Makeup Revolution Buys | Mini Reviews & First Impressions

When I first heard of Makeup Revolution, I have to say I was rather intrigued.  I tried so hard to resist the temptation but the inevitable happened and I finally caved.  I think it has to be the eyeshadow palettes that are to blame for my shoddy willpower - there's so many to choose from and all of them look absolutely beautiful. I try not to buy too many palettes as there's only so many one girl can use, however, when I saw range I simply had to have a cheeky browse. Not only do the colours look so well put together and well presented, but all of the Makeup Revolution products are super affordable - perfect for a pre-payday treat or a little pick-me-up now and again.  I actually went into my local Superdrug store to have a good ol' swatch and a proper look at the collection instead of ordering online and I'm so glad I did. It was like a beauty blogger's dream sifting through all the palettes and I spent ages looking at all  of the singular eyeshadows too.  Here's what I ended up with (believe me I'm incredibly proud of myself for walking away with just 3 things - I could have easily just picked the entire stand up and took that to the till instead but I don't think the staff would have been too impressed...)

The 'Essential Mattes' Palette | £4.00 | Link

The first thing I went for is this gorgeous palette containing an array of neutral matte shades.  I'm loving my matte eyeshadows at the moment as I find them much more natural and easier to wear in the daytime.  I quite liked the look of some of the lighter shades - particularly the yellow/peach toned ones as I find they work well as a base.  I was also drawn to the lovely mid-brown shade and the two lilac-browns next to it.  The palette is of a really good size (when i saw them online i imagined it to be a similar size to the MUA ones) and you actually get quite a lot of eyeshadow in each pan despite them being quite thin.  Admittedly, they aren't quite as pigmented as I'd hoped and some of them are a little hit and miss, but it's a fabulous palette nonetheless and I've really been enjoying using it.  The darker colours seem much more pigmented and less chalky but the majority of the shadows seem quite soft and smooth - for £4.00, you can't really go wrong.  I've since found they apply a little easier with a primer.

Nail Polish in 'Adore' | £1.00 | Link

Never one to say no to a nail polish, me. Especially when it's just £1.00! For £1.00 I have to say the packaging for these polishes is really lovely.  It's of a really good size, feels weighty and looks the part.  'Adore' is a beautiful mid-purple shade - really wearable, girly, and enough of a statement without looking too 'full on'.  The pigmentation is really good - all you need is 2 coats to get a good, even finish.  The only thing that struck me is that the brush can be quite streaky so you have to concentrate when you're applying it to avoid too many brush marks, however, this is easily solved as soon as you apply a glossy topcoat.

Vivid Blush Lacquer | £3.00 | Link

So far, I think this has to be my favourite product from the bunch. In all honesty, I don't usually get along with strongly pigmented cream blushes like this, but I'm really quite fond of this one.  It's lovely and creamy, and it's easy to dispense a very small amount due to the styling of the pump (you really don't need much at all).  I usually prefer a powder blush but I've been favouring a creamy consistency recently as my cheeks have been a little dry.  It's moisturising enough to create a dewy, fresh finish but not so much so that you end up looking greasy - I also like that it doesn't go completely matte and powdery on the skin too - it's just a nice, 'in-between' sort of finish. You only need a small dot of the product to blend into the cheeks so this will last you absolutely ages.  I reckon I'll do a full review of this with swatches soon.

All in all, some fabulous buys from Makeup Revolution - they certainly won't be my last! I can't wait to pick up some of the singular eye shadows, bronzers and blush palettes soon and I'm quite intrigued by some of their lipstick shades too (typical Beth!) I must apologise for the lack of swatches - I'll probably write up some full reviews of these products soon so keep your eyes peeled for those! You can have a browse of the Makeup Revolution range on their website here and they can also be found on Superdrug and in selected stores.

Have you tried anything from Makeup Revolution? What's your favourite product?

