Love Me Beauty - May

Just wing it, life, eyeliner, everything. 

This months bag is called #shinebright and is once again full of exciting and varied products to try out! 


If you have an interest in monthly beauty bags you can get 20% off your first month with Love Me Beauty with the discount code 'laurae20'. 

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Oil Gold 10ml
This is a multi-purpose dry oil for the face, body and hair which combines 30% precious plant oils and vitamin E to nourish, smooth and repair. This shimmery oil is designed to enhance the look of your skin once tanned or for use after sun exposure. I am looking forward to thoroughly using this in the summer months in hopes that it will leave me with glowing and sun kissed looking skin. I am also going to be using it mixed with my moisturiser or foundation to add extra glow to my skin and improve the look of my make up. I have always wanted to try this and am so happy it is featured in this month's bag. 

Nuxe Reve De Miel Cleanser 15ml
I am always open to trying products that remove your make up at the end of the day, and although I enjoy using micellar water as a quick and easy way to do this, I have also tried a few different cleanser gel samples that I have really enjoyed using. This is a face cleansing and make-up removing gel that can be worked up into lather to really remove make-up, but that is soap free and gentle and so does not leave your skin dry or stripped of moisture. 

Gentle Exfoliating Gel with rose petals 15ml
This is a gentle gel that removes dead skin cells and exfoliates, recommend to be used twice weekly. It can be massaged onto dry or damp skin and then rinsed with water. I have some dry skin patches on my face and after use, this left them feeling smooth and soft. Some exfoliates can be drying and too rough but this gel is perfect pick me up for your skin. 

Manna Kadar Beauty Lip Locked Stain

This is a highly pigmented, non drying and long lasting lip stain, that was smooth and easy to apply. This is a new innovation, as in it is a primer, gloss and stain in one. It is not sticky, or uncomfortable to wear and does a great job of keeping my lips moisturised. 

Once again you can get 20% off your first month at www.Lovemebeauty.com with the code 'laurae20' ! 

Until next month! 

Three High Quality Highlighters

Make Up Revolution I Heart Make Up 'Goddess of Love' Highlighter - £5.99
Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter in 'Sin' - £19
Barry M Illuminating Strobe Cream 'Iced Bronze' - £4.49

I have put together three great highlighters that differ in price, formula and brand. I was first attracted to the heart boxes from Make Up Revolution as they looked like amazing dupes of the blushes from Too Faced, and I am a sucker for such cute packaging. At first I tried the blushes from Make Up Revolution and after being very impressed with them I decided to try one of their highlighters. This also turned out to be a great product, not particularly as pigmented as the other two highlighters I have picked out but a good product for only £4.99. It gives a natural and subtle glow to the skin, and it has a pink sheen to it, not my favourite in a highlighter but as it is not strongly pigmented it does not show up on the skin with too much of a pink shine. 

After watching Manny MUA rave about the Urban Decay highlighter in 'Sin' I was easily persuaded and went and bought it when it was finally back in stock! It is super pigmented and I always get comments whenever I am wearing it. If you are looking for a higher end product for highlight then this one should definitely be the top of your list! 

If you are looking to try a cream product, the the Barry M strobe stick is great and really affordable. It is easy to apply and blend, without smudging or moving your foundation and although there are only two shades to choose from, I am really pleased with the champagne shade of Iced Bronze. 

Highlighter is by far my favourite make up product and so my collection is always growing and very varied. What are your favourite highlighters? 

BRYT Skincare Nourish Serum

BRYT Nourish Serum Dry to Dehydrated Skin

BRYT Skincare is all about providing an 'easy and effective way' to take care of your skin, whatever your age. With natural botanical skin products without the use of parabens or sulphates and other preservatives, BRYT Skincare aims to help maintain a healthy complexion whilst maximising suppleness and tone. Their effective method of taking care of your skin includes three steps; cleanse, nourish and protect, a regime that ultimately brings lasting results. 

I am reviewing one of four of BRYT's Serums, each one is suitable for different skin requirements, but all of the Nourish serums are 'soothing, calming, hydrating and penetrating right down to cell level.' What I love about the BRYT website is that they provide you with really useful information on figuring out your skin type if you are unsure. 

