes. Apply to your eyelids to give yourself a clean slate to create those amazing eye looks!
Everyone suffers from that annoying blemish that pops up at exactly the wrong time, no matter what you do that redness just shines through - not anymore! Using your F3 Concealer Brush dab Prime & Conceal over the area and blend around it, then apply your foundation. There you go! Your flawless complexion has returned!

All of the above is true!  True i tell you!!  I LOVE this product.  I have quite dark circles naturally, no matter how much sleep i get, they only get better in the Summer .  But this stuff is just a savious!  I purchased the F3 brush (which is brilliant, MUA brushes dont shed hairs) and apply as instructed, and it is yellow let me warm you.  I thought i'd have yellow circles, but you dont, it blends so well with your foundation, and makes me look less tired, and more fresh!  And every day must have.

Prime and Conceal, £1.50

Undress Me Too Palette, £4

http://www.muastore.co.uk/undress-me-too-palette

MUA say:

The Undress Me Too Palette embraces this season’s fresh-faced look and urges you to strip back and go nude! Made up of 12 warm and timeless shades, this palette will suit all skin tones and any occasion.
The pearlescent flesh-toned finish of shades Naked, Devotion and Shy are perfect for highlighting the eyes, while the shimmering bronze hues of shades Fiery, Lavish and Dreamy give a sultry effect. There are even smouldering contour tones in shades Tranquil, Exposed and Wink so that you can transform your minimalist day look into a sexy smokey eye in an instant.
Featuring a shade range that runs from the palest champagne to the grungiest gunmetal grey, this isn’t just ‘shades of beige'. Each shadow has a distinct look that works for everyone.

I have to apologise and say my photo isnt great, the swatch on the website is much better.  But i love this eyeshadow palette.  I have Undress Me as well, in my previous review.  Undress Me Too is perfect for creating some beautiful day time looks, i've had a lot of compliments on my eyeshadow creations this week.  The colours are lovely, some are very subtle, but they do last well all day.  Some say this is a dupe for UD Naked 2 palette.... 

Undress Your Skin Illuminating Foundation in Porcelain, £5 (£3 in Superdrug atm)

http://www.muastore.co.uk/undress-your-skin-illuminating-foundation

MUA say:

The perfect blend of skin-care and make up, the Undress Your Skin Illuminating Foundation covers imperfections whilst maintaining your skins natural glow. With light-diffusing particles this product is designed to create that instant radiance on your skin.

This foundation is so lovely.  Its about this time of the year i switch up my makeup, and steer away from the heavier foundation in favour of a more dewy variety, and this my friends is the one!  I also bought it in beige for when the sun starts shining and the freckles and tan appears!  It glides on well (i use a foundation brush with a final touch up with my fingers) and it lasts all day.  I havent used an powder on the top as i didnt want a heavy look, i dont need to touch up at all, and i'm not shiny by the end of the day.  This is my spring/summer foundation!

Undresss Your Skin, Porcelain

Lash Boom Mascara, £2

http://www.muastore.co.uk/lash-boom

MUA say:

Magnify your lashes for a spectacular false lash effect with the brand new MUA Lash Boom Mascara. Encased in a gorgeous purple tube, this volumising mascara has a long wand that creates length with added drama.
Coat your lashes from root to tip for longer fuller lashes in a flash, minus the irritating clumping. The multi-comb, silicone wand will catch each individual eyelash whilst defining and separating to create a flirty, fanned-out effect.
It’s perfect for short lashes too because the wand is the ideal shape and style to help add much needed love to short lashes – making them long and fluttery!

I really like this mascara.  I was a bit scared about tehe brush at first, i did poke myself in the eye with it once!  But now i'm used to it, it gives me a false lash looks and really gets all the little lashes. I use quite a bit of mascara, i'm not subtle about that, and this is the mascara to give you the boost your lashes need.

Lash Boom

Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer, £3

http://www.muastore.co.uk/mua-luxe/velvet-lip-lacquer

MUA say:

Smooch your way to red carpet glamour with MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquers. Long lasting and kiss proof, these intense formulas come in five rich, vampy shades. Encased in chic frosted glass packaging, these lacquers glide on with the ease of a gloss, drying in seconds into a matte velvety texture. They are the ultimate make-up bag must have.