New Bourjois Releases | Nail Treats

Magic Nail Polish Remover Hands & Feet |  £5.99* | Link

When it comes to painting my nails, it's fair to say I'm pretty high maintenance.  My talons have really grown just recently and because of this, my strive for perfection has somewhat intensified.  I paint my nails up to 3 times a week - maybe I'm a little bit of an obsessive perfectionist (or maybe I just have far too much time on my hands) but at sign of first chip, I'll take it all off and start again. One thing I hate, however, is removing the stuff. I'm the type of girl who will prefer to sit there and meticulously pick it all off bit by bit through an entire episode of TOWIE (not good for your nails - i might add!) rather than grab a bottle of remover and a cotton pad and simply scrub it off - to me, that's just added effort. This, my friends, is why Bourjois' Magic Hands and Feet Polish remover has become one of my new must-haves - it's the lazy girl's solution for all of your polish removing needs.  I must admit, I never bought into their original one and I always bypassed the blogger hype, but after using this the past few weeks, I can honestly say it deserves the praise it gets.  The new version is even better though - as well as the sponge within the tub for your fingernails, this one has a foam applicator concealed in the lid so that it can be used for the toes too - perfect for the upcoming warmer weather (don't tell porkies - I'm betting a fair few of you attempted to dip your toes in the original version, no?) As far as the 1 second claim goes, it's more of a 5-10 second thing - but even so, much snappier than faffing around with cotton pads and bottles of remover.  I've used this for weeks now and the sponges haven't dried up at all - I'll definitely be taking it on holiday with me as it will be perfect for touch-ups and re-applying polish mid-way through. It's really lightweight so it's great for travel, and it also doesn't smell ridiculously offensive like some of the nail polish remover pads you can buy (i hate the smell of those...yuck). It's non-greasy, quick, easy and fool-proof and never again shall you spill half a bottle of remover on your bathroom floor... (surely this can't just be me?) Oo - it's also worth mentioning that it's acetone free and the formula is enriched with almond oil and pro-vitamin B5 - much kinder for your talons!

Instant Dry Nail Drops | £5.99* | Link

Whenever I paint my nails I can't be without a fast-drying top coat (Seche Vite and Sally Hansen are 2 of my faves).  I paint them so much that simply wafting them around for a good half an hour isn't an option and I could honestly never go back to using a standard top coat.  This is why Bourjois' Instant Nail Dry Drops intrigued me - sometimes, I've been known to paint a nail and rush out of the door 20 seconds later - I'm all for reducing drying time!  I've never used drops before, but I used to go for pedicures a couple of years back and the girls always used to use these to dry the polish quickly between coats. I have to say these work very well - just one drop on each nail and you're pretty much good to go in a swish of a puppy dog's tail. I've found that I still use a topcoat for extra gloss afterwards but if you aren't too fussed about an extra glossy finish then there's no real need to use one. One thing I will say is that I expected it to feel cooling on the nails (if you use Sally Hansen or Seche Vite you'll know exactly what I mean here) but it doesn't feel at all like that - you can't really feel it working, which made me a little nervous about doing the 'tap' test at first but you soon get used to it. I also find i have to wash off the excess afterwards as the formula can linger a little. Nevertheless, it's a really good bottle to have in your stash if you're a speedy nail painter like myself! It's also enriched with cuticle nourishing ingredients - so if you're growing your nails or like to be mindful of what products you're using on them, this is a great option.

So Laque Glossy Nudes Polish in 'Peace & Mauve' | £5.99* | Link

This little beauty has fast become one of my favourite nail polish shades to wear and I've had so many compliments on it recently.  'Peace and Mauve' from Bourjois' Glossy Nudes collection is a gorgeous pale lilac colour with a slight grey-ish/white tone.  It's really quite unlike anything else in my stash and it's a little more subdued and classy than other lilacs I've tried in the past.   I find i have to apply 3 coats to get an opaque finish but the finish is really smooth and glossy (I still use a topcoat afterwards to really seal it in). I've also found it resists chipping quite well - I got through 3 days at uni without any chips or peeling (which is really good for me as i usually chip my polish the day after! Clumsy elf!) One thing I will say is that brushes tend to make or break a polish for me - this one really impressed me as it's the perfect size for coating the nail with ease and it's really neat and tidy - no awkward flyaway bits! The nail wheel above really doesn't do this justice and I wish so much that I'd managed to snap a photograph of it on my nails - with a bit of a tan, trust me, it looks amazing!  This is the first Bourjois polish I've ever used (*gasp*) and I will definitely be buying more in the future - they're a little more pricey than other high-street brands but for the quality - you certainly cannot grumble. 