The serum comes in an small attractive bottle, at £16.50 I will admit that it is a little pricey in comparison to other skincare products, but if you suffer with dry and dehydrated skin like me, I am willing to try so many different products to get the results I want and this one in my opinion, is worth a try. This serum is in a 30ml bottle and dispensed with a pump which makes it easy to use. The serum is pretty thick and so once on the skin it definitely feels like it is giving it an intense treatment, but a little goes a long way and with just a couple of pumps I could spread the serum across my face and down my neck as instructed. My skin was not left feeling sticky as it sunk in quickly, but was left feeling smooth and soft pretty immediately, and it was still fresh and hydrated in the morning. This I was pleased about as the product is described as 'penetrating right down to cell level' which helps to revive skin, and I have been sceptical about other skin products before that are specialised towards dry skin. 

This serum is cruelty free and has a vegan formula, and includes a number of essential oils, fantastic for retaining moisture and hydrating the skin. It also has a pleasant, fresh and clean smell that is not overpowering at all - I really enjoyed trying out this product and look forward to getting my hands on more products in order to be able to fully take advantage of BRYT's three step process. 

Check out their website and social media handles:
http://www.brytskincare.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/brytskincare
https://twitter.com/BRYTSkincare
https://uk.pinterest.com/brytyoungthings/
https://www.instagram.com/brytskincareuk/

My Acrylic Storage

I love displaying my make up, and I regularly switch up what I have on my dressing table, but I am currently really happy with my display and the make up on show in my Muji drawers. It is a mix up of some of the products I use on a daily basis, as well as all my favourite liquid lipsticks. 

Acrylic drawers are a great way to store your make up, and I think they look really good when filled with your favourite products. I also display my favourite lipsticks on top of the drawers in a plastic display unit from Amazon. I love stacking the storage to leave space on my dressing table to make a mess of a morning and I prefer to keep what I display to a minimum. 

My drawers are the wide two drawers acrylic box available here, but Amazon and Ebay as well as homeware stores and even Primark now sell storage suitable for displaying your make up. 

Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks and Swatches

 Mystic Moon and Underground

My Gerard Cosmetics collection is slowly but surely growing, and I find myself browsing the section on the Beauty Bay website very frequently to see what I can buy next. I recently purchased two of their lipsticks in the shade 'Mystic Moon' and 'Underground' and wanted to share my views with you. 

Both are similar shades but Mystic Moon is a more browny purple colour whereas Underground is more of a mauve shade. These lipsticks are pigmented, non drying and creamy even though they feel matte on the lips. I find that they don't budge for hours and so in my experience they are long lasting on the lips. 

I adore the packaging and love storing these on my vanity as they look super pretty and chic. I highly recommend Gerard cosmetics and particularly their lipsticks!

Gerard Cosmetics Lip Products

Top-Bottom- Serenity, Invasion and Underground 

I have had my eye on Gerard Cosmetics products for a while and after seeing so many lovely images on Instagram, and reading great reviews, I finally made an order on Beauty Bay and it was the best decision I have made this last week. 

Liquid lipsticks are usually a hit or miss with me, I have fairly thin lips, and if I don't have a suitable lip liner then I might as well just not bother wearing them. I had heard great things about the Hydra Matte liquid lipsticks though, and really liked the look of the shades and so I chose 'Serenity' and 'Invasion' after doing some internet research. They are creamy when applied, and then dry matte, but give you enough time before they dry to apply the product perfectly.  They are opaque and long lasting which is all you want in a liquid lipstick.

I also bought a lipstick in the shade 'Underground' which I think is a lipstick version of the shade 'Cashmere' from Lime Crime's Velvetines. This product is a lot sheerer than the Hydra Matte products and I had to apply it a number times to build it up to the amount I wanted and the colour I was happy with, but they are nice and creamy and I will definitely be purchasing more. 

Also, I absolutely adore the packaging of these products! Gerard Cosmetics gets an A+ from me! 

Freedom Make Up Review

Recently Freedom Make Up has found its way into my local Superdrug and I was immediately drawn in, due to the large variety of products they had and the affordable price tags for what looked like really good quality products. 

I picked up the Pro Powder Strobe Palette which came with a flat edge contour brush (£10), the Pro Studio Strobe Cream (£8) and the Pro Brow Pomade (£5). 

The Pro Strobe Palette is a powder palette and contains a top row of highlighters, two matte and one shimmery, and a bottom row of three matte contour shades. All powders are easy to blend and pigmented. I like to use the yellow shade powder to brighten under my eyes. The brush that comes with it is also nice, with a flat edge it is perfect for contouring and using to define your cheekbones.  