I ADORE these lip lacquers, and i've been trying to get my hands on them for months, and i finally saw them in Superdrug and purchased 4 of the colours!!

you have to be really careful when you apply these, as once it dries, it aint coming off for no one!!  i had to scrub my arm after doing the swatches - that is staying power!!  The effect is beautiful, bright bold colours, that stays, and isnt sticky, perfect for a night out, sticky summer nights.  I cant wait to wear them all on holiday.  My favourite is probably Criminal, its a stunning fuscia pink colour, Love Love Love them!!

Velvet Lips

Velvet Lips in Funk

I should add in here that the Pro Base Primer i got it really good, feels quite wet when you apply it, but certainly helps keep my make up in place.

But out of all the MUA primers, my favourite is the Matte Perfect Primer £4 You can really feel the staying power, it is very similar to Benefits Prefessional...

http://www.muastore.co.uk/face/primer

Intense Glosses in Sweet Nothings, £2

http://www.muastore.co.uk/intense-glosses

MUA say:

Intense Kisses are high-intensity glosses which come in a wide range of bold colours and adds just the right amount of glamour to lips, whether you're strutting down the street or the red carpet. Wear alone or over your favourite MUA lipstick colour for gorgeous kissable lip effect

In love with this lip gloss!  It really gives the impression of fullness on the lip, its not stick, feels smooth and the colour is mega pigmented. Sweet Nothings ia real Barbie Pink, and i just love it!  When i received it and was doing my photos, i sat there with it on all night whilst in my pyjamas, i think my hubby thinkgs i'm crazy! This is a must buy.

Intense Glosses

So that is my review, well done if you made it all the way through, i hope i didnt bore you too much.

If anyone has any questions, please let me know.

What is your favourite MUA product?  I'd love to know!

Jx

Big Bushy Brows - well not quite...

I'm a massive fan of perfect eyebrows, and I have to say mine have been known to look like spiders on my forehead on occasions, but one must keep up appearances!

After getting my eyebrows threaded on Saturday, i paid my local Benefit Cosmetics counter a visit.  And boy, do they have some remarkable products in at the moment!  I follow them on Instagram, and also a sister site Brow Arch March, and had seen the launch of the new products, Speed Brow and Gimme Brow.

I have used both Gimme Brow and Speed Brow in this photo

I've always pencilled in my eyebrows with the old faithful Rimmel pencil, but by the end of the day, it had smudged off a little and i had stray eyebrow hairs not in place.  But what to use instead of a pencil for colour?  Gimme Brow is the answer!

What Benefit say:
Bring on the brows! This innovative brush-on fiber gel adheres to skin & hair…creating brows where before there were none. It builds easily for thick, lush arches, thanks to a tapered brush for blending & precision tip for shaping. Available in two shades.

 

INNOVATIVE BRUSH-ON FIBER GEL:

• Water resistant  

• Long-wearing 

• Natural-looking 

• Buildable

 

97% said brows looked fuller*

100% said it was smudge proof*

100% said it looked natural*

94% said results were long-wearing*

 

*Results observed in consumer panel survey

 

How to apply: Using short pressing motions, stroke brush tip along brow to define shape. Comb through to blend & build brows

 

It can be purchased here £17.50

 

I purchased the medium/dark shade.  Its like a teeny weeny mascara! Glides on really well, easy to manage, no blobbing and looks a lot more natural than a heavy pencil.  It covers my bald spots and gives amazing definition - i love it!  No more pencil for me!  It also keeps the eyebrows in place.  But for extra certainty i used Speed Brow over the top.

 

What Benefit say:

Why we love it!

Tint, tame and set brows in record time! This brush-on gel dries to a natural-looking finish for instantly beautiful brows. One natural shade dresses up all brows.

How to apply

Brush onto eyebrows in light, upward strokes. With the tip of the wand, trace along brow contour to create a smooth line.