Have you tried any of these nail treats? Did any of them float your boat?!

HUGE Beauty Haul | Drugstore & High-End Products

Oh dear. Look what happened.  Once again, I strolled past the beauty counters one too many times and came home with more than I anticipated. #StoryOfMyLife.  Fear not, I didn't go completely bonkers and buy all of this stuff in one go - (jeez I'm not that impulsive ;)) but I do seem to have accumulated a rather sizeable amount of stuff over the past 3 weeks.  Of course, being a blogger - I can't use anything properly until I've photographed it so I figured I'd swiftly put together a haul post. Who doesn't love a haul? I know I certainly do! I have a mixture of high-end and drugstore products so I've tried to categorise this post as best I could - feel free to skip on through and pick and choose the bits you're interested in til your heart's content. Expect to see a few of these beauty treats popping up on my blog over the next month or so - I'll be individually reviewing some of them so do let me know if there's anything you'd particularly like to hear more about.  Anyway, I guess I should quit my rambling and actually get cracking. Grab a cuppa, this certainly won't be a post of the 'short and snappy' variety...

Tanya Burr | Lipgloss in 'Chic' | £6.99 | Link

I've had my beady eyes on Tanya's range for quite some time now.  Admittedly, I'm really not a lipgloss person, but after seeing them on so many blogs and, of course, being a fan of the lovely lady herself, it would have been a crime not to give them a whirl! After a bit of umming and arring and some rather in-depth swatch-googling sessions, I settled on 'Chic', a beautiful brown-y nude shade with a hint of peachiness - perfect for everyday wear and for applying over the top of my neutral lipsticks. First impressions are really good - it's ever so slightly a little too sticky for my liking but I'm happy to overlook it for the gorgeous pigmentation and beautiful scent (I adore the sweet, strawberry smell!).  It applies really smoothly and easily too. I'm definitely going to be picking up some of the brighter shades in the near future.

Nyx | Xtreme Lip Cream in 'Peach Fuzz' | £7 | Link

When I discovered that Next stocked Nyx, I was over the moon! If you've always wanted to try the brand but prefer to swatch in-store rather than taking your chances online, it's the perfect excuse to give them a go.  I've been a big fan of their cream blushes in the past so I had high expectations for their lip products. I've always wanted to try one of their ever-famous Lip Creams so that's exactly what I came away with. 'Peach Fuzz' is one of the most talked about shades and it's easy to see why.  It's a stunning peachy pink with intense pigmentation and a slight glossy finish.  I'm planning on a full review of this soon.

Barry M | Lip Liners | £2.99 each (unsure of shade names!) | Link

Barry M had one of their offers on so I picked up a couple of bits.  I got one of these lip liners free - which in hind-sight is a very good thing because I picked the two most similar shades I could have possibly picked! My beloved Estee Lauder double-wear lip pencil in 'Spice' is running low so I wanted to see if I could find a cheaper option for the time being (i reckon my Estee favourite will be a birthday present.) Barry M had these 2 nude shades so I picked up both.  One is slightly darker and more reddish in tone - very much a 'brick' sort of shade, and the other is a little more neutral and leans more towards a brown, mid-toned natural shade.  I really like the Barry M lip liners - I must have the majority of their shades now and I really recommend them if you're after a cheapy!

Sinful Colors | Nail Polish in 'Snow Me White' | £1.99 | Link

If you've never checked out the Sinful Colors range in Boots, then you need to re-evaluate your life. Ok, maybe not that drastic, but you seriously need to go and have a nosey.  They have to be one of my favourite nail polish brands ever and I seem to be building up quite the collection! This one is a gorgeous glossy white - nothing overly special about it but I'm loving white nails at the minute and this one applies really smoothly and evenly and is also amazingly opaque. A lot of white polishes take forever to build up but this one is perfect.