The strobe cream when blended out is a pinky shimmer, and as I haven't tried a strobe cream before such as the Mac one, I don't have anything to compare it to. As far as liquid highlights go, it's good, not my favourite but offers a lovely shimmer to the skin for a natural looking highlight. At 50ml the tube is a decent size for £8. 

My favourite of the three I picked is the brow pomade. I haven't tried the Anastasia one, so once again I can not compare this to anything, but I was really pleasantly surprised with how good this product is. It's creamy and easy to use and work with, and has a great colour pay off. It doesn't seem to be drying out at all, and so overall I am really impressed with this product and this is all I am currently using to define my brows. There are eleven shades to choose from, but the only downside is that I have mid-dark brown eyebrows and the colour shade I had to choose for me was 'blonde' as it seemed to match me perfectly, so the shade range seems to be quite dark and not suitable for people with light eyebrows. 

I would really recommend this brand, it's affordable and great quality and has a good range of products to choose from. 

Lauta Elizabeth xo 

Dupe: W7 Hollywood Bronze and Glow - Charlotte Tilbury Dupe

I was immediately drawn to this product before I even knew what it was or which brand it was by. The fact that it looks so similar to Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow made me purchase the product without any second thoughts. As amazing as the Charlotte Tilbury product seems to be, I haven't tried it as I just cannot fathom spending that much, and at £4.95 I just had to try this obviously inspired dupe. 

I like everything I've tried from W7 and was really excited when I discovered this product. I am not overly fond of the packaging; the mirror is quite pointless as it isn't big enough to be able to use when applying the product, however I like how the powders are displayed inside. 

The powders themselves are pigemented enough but can also be built up, and they both have a shimmery finish to them. The bronzer is fairly orange but I can make it work with my skin, and the highlighter is a lovely champagne colour. I don't own the Charlotte Tilbury product, and so I cannot effectively review this in comparison to it, but this is a great bronzer and highlighter duo for a really great price. 

Laura Elizabeth xo

August Favourites

First things first; where on Earth has August gone?! I feel like I have blinked and here we are on the cusp of September, nearing Autumn and saying goodbye to another summer again, way to soon for my liking. 

My august favourites are very brief, but they have been the products I have been applying everyday I have worn make up during August and tools I have used to do so, and while the UK hasn't had the best weather this summer, with these products I have been able to achieve  bronzed and glowy skin, making it look like I have been on a tropical escape to the Caribbean!

Also, all the products are super affordable but do just as an amazing job as high street brands would do. 

Make Up Revolution Baked Bronzer Really easy to blend, buildable and has some glitter in it, I like to add this to certain areas of my face to add a bronzed glow. 

Make Up Revolution Golden Lights Highlighter Super pigmented, a white-golden shimmery shade, perfect for cheekbones as well as eye brow highlight. 

W7 Make Up and Glow Bronzing Base Easily blendable, gel based bronzer, isn't too orangey, perfect dupe for Soleil Tan De Chanel. Great for contour, all over bronzer or under foundation to even skin tone and add a bronzed base.  

Real Techniques Stippling Brush Versatile brush, love using it to apply the W7 Bronzing Base, it helps to distribute and blend the product. 

Ebay Fan Shape Make Up Brush Also in last months favourites, this brush is soft, really affordable but good quality and is the perfect shape for applying highlighter. 

What have you been loving this month?

Laur Elizabeth xo 

Favourite Concealers

Concealers are literally my life savers when it comes to make up. I have always struggled with dark circles and now I even know which ones work best for me when paired with a particular foundation. Some I prefer to use as under eye coverage and others for any blemishes or red areas. 

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer - Great for under eye brightening and concealing. It doesn't crease or go cakey, it blends beautifully, particularly with a damp beauty blender and is a great price! 

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - This concealer is also good for tired eyes, but I think it works best to cover any red areas and when set with a powder it stays in place all day. 

LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer - These concealers blend really well, and I also use a darker shade as a contour at times. I love using this one under my eyes, and it also works well as a highlight for different areas of the face. I just wish they would change the packaging!

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - One of my favourites. Although it is on the pricier side I think it is well worth every penny, light, creamy and easily blended, this one also works lovely with a beauty blender. 

