theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipstick 'Adoring' Swatches and Review

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

I'm very new to the world of liquid lipsticks. I tried out one from MUA a couple of years ago for one of my beauty on a budget videos and I haven't tried out anymore since! I wasn't overly fussed with the one I had picked, it didn't suit my very dry lips so I just decided liquid lipsticks weren't for me. I really didn't give them a chance did I haha! Over the last year or so I have seen lots of bloggers posting about liquid lipsticks from theBalm on Instagram. I've liked everything that I have tried out from theBalm thus dar so I decided I would give the whole liquid lipstick thing another go. Being that this one was from theBalm I was hoping I'd be onto another winner!

Just like the rest of theBalms product range the packaging is cute and quirky with that 1950's feel to it, big fan of that. Another thing I like about the outer packaging is that the colour and name of the liquid lipstick is stamped on the lid, making it easy to pick out from a pile.

There are eight shades in the range and the one that I decided to purchase was the colour 'Adoring'. I wear deep shades on my lips constantly so when I spotted this beautiful burgundy number I had to add it to my collection.

This product is quite heavily scented something which took me completely by surprise. I opened the tube, lifted the applicator to my lips and thats when it hit me. Peppermint. Now, I like peppermint but I did find the scent of this a tad overpowering so if you are not a fan of scented products you might want to keep that in mind. Once applied though the smell goes away, thankfully. You don't have to worry about a sickly smell of peppermint loafing around all day. 

When you unscrew the lid you will be greeted by a doe foot style applicator. I apply the lipstick from the applicator to my bottom lip only, for my top lip I need something a little more precise. To accurately apply the product to my top lip I use a lip brush!

This liquid lipstick is creamy in texture which makes the product very easy to apply, it just glides onto the lips. It is quick drying but it doesn't set too quickly, you will still have time to work with the product. I find the best way to apply this liquid lipstick is to apply one coat, wait for it to dry, and then apply another. You definitely need two coats with this particular shade to get a nice even opaque finish.

I found the liquid lipstick very comfortable to wear on the lips, it wasn't really drying at all. In terms of longevity the lipstick lasted about 4-5 hours before I felt I needed to touch up. I didn't need to fully reapply the lip colour but after eating and drinking the colour had flaked and faded in the centre of my bottom lip, once I touched that up I was good to go!

Even though I'm not a huge fan of the scent it doesn't put me off using the product. I'm very impressed with this particular liquid lipstick and can't wait to pick up more colours from the range!

theBalm Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipsticks retail for €15.50 and are available from Debenhams in store and online. 

Are you a fan of liquid lipsticks?

Let me know your favourites!

Until next time,

Eimear x

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder 52 Review

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

This product will probably be familiar to a lot of you and many of you have probably already tried it out. Up until recently I had never tried the famous Bourjois chocolate bar bronzer and a few people I talked to couldn't believe it, being the makeup artist and beauty blogger that I am! I have a very limited experience with bronzers and contour kits because once I find a product that I like I usually just stick with it. You'll probably have noticed that too from the lack of reviews of those particular products on the blog. 

There are always 3 for 2 offers on in Boots and I was picking up some products to try from Bourjois when I couldn't settle on a third and final product. That was when I noticed the chocolate bar bronzer and I thought why not!

The bronzer is contained within a book like packaging and closes with a magnetic clasp. Inside the product is shaped like a bar of chocolate and even slightly smells like one too! I really like the packaging its cute and quirky. While the packaging looks small and convenient for on the go there isn't a mirror inside, just something to note.

I picked up the product in the shade 52 which I would consider to be a warm terracotta shade. Unfortunately this particular shade won't suit very pale skin tones. There is another shade called 51 but it wasn't in stock at the time I was purchasing otherwise I would have bought that one. I can only assume the shade 51 is a lighter colour than this one so that may be worth checking out if you are very fair.

The bronzer is soft to the touch but the texture is really nice, it isn't too soft or overly powdery. If you look closely at the product in the pan you can make out tiny golden particles of glitter running throughout the bronzer. However, I find these sparkly particles don't transfer onto the skin which suits me better if I'm honest. Due to this, the product can be used as a bronzer to warm up the skin and also as a contour product for sculpting the face as it pretty much has a matte finish to it.

The bronzer is quite sheer but definitely build-able. I wear a strong contour on a daily basis but I was surprised that I actually liked how the product looked on my skin after one application. It gave my cheeks definition but in a natural way. If you tend to go for the no-makeup makeup and still like to look polished, then this is a product you need to check out.

As I am naturally quite pale this shade is too dark for my natural skin tone. To make it work I like to wear it when I have fake tanned. I get the most wear out of this bronzer 3 to 5 days after I have applied my fake tan as that is when I'm lightly bronzed due to the colour of the tan fading.

The bronzer lasts quite well on my skin I'm pleased with the longevity factor. In the above photo I have applied the bronzer strongly into the hollows of my cheeks and then added a light dusting to the jawline and to around the temples. 

Overall I think its a good product for the price, definitely not the best drugstore bronzer on the market but a very nice one at that. The Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder will set you back €10.29 and is widely available from the likes of Boots and pharmacies nationwide.

Until next time!

Eimear x

Essence Colour & Go 172 Splash!

Hey Everyone!

Hope you all are well :)

 Not a typical post from me now, but today I have a nail varnish review for you all. Recently I ran out of my favourite liquid liner so I dashed to Penneys after college to replace it. The Essence Liquid Ink Liner is the best I have ever used and its cheap as chips so its great! While I was at the Essence stand I had a quick browse through the other products. The stand in the store on Henry St is larger than the one in my local pharmacy, naturally the stand had more products to offer! I didn't actually realise Essence had such a wide range of nail varnishes and nail care items to choose from. I was very strict and allowed myself only to pick up one item..aside from my liner of course! What I have decided to do is to try and review all that I have first before purchasing new products, its proving extremely difficult so far to say the least haha.

The nail varnish '172 Splash!' stood out to me from all the other polishes.

Its a gorgeous turquoise iridescent polish, I love how the colour changes to more green or blue shade depending on what way the light hits it.

Definitely one to pick up this Summer!

The consistency of the nail varnish is quite thick however I find regardless of the formula it still leaves streaks. You have to be very careful when applying to avoid streaking but just one layer of this polish does the job.

It dries quickly enough which is always a plus for me!

For no reason other than I'm lazy, I didn't apply a top or base coat before or after applying the nail varnish. I was quite surprised then that it lasted on my nails a good 3 days before chipping. To get longer wear out of your nail varnish I would recommend a base and a top coat. Essence have both within their range so you won't break the bank.

Overall I'm pleased with my purchase its a lovely polish and at a price of around €1.69 you can't really go wrong :) Give it a go!

Have you tried any of the Colour & Go range?

There is so many to choose from!

Eimear x