Barry M | Gelly Hi-Shine Polishes in 'Passionfruit' and 'Blue Grape' | £3.99 | Link

Ohhhh do I have a story behind this purchase... *face palm* I did the whole 'walk into Superdrug for one thing and end up waltzing around balancing a sizeable tower of stuff in just one hand' jobby. I seem to have really perfected this technique over the years (who needs baskets? Not me, apparently!) and I felt quite confident in my abilities to skillfully shuffle my way to the till. I almost had it nailed, however, it seems that I must have gotten a little bit cocky - because with an accidental nudge on the edge of the Rimmel stand and a little wobble of the elbows, my nail polish bottle had taken a dramatic tumble and promptly smashed all over Superdug's newly refurbished, perfectly polished floor.  Yep. I was that girl. It wasn't just a little drop of it either - ohhh no - it was the full works... a complete swirly mess all over the new dark wood flooring complete with massive dollop in the middle. Some might say I'd dropped it so amazingly well that it created a beautiful spiral effect to rival the likes of Van Gough but all I could think of was how long it was going to take to get it to come off. Everybody around me turned to stare... and then edged away pretty sharpishly whilst dodging the sea of bright coral nail polish that seemed to be spreading across the floorboards at my feet. You couldn't have scraped any more polish out of that bottle if you'd tried. I proceeded to shout over the sales assistant, my skyscraper-beauty-product tower still half in-tact and perched delicately in hand as she stared for a few seconds at what a mess I'd made. Somebody should have got a basket. It all turned out fine though - Superdrug's floor was restored to 'good as new' status after a few wet wipes and half a bottle of nail polish remover - nobody would ever know about my mishap and all traces of bright coral were successfully removed. I was lucky enough that the sales assistant was absolutely lovely about it (although she wouldn't let me help clear it up no matter how many times I asked - awkward - try standing there for a good 5 minutes whilst somebody else works up a sweat trying to scrub your nail-polish spillage off the floor...) She thanked me for being so honest and we had a bit of banter about customers who spill stuff - apparently it happens all the time with nail polish and people just walk off and leave it?! Needless to say, after working in retail for 5 years that fact doesn't shock me one bit. I've had to scrub all sorts off shop floors, let me tell you. Gregg's sausage rolls ain't so appealing when you've had to scrape them away piece by piece from carpet fibres...

Anyway, storytime over.  I don't have any of the darker shades in the Gelly polishes so I figured I'd grab a couple.  Passionfruit is a gorgeous sunset coral/red shade (which will look so much nicer on my nails than on Superdrug's floor) and 'Blue Grape' is a gorgeous deep royal blue.  It reminds me very much of Topshop's 'AWOL' polish... except a few quid cheaper (every little helps don't you know?!) I can imagine these will look amazing with a tan!

B. | Flawless Long-Lasting Concealer | £5.99 £2.99 | Link

I went into Superdrug specifically to look at their 'B.' range of beauty products.  I've never ever tried anything from there so I really wanted to have a good browse.  I was over the moon to discover they had a 50% offer on all of their products (they still do if you're interested so hop to it!)  I decided to try their Flawless Concealer - I adore my Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer but wanted a shade or two lighter to use on those days where I need a decent bit of brightening up and I didn't fancy shedding out another £20. I usually hate the twist up 'stick' form concealers, but I was blown away at just how creamy this one was.  I haven't tried it under the eyes yet so I'm reserving judgement but I really was impressed at how creamy, pigmented and easy to blend it was.  It seems like it has amazing coverage too so watch this space!

B. | Rich Intense Colour Lipstick in 'Toffee' | £7.99 £3.99 | Link

Wow. These lipsticks certainly aren't telling porkies - they really are rich and intense in colour! I'm obsessed with browns at the minute (not for everyone but if you find the right shade, believe me they work a treat at whitening your teeth!) so I settled on 'Toffee', a mid-browny nude. It has a hint of shimmer in the tube but it doesn't transfer to the lips - it just gives the lipstick a lot of dimension.  It's so creamy and smooth - quite similar to Mac's Amplified finishes. It isn't glossy, it isn't completely matte - just a lovely in-between 'satin' like finish that feels comfortable to wear. Again, I won't say too much as I've used it once but so far, so good.

