George Cheeky Tint! Lip and Cheek Tint

This is one of the summer products I've read a lot about and have been dying to get my hands on, cheeky tint! From George at Asda. Never have I heard such glowing reviews for such a budget make-up brand and, I'll admit, I was shocked. George make-up isn't a new discovery for me and it conjured up long forgotten memories of cheap gloopy nail varnish and eyeshadow clearly marketed at children. Having said that, when I stumbled across the tint (finally!) in store , I was pleasantly surprised, it seems George might just be becoming a company to be reckoned with.

The bottles aren't dissimilar to benefit's trademark posie tint and benetint, wide and short rather than tall and thin. In fact, at first glance they resemble nail polish bottles, which isn't displeasing to the eye, especially with George's new branding and the bottles being a nice mix of transparent, metallic and solid colour. Finding myself stuck between pink blossom (a much softer pink suited to my skin tone) and rose (a much deeper red that appealed to the daring side of me) I ended up buying both, but given that I only paid £3.50 for 8ml of each, it didn't exactly break the bank. However I probably could have bought just one as, although they look completely different when first put onto the skin, the blended results are pretty similar (the picture of my lips above has rose on the bottom lip and pink blossom on the top to demonstrate).

Although the results are pretty much the same, I can see how people could quickly develop a favourite between the two, the products are alike in colour alone. Rose goes on dark red and watery, with a distinct soapy smell and taste , whereas pink blossom is bright pink, much creamier and tastes almost like watermelon. It's mainly a preference choice, but I have to say I'm a bigger fan of rose. 

Both colours give a delicate flush if applied as just one layer, I would imagine you could build them up if you have the time and inclination , but I would expect it to take a fair few layers given that two looks essentially no different to just one. As expected from a stain , it does settle uncomfortably into lip lines but I've found a quick layer of Carmex or any similar lip balm levels it out nicely. I'd suggest applying a bit with the built in brushes and then use a blusher brush or a lipstick brush to blend it, otherwise you end up with stained fingers for the rest of the day.

Overall I have to say I'm really impressed , and in my eyes although the colours provided by benefit are stronger, cheeky tint ! Will definitely be replacing benetint in my make up bag for daily use, and at just £3.50 a pop, why not !

Sammy xo

Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter

For those of you that missed the craze a few years ago, Baby Bottom Butter is a cream formulated by and sold in Waitrose. Although as the name suggests, it was originally formulated as a sort of barrier cream for nappy rash (not unlike sudocrem), it quickly strayed into the realm of being a must have face product. Being swept up in the craze (which is so unlike me...) I bought a couple of pots when I took a trip to see my brother in Newcastle, and then promptly left them gathering dust in the back of my wardrobe for the next couple of months. 

  When I finally got around to trying the cream, it quickly escalated into being one of my favourite beauty essentials. The texture of the cream is really odd, but not necessarily in a bad way. It doesn't come out smooth but instead more like some primers that I've used in the past, slightly thicker than other creams that I've used, and not as glossy. This does mean that you barely need to use any each time though, making the £2.89 for 125ml price tag more than reasonable (read: bargain). One tub can literally last months, even if you're applying it twice a day like I sometimes do. Although I have used it for most parts of my body, I've found that even when my hands are completely chapped in the middle of winter the cream can take a while to absorb and it does leave greasy finger marks wherever I put my hands, having said that it does work perfectly for a sort of intense relief if you smother your hands in it and then wear cotton gloves to bed, and it does make the skin smooth as , well... a baby's bottom.   
Although I have used it on my legs and arms, I tend to stick to my face with this cream, and I stand by it being one of the only products in my make-up bag that I'm truly loyal to. I was worried about putting this on my face, I'll admit, being that I have fairly oily skin, but I found that it works perfectly as long as I use as little as possible whilst still covering my entire face. Even better, it makes the perfect primer! I've found the tiniest layer underneath my foundation can keep my make-up in place perfectly even when I'm at work for the day, plus I've also found you can use it in the place of cold cream (if you're that way inclined) to take off your make-up at the end of the day (although be careful not to get it in your eyes because it really stings.)
The packaging is very simple, as you would expect from a product intended for mothers, yet very elegantly designed, as you would expect from Waitrose. The clear plastic allows you to see what is left, and the screw on lid makes the packaging seems secure even when travelling with it. All in all, it's the perfect product, exactly the right balance of luxury and affordability.   
Plus, last but not least, the cream both smells and looks like vanilla ice cream, hugely addictive!   
Sammy xo

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation

So, in my constantly ongoing battle to find the perfect foundation, I recently purchased the Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation. After reading and watching lots of people give it excellent reviews I thought it was worth trying it out myself. I have normal/combination skin with some dryness on my forehead and am very conscious of colour patches, meaning a good foundation is paramount to how I feel about myself. So