It can be purchased here £13.00

This tamer is by far the best i've ever used.  Long gone are the days of clear mascara keeping your eyebrows in place, this isnt gloopy, and  when i say it lasts all day, it really does.  I put my make up on at 7am and take it off about 9pm and not a strand is out of place, no more crazy brows!  Makes eyebrows look fuller, more shapely, glossy and healthy - a real winner!

We've all overplucked at some point in our lives way back when, and if you, like are trying to undo the damage caused, then these 2 products are a must have.  They are a little pricey, especially Gimme Brow, but it is so much nicer than a pencil and more natural.

So, check out your local Benefit counter and see what the Benebabes can do for you!

Jx

Post Valentines Date Night

Me and the husband stayed in on Valentines night with a Dine in for 2 from M&S which was lovely, I’d much rather go out the night after, bit too cheesy for me going out on Valentines!

 

So with that in mind, we went out on Saturday night.  We had a lovely evening, dinner and we went to see Jason Manford at Watford Colosseum.  I spent a lovely leisurely afternoon getting ready, bath, deep conditioning treatment, took time to do my hair and makeup with a glass of wine, perfect!  I had a new outfit too:

 

Jersey blazer: Primark

Dress: Primark

 

Teamed with black opaque tights and black hidden platform court shoes.  I love a Primarni bargain!

 

We went for a gorgeous meal and a bottle of Prosecco at Zizzis, over ate but it was SO worth it!  I had garlic bread with mozzarella and balsamic caramelised onions served on a wooden board, and for my main a delicious goats cheese and pesto ravioli, amazing!

 

We then made our way up to the Colosseum, got there a bit early to collect the tickets and shared a bottle of pink wine! Perfect, just to get us in the mood for Manford!

 

Well, I’ve not seen much of Jason Manford before, but heard good things about this tour #firstworldprobelms so I was really excited seeing the show.  And our excitement was heightened as we both tweeted Jason before the show and we both got a reply – happy days!

 

He was brilliant! He didn’t have a warm up act, he did the whole show himself – it was over 2 hours long, and I didn’t stop laughing, at one point I had tears running down my face.  He did a lot of audience participation, combined with the fact Watford isn’t a massive venue, the whole gig felt quite intimate. I now want to get some of his DVDs as I know that if I’m ever feeling down, I’ll pop a DVD on and feel happier after.  If you ever get the chance to see him, please do go, hysterical!

 

I had such a good time I almost shit my pants! (show joke!)

 

All in all a really special post valentines date night.

 

Jx

Beautiful Bargains

Well, talk about bargain central! I popped into Tesco this morning on my way to work, as I had forgotten my eyebrow pencil and I am going to straight to an Awards Ceremony for my company straight after work. Which I am incredibly excited about – it is at The Luton Hoo 5 Star Hotel, we get dinner, drinks and a night’s stay! Can’t wait to leave work and get up there for some “me” time.

Anyway, I digress… Whilst perusing the cosmetics aisle of Tesco looking for my eyebrow pencil, I saw 3 massive boxes FULL of sale F&F and Barbara Daly make up! Ranging from 50p to £3 per item! Heaven! As you might have guessed, I have a little bit of a make up problem, I suppose it is like my guilty pleasure. Well I swiftly put back my Rimmel pencil and replaced it with a bargain F&F brow pencil priced at just £1!! Exactly the same, just with no brush on the end. I also got:

F&F Enlighten me concealer - £1
Awaken your eyes with this creamy under eye concealer in shade 2. Apply F&F Enlighten me concealer with the built-in brush to reduce the appearance of dark under eye circles. Before use, prime the pen by twisting the base until a small amount of Enlighten me becomes visible on the brush.

This is like the YSL Touche Eclat. Very creamy, good coverage but not heavy.

F&F Lips (gloss) - 50p
This pure shine lip gloss adds soft colour to your lips. Apply the super glossy Baby blush shade alone or over lip colour for a flawless finish. The perfect size to pop into your bag for touch-ups, apply your F&F lipgloss directly from the wand applicator.