Rimmel | Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in 'Black' | £3.99 | Link
Whyyyy on earth have I never tried these liners? I don't often wear a liner in my waterline but if I'm going out somewhere special I do like some extra definition.  I'm not sure if it's my eyes but I seem to be put off applying liner in my waterline because it smudges almost instantly and looks ridiculous within an hour or so - so I'm holding out hope that this one stays put a little better.  I heard Tanya Burr raving about these in a few of her tutorials so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Loreal | Superliner Perfect Slim | £7.99 | Link
My favourite liner of all time.  I will forever re-purchase this beauty and it's featured in so many of my posts now.  Easy to use, long-lasting and one pen lasts me months. Well worth every single penny! I urge you to try it if you haven't already!

Dove | Purely Pampering Body Cream in Shea Butter and Vanilla | £4.99 £2.49 | Link

My new favourite body butter was on offer for £2.49!? Amazing! This tub is huge and lasts me quite some time. I promptly picked up a back-up for when my current one runs out as it was too good to miss out on the offer.  I spoke about this in my recent favourites post which you can read here, if you're interested! 

Arran Aromatics | Lavender Tea Tree Facial Wash | Link

I bought this off AllBeauty a while back for a fabulous bargainous price - but it's not on there now for some reason. Well worth shopping around for as it seems to vary in price quite a bit! I received this a while back in one of my first Love Me Beauty boxes and I've loved it ever since.  I speak about it a little more in one my 'Best of 2013' post here. It's such a lovely gel-like consistency and it's really soothing to use.  It has a very gentle exfoliating effect due to the little beads in it and always leaves my skin feeling really refreshed and clean.  

Arran Aromatics | 'After the Rain' Eye Gel | £5.50 | Link

I like the brand so much, I decided to pop their eye gel into my basket too.  I adore their range of facial washes and their body butter has to be one of my favourites too, so i figured I couldn't go wrong with their eye cream.  It's really lightweight and has a cooling, soothing effect on the skin.  It smells really fresh too. 

Shu Uemura | Art of Hair Essence Absolue Oil | £29.60 | Link

My most favourite hair oil of all time - EVER.  I've used all kinds of hair oil brands and this one tops all of them by a mile.  I have a full review of it on my blog here if you want to read more about it, but it really has revolutionised my hair routine!  I use it every single time I wash my hair without fail, and have also used it on dry-hair through the day to revive my style.  It's not heavy in the slightest but it's incredibly moisturising - if you find Moroccan Oil far too greasy or heavy then I really do recommend Shu Uemura's offering.  I actually find this more moisturising and it doesn't weigh my hair down half as much.  A bottle lasts absolutely ages too because all you need is 1-2 pumps per use.  You can also use it on hair extensions if they're feeling a little worse for wear - little tip for you there!

Nars | Sheer Glow Foundation in 'Fiji' | £31.00 | Link
Another repurchase for me. I've had 3 bottles of this foundation now and it's still my favourite - it's going to be a tough one to beat! It is, without a doubt, a little on the pricey side but it's well worth every penny.  I have a full review on my blog so I won't say too much about this one but I really do recommend checking out the Nars stand if you're after a long-lasting, medium-full coverage foundation with a satin finish.

Nars | Matte Multiple in 'Altai' | £30.00 | Link 
The star of the whole post! If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen that I made an impulse purchase on one of the new matte multiples! As soon as I heard about them I knew I'd end up buying one - I'm such a sucker for contouring products and when I saw the matte brown/bronze shades I was instantly sold.  I was sold even more once the assistant had applied it to my face - WOW. I was speechless.  She made a very quick, easy sale there! I'll hold off from saying too much about this as I have a full review planned very, very soon! I also haven't swatched it for the purpose of this post as I wanted to keep it pristine for my full review... (sorry ;))

Lola | Foundation Brush | £14.00 £11.20 | Link

And finally, my newest addition to my brush collection - this foundation brush by the brand 'Lola'. I was so excited when I heard that Marks and Spencers were going to stock the brand in store. A while back, I discovered 'Lola' on a trip to Lanzarote and was so sad when I found out I couldn't get my mitts on it here in the UK (I have a post on one of their blushes here - amazing pigmentation!). Honestly, I really hope the brand becomes more well-known in the blogging community as it really is such an unsung hero of the cosmetic world! I bought this because the assistant in SpaceNK applied the Nars Multiple with a flat foundation brush and I loved the finish it provided - I don't really own one like this so I promptly took it to the till. It's one of the softest brushes I own and it seems really good quality for the price (it was on offer at the time) - definitely one of the more luxurious brushes I've come across!  I'll definitely be checking out more of their things in future now that they're more accessible. The brand is definitely more mid-high end and their products aren't the cheapest, but they're well worth getting to know.