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer - Another great one from the drugstore. I don't find that this one covers any blemishes as well as the Collection concealer, but I do enjoy using this one for under my eyes when I'm going for a lighter make up look. I also love pairing it with the Wake Me Up foundation. 

MAC Studio Finish Concealer - A thick consistency, works well to cover blemishes and also is good for under eye coverage. I always use it with a small brush though, as I find when blended with fingers it takes away the coverage. 

Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer - I like using this to cover my dark circles, it blends well and although it doesn't give as much coverage as some other concealers in my collection, it does do the job of covering up my under eye circles and any problem areas. 


What are your favourite concealers?

Laura Elizabeth xo

No Make Up Make Up Necessities

My preferred make up look as of late has been the 'no make up' make up look. Particularly during the summer months when ideally I want to be wearing less on my face, and long and sometimes early hours at work means I don't want to have to keep checking my make up during the day, or that I just want longer in bed, and so a simple and easily achievable look is much more desirable than a full face! 

I've discovered products that help me to achieve this minimal 'no make up' look, and get longer in bed!

After cleaning my face, I will apply a moisturiser, ideally one with an SPF, I like the Garnier Moisture Match Illuminating Lotion, as it adds a subtle glow to my skin but it doesn't feel too heavy once applied. I then apply the body shop primer as it helps my make up stay in place all day, and creates a nice base to apply my foundation over. Additionally, I sometimes use the L'oreal Skin Perfection cream which when squeezed out of the tube is a white colour but applies to the skin with a brown tint, this evens the colouration of my skin. I then bronze up my face with a perfect Soleil Tan De Chanel dupe by W7. This product is much cheaper and blends perfectly. I then comb through my brows, and when I'm in a rush I will skip my full brow routine and apply some of the Maybelline Brow Drama; combing my brows into place as well as adding just a hint of colour to them to make them look a little bit more filled in. 

This is how I achieve my 'no make' make up look for the skin. If I am leaving the house I will almost definitely apply some mascara to make myself look more awake and then I'm set to go! 

Let me know if you have any preferences to products that help to create the perfect 'no make up' make up look!

Until next time, 

Laura Elizabeth xo

June Favourites

Pink Shell Cross Body Bag | Skinny Dip London - I have been loving using this bag the past month, it's small but large enough to hold any essential items, and basically it makes me feel like a mermaid. It's metallic and looks really pretty when the sun shines on it, it also has a long, chunky gold chain. 

Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser | Liz Earle - My new favourite method of removing my make up! It's simple, quick and easy to use, and removes even the most difficult and stubborn mascara with just a few wipes of the muslin cloth. It leaves my skin feeling smooth afterwards and I just find it really satisfying when rubbing the cleanser onto my face with my fingers, starting to remove the make up, before wiping the rest away with the cloth. 

Aquarium Nail Mediterranean in Number 4 | Barry M - I bought this nail polish last year, but early on in June I picked it out of my ever growing collection of polishes and applied it to my toe nails and now my love for it has been renowned. The metallic shiny pink makes me feel like a mermaid, just like the shell bag, and looks really pretty with a pair of cute sandals on a sunny day. 

Colour Boost Lip Crayon | Bourjois Paris - Another product I picked up last summer after I watched Tanya Burr use it in one of her make up tutorial videos! It's another lip crayon product, and although there are many out there, and you may already own too many, this product is a lip crayon that should definitely be added to your collection. The formula is lovely, non sticky and not drying at all. It has a glossy shine to it and the colour pay off is really good. It's a lovely coral/peach colour and so it is perfect for a summer make up look. 

Gold Stack Rings | Primark - Gold stack rings are a great accessory and I picked these up in Primark for under £5. They fit nicely, and vary in band sizes but all are fairly chunky. They are simple, but eye catching and suitable for everyday or evening outfits. 

Make Up Setting Spray | Collection - Defnitely useful in the summer heat if you want your make up to last for a long period of time without moving or melting! With just one spray this product sets your make up, and leaves it in place for hours. This is another product I have purchased before, however I have started to use it more in the hotter weather and found that for £5.99 it is definitely a great product worth buying this summer. 

Silver Coin Necklace | LVBT.co.uk - I very kindly got sent this product a while back and have been really enjoying wearing it with everyday outfits and in the evening. I find that it works really well both ways, and is perfect for completing a great festival look. They look sophisticated and make any outfit look effortlessly well put together.