A very pretty pink colour, slightly too sticky for my liking, so one to wear when your hair is up. F&F

Cream Blush - £1
Wake up your skin with a natural hint of colour. F&F cream blush in Precious pink gives any tired face a lift. Apply the blush with fingertips and dab on to your skin with a patting motion for a flattering flush of subtle colour.

Looks really pink in the dish, but once I applied with my fingers to the apples of my cheek, was a really soft, pink glow, very fresh looking.

F&F Galaxy Glow - £1 (£9.50 on the website!)
The ultimate finish touch for your skin, F&F Galaxy glow highlighter adds a glow to dull, tired looking skin. Packed with ultra fine iridescent pearls, it can be applied all over the face or to partial areas. This versatile highlighter can be worn alone to brighten the complexion or over make-up

I’ve not tried this on my face yet, but put a bit on my hand, feels lovely and smooth, would be nice to wear on naked skin if you didn’t want to wear any foundation (like if you had a glow from a tan, fake or otherwise!)

F&F Eyes (eyeshadow) – 50p
A baked eye shadow with a shimmer and shine finish for any occasion, F&F Metallics eyeshadow, in this stunning Oyster shell colour has great staying power. The wet or dry formula offers 2 different effects, use it wet for a high impact look or dry for a beautiful soft sheen.

Luckily I wore no make up to work today, as I got to try this at my desk! It is beautiful, reminds me of MAC nylon, high pigmentation, blended well with my fingers.

Barbara Daly See Through Lip Gloss - £2
Part of the beauty collection by legendary make-up artist Barbara Daly, this Lip glaze is a translucent gloss for beautifully shiny lips. With a subtle hint of Chiffon colour, this lip glaze leaves a flawless, moisturised and glossy finish Lovely gloss!

Feels really moisturising and has a pinky, almost iridescent colour.

F&F Galaxy Shine - £1
Wake up your skin with maximum glow with F&F Galaxy Shine highlighter. This pearl packed shimmer allows for a versatile application using a sponge, brush or fingertips. Use on cheeks, face and body for stunning, shimmery highlights.

Again, I’ve not tried this one, but tried it on my hand, very pinky iridescent, will be perfect as a highlighter on the cheek and brow bones. Think Benefit High Beam, but with a more iridescent finish.

From Vivo: Vivo VPL Volume & Length Mascara – 50p
Fibre formulation adds instant length to lashes coupled with volume brush technology to get the ultimate VPL

Now, this is my one disappointing buy. But it was only 50p. I think it might be “off” as the tube felt empty when getting the wand out, very dry and hardly anything went on my lashes. Which is a real shame as the brush looks amazing, and seems like it would do a really good job if the actual mascara wasn’t dried up! Its original price of £3.49 – and you can still purchase on line through Vivo, might be worth another go.

And not in the sale: Collection Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel Liner - £3
Tiny glitter particles suspended in a clear, quick-drying gel, Includes precision brush for easy application, Wear over eye shadow or alone with mascara.

WOW, I love this! I thought it might have been a bit OTT for the office, but I just had to try it! I teamed it with the Oyster eyeshadow above, and it is beautiful. My boss commented on how lovely my eyes looked. My eyes are brown/hazel and the eyeshadow/glitter are goldy so it really brings out the colour of my eyes, makes them look really bright and pretty. Loving the sparkle of the eyeliner!

What a way to start the weekend! I’m a happy bunny!

Happy Friday!
Jx

Start spreading the news...

It was my husbands 30th Birthday last week, and as a surprise, I booked a trip to The Big Apple, The Empire State, NYC, NEW YORK!!  I booked it in July, so how i managed to keep it a secret for over 6 months i don't know!  Everything was done in secret, i'd booked the time off with his boss, tickets booked, hotel arranged, ESTAS purchased, dollars exchanged - so exciting!

A very excited birthday boy!

The night before his birthday, i told him that he didnt have to go to work in the morning and that i had something planned for him.  In the middle of the night i decorated the living room, put the bubbly in the fridge and got prepared for the birthday boy!

Lounge all decorated

2 bottles of bubbly before lunch - oops!