And there we have it.  I must apologise for this rather meaty post! But I really wanted to feature everything together rather than splitting it up into two halves and I haven't done a haul in a good while. I will be doing full reviews on some of the products featured in this post so keep your eyes peeled! 

Anything here that tickles your fancy? Is there anything you'd like to hear more about?

Spring Pastels | New Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Polishes...

Barry M | Gelly Hi-Shine Polishes | £3.99 each | Link

When it comes to nail polish, Barry M have to be my go-to brand.  Ever since they released their 'gelly hi-shine' range last year (you can read my old post on them here) I've been twiddling my thumbs waiting patiently for them to bring out some new shades.  Well, I can officially stop thumb-twiddling now - Barry M very kindly granted my wishes and released 3 new Spring colours that happen to be just my cup of tea.  'Rose Hip', 'Sugar Apple' and 'Huckleberry' are perfect for pastel lovers. The milky tones are just the ticket for the upcoming warmer weather and will look absolutely fabulous with a bit of a tan.

I'm such a fan of the Gelly Hi-Shine polishes.  They only require 2 coats for full, opaque coverage - which is impressive to say how light these new colours are - it usually takes me a good few coats with pastel shades to get a good coverage on the nail but these don't take a great deal of effort whatsoever.  My only bug-bear at the moment is the fact that my nails aren't half as long as they were last year - I'm trying my best to grow them back but at the moment - but these light colours seem to highlight the fact that my talons are looking less than top-notch. Of course, that's no fault of the polishes (they haven't exactly sprouted teeth and nibbled them away themselves - no fear - these aren't a new range of killer polishes or anything) - no - it's my own stupid fault for being so slap-dash with the ol' nail upkeep routine and giving in to uni stress. Worth baring in mind if you too haven't got the neatest of nails at the moment! Nevertheless, they look lovely once i've popped a glossy topcoat on and neatened the edges up a little - they actually make your skin look much more tanned - yay for summer!  I love the 'milkshake' vibe that these polishes have - they're definitely a little lighter in shade on the nails than what they appear in the bottle - they have a strong 'white-ish' undertone to them but they're unlike any other pastels I have in my collection. I cannot wait to experiment with some floral nail art with them in the coming months... who doesn't love a good dose of floral nail art as soon as the sun comes out?! I know I certainly do!

It's well worth picking one of these up if you have a spare £3.99 in your purse (pre-pay day treat anyone?!) I think my favourite at the minute has to be 'Rose Hip' - it's such a lovely nude pastel pink and it looks really flattering and classy (even on my current stubby little claws).  They apply just as nicely as the previous Gelly Hi-Shines, although you do need to be careful when painting - it's easy to make a bit of a mess with them if you're feeling a bit slap-dash - worth mentioning. Overall, I love them. Feel free to bring out more shades Barry M.... Just sayin'!

Have you tried the new range of Gelly polishes by Barry M?  Which shade is your favourite?

Exclusive Beauty Blogger Bundle | Organic Surge

Organic Surge 'Exlusive Beauty Blogger Bundle' | £20.95* | Link

Organic Surge really has taken the blogger world by storm just recently - and for good reason too!  Not only are their products amazing but also competitively priced and free from any chemical nasties.  I was so excited to hear about the 'Beauty Blogger Bundle' - a package containing 4 of their most highly rated products which is exclusively available to beauty bloggers and their readers for a special discounted price of £20.95. If you've never tried Organic Surge but fancy giving them a whirl, the bundle is a fabulous opportunity to do so - as well as making a fabulous Christmas gift for a fellow beauty or skincare lover! So what's in the bundle and what did I make of the products?