When he opened his card, he couldnt believe it!  We were going to NYC in the morning!  We had such a lovely day, we went to The Grove for lunch, which was incredible, we were treated like kings!  Well worth a visit for a special occasion, we dined in The Stables restaurant - their website can be found here drank bubbly all day, packed our cases and his family came over in the evening.  His sisters made him such a fantastic cake!

Jamie's beautiful sisters and the fantastic cake

We were both so excited when we went to bed that night, i dont think we slept much and when the alarm went off at 4.30am it was time to get ready.  We flew with BA from LHR T5, the flight was on time, no issues, and we landed safely at JFK just after 12 noon.  Straight in a yellow taxi to the hotel.

Us on the flight

We stayed at The Milford Times Square.  A cheap and cheerful, basic, modern hotel in a prime location in the Theatre District.  We went straight to the Empire State Building after stopping at a deli for a spot of lunch)  The View from the Empire State 86th Observatory Deck was incredible, 360 degree views of Manhattan.  By the time we got there, dusk was settling and all the lights looked so beautiful.

View from the Empire State Building

We did so much in such a short space of time, Jamie is a massive Sopranos fan, so we went to Little Italy, did some shopping in Macy's, spent a fortune in Victorias Secret, walked around Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge, NY Public Library, Ground Zero, Tiffanys!!!!  We also made our own custom Muppett in FAO Schwarz, so much fun!  We met some lovely locals in a bar we popped in to for a well needed rest after walking around Bloomies. The bar is The Bar Room, at 117 East 60th Street between Lexington and Park their website can be found here.  Special thanks to Harry for the amazing choclate pudding he gave us as a treat.

A few moments from The Bar Room

Flat irons - location of The Bar Room

We only meant to stop for a one drink, then staggered out 6 hours later and got pretzels and hot dogs!

Pretzels!

Another must visit for food is Carmines Website in Times Square 200 West 44th Street.  AMAZING food, the portions are huge - so share!  Our main would have easily fed 4 people! It was packed - a good sign! 
We also went to the flicks in Times Square, we saw Paranormal Activity - so funny in the cinema, they Americans get so in to the film, so much screaming!!

Paranormal Activity in Times Square

We were incredibly sad to leave, especially only staying for 3 nights, but we will be returning, hopefully this year... Fingers crossed!

Jx

NYE Sparkly Lipglosses!

Whilst perusing Instagram, I came across a beautiful lip that i wanted to re-create for NYE. I was going for statement eyes so wanted a neutral lip with that little bit extra, this was perfect!

Stunning!

I already had the lipstick i was going to use underneath - MUA £1 Matte Lipstick Totally Nude with my Mac Naked Lip Pencil £12 but i didnt have the sparkly for the top coat!

So, i went shopping!  I tried on about 6 different glosses, including a gorgeous one from Bobbi Brown - Bare Sparkle £18 but it wasnt quite right.  I then found a stunning one from Lancôme - Color Fever Gloss in sparkling Light £20 but the hefty price tag put me off (for a gloss that i may potentially lose after a few vinos), so i went searching for a dupe.  And i found one!

Barry M display in Superdrug

Barry M do an almost identical version of the Lancome one and it is a quarter of the price! Lip Gloss Wand - Strawberries and Cream £4.49 It is slightly less sparkly, but not so much you would notice.
It goes on smooth, smells delicious and isnt that sticky!  I purchased from Superdrug, but have put the link direct to Barry M's website above.

Very sparkly!

Smells great

It goes to show that if you do some research and take your time, you can often find a fab dupe and save some money! 

Although i didnt end up saving much as i bought this beautiful glitter nail polish as well!  It is the Nicole by OPI range, part of the Modern Family Collection. Haley Good Lookin' £7.99 I got mine from Superdrug too pretty and girly not to take it home with me! I will probably layer it with  OPI's Mod About You.

Very glittery, perfect for layering

So, Happy New Year lovely people.  Hope 2014 brings you everything you wish for.  Hope you all had a good night brining in the New Year!

Jx

Me being silly on NYE!

Me & my sexy husband on NYE