Lavender Meadow Hand & Nail Cream | £4.95 | Link

This has to be my favourite product of the bunch and one that's going to become a winter favourite for me.  This hand cream is said to intensely nourish, comfort and moisturise and is enriched with organic lavender and geranium essential oils.  It's suitable for sensitive skin and also those prone to eczema - so it's really gentle without skimping on moisturising properties!  I love the consistency of this - it's really rich and creamy yet sinks in amazingly well - my hands aren't left feeling greasy for ages afterwards and yet still feel moisturised and soft.  The scent is also really uplifting and comforting - the hint of lavender isn't overpowering and it's become such a nice product to apply through the day. I also love that it contains cocoa butter and vitamin E - and the fact it's good for the nails too! Mine have been awful of late so it's great to have a little 2 in 1 cream! 

Blissful Daily Moisturiser | £8.49 | Link

This moisturiser is a dream to apply! It isn't fragranced but has that slight 'natural' smell that a lot of organic products seem to have - it's really nice and fresh.   It's the perfect balance between a thick gel and a rich cream - not too light, but then not overly rich or heavy. It's just a lovely in-between which is what makes it a perfect daily moisturiser for me.  It's a good one to apply in the morning before your makeup as it smooths the skin, sinks in relatively quick and leaves the skin feeling fresh, revitalised and moisturised for the day ahead.  It's also said to help rebalance dry and oily areas - which is a bonus if you're in the 'combination skin' camp like me.

Citrus Mint Shower Gel | £4.35 | Link

I'll be honest - I'm usually quite set in my ways when it comes to shower gel and I do find it hard to get excited about. However I must say that I like the fact that this one contains aloe vera to help soothe and calm the skin and help heal any irritation or blemishes.  I often find my skin gets a little dull and more blemish prone in the winter due to the weather change so I've found this little gel really nice to use. It's very creamy and foamy and you don't need much at all - it also doesn't strip the skin or contain any harsh chemicals.  The scent is really invigorating and it really does awaken the senses - definitely one for those early mornings when you've had a battle with the snooze button... We've all been there.

2 Minute Moisture Mask | £6.99 | Link 

Never one to turn my nose up at a hair mask, me!  I always like to use hair masks and treatments throughout the winter months - I find it helps combat dullness and dryness and generally just helps to keep my hair looking tip-top even when the weather isn't! This one contains coconut oil and plant extracts and targets weak or damaged hair shafts, protecting the hair and providing essential added moisture to help control frizz or fly-aways.  I really enjoy using this - the fact that you only need to leave it on for 2 minutes is great if you just want to hop in and out of the shower if you're having a hectic time of things.  It's not the most intensive mask I've ever used but it does help smooth away any split ends or frizzy areas and my hair always looks super shiny and soft afterwards.  Perfect for a quick fix pamper treatment - and the slight coconut scent doesn't go amiss either!

Overall, this is a really nice little bundle if you want to try a little bit of what Organic Surge has to offer.  At little over £5 for each product, it's not a bad deal and they would make perfect stocking fillers if you didn't want to keep everything for yourself! I have to say that the hand cream and the moisturiser sliiightly top the mark for me, but I've enjoyed using everything in this bundle and there's nothing I've tried from the brand so far that I haven't liked. You can purchase the blogger bundle at the discounted price through this special link, or take a look at what other fabulous products they have to offer here - even if you don't fancy everything in the bundle, it's worth having a look through their stuff! Everything is really reasonably priced and they also do a selection of other bundles if you're looking for Christmas presents. I've also recently reviewed their 'First Class Face Mask' here.

Have you tried any Organic Surge products? What have you got your eye on?

Stargazer Cosmetics | A Coral Obsession

Above: Wearing lipstick in shade '124' and Blusher in '8'

Well. First let me just apologise for that ridiculously posey photo there (oo - we've got a duckface up in here!).  Moving on swiftly... Stargazer is a brand that I've been familiar with in the past - they were around a good couple of years before I started getting into makeup and I always remember them as being one of the first cosmetic brands I ever delved into as a young'un.  When I was contacted to see if I wanted to give a few of their products a try, I was really intrigued to see what they were all about and whether or not my 23 year old self would enjoy experimenting with them just as much as I did in my school days.  What I will say about Stargazer, is that they're quite 'out there' - if you're looking for striking brights or an unusual colour of an kind at a fraction of the high end price, then they're the brand for you.  That being said, they offer a little something for everyone - even a run of the mill neutral obsessive like myself. When discussing the products, I explained to them how much of an obsession I had for anything coral - I thought it was really nice that they sent me over a little selection tailored for my own personal preferences. Let's kick off the reviewing sesh...

Stargazer Powder Blusher | Shade 8 | £3.50*

Firstly, let me just say this blusher is amazing for £3.50.  The pigmentation is the selling point for me - it's incredible.  You only need a quick tap of a brush to get an intense pop of colour which is easily blendable.  The colour is a beautiful orange shade - not for the faint hearted but one that looks beautiful with a bit of a tan.  I'm determined to make it work once my skin tone turns a little paler, but we shall see! Consistency wise, it's quite soft and I don't find it to be chalky at all.  This one is a little winner for me - even the shade selection is impressive (link). 

Stargazer Lipsticks | Shades '124' and '206' | £3.50*

I actually like these more than I thought I would.  I will get the negatives out of the way first and just say I'm not a massive fan of the packaging - if you're not careful when you're replacing the lid you're in tremendous danger of chopping the top off, and it's also quite plastic-y.  Not a massive problem for me as I don't expect gold encrusted tubing for £3.50, but it's worth mentioning for those who are specific about their packaging preferences! The lipstick also has that 'cometic' smell - doesn't put me off but again, preference.  It's easy to overlook these things once you've applied them, and for the simple fact that they aren't your 'everyday' kind of shades.  They're extremely well pigmented and the shape of the lipstick itself makes it really easy to get an even line around the edge of the lips.  They provide a satin/matte sort of finish once on, but don't feel overly drying.  As for longevity, they stay put very well - wearing off to a stain.  The colours are simply stunning and I'm a big fan of the lighter shade (worn in the photographs above) - it reminds me of a slightly more orange version of Mac's 'Costa Chic'.  Again, I'm really tempted to grab a couple of these in more winter-y shades... they're great for a purse friendly lipstick treat if you're a fan of intense colour.

Stargazer Nail Polish | Shade '205' | £2.00*

Stargazer Nail Polishes actually happen to be an old favourite of mine.  I have a little stash of them in my nail polish box and have always adored them. £2 is pretty damn cheap for a nail polish these days, and the quality is really good - I've always found them to resist chipping rather well.  The shade '205' is a gorgeous pearlescent coral/pink - I adore it! I've worn it countless times since I received it and it's become a firm favourite.  Again, it does look stunning with a tan but now I'm a little paler it still looks really pretty.  Usually, with pearlescent finishes, it takes a good number of coats to get the desired effect - as you can see on the nail wheel above, it only took me 2 coats to pretty much get the colour shown in the bottle - a 3rd coat finishes it off nicely but I wouldn't say it's needed.  This has to be my favourite of the bunch - simply because of how much I've loved them in the past.  I think some of the colours they offer are really unique and they're worth every penny.

And there we have it.  Although these products are undoubtedly tailored towards more of a summery makeup 'wardrobe', there's no reason why I won't be wearing these colours throughout the year - the blush especially (i wear coral blushes all year round despite the less than colourful weather...)  I know summer is a little bit of a distant memory for the majority of us now, but my coral/obsession doesn't go away with the sunshine let me tell you! I wasn't expecting to like the lipsticks, but I did - in fact, I loved everything I tried and I'm so glad I've been re-introduced to Stargazer.  For the price, they're very good and if you're a fan of brights, bold colours and statement shades then they're worth having a look at.  They even have some crazy colours for the more daring and 'out there' amongst you (blue lipstick anyone? - I don't think I could quite pull that one off but if you're ever in the market for a blue lippie to embrace your inner smurf - you know where to go...) You can have a look at the Stargazer website here - I have my eye on a few of the deep red lipsticks and neutral blushers...

Have you ever tried Stargazer? Which product tickles your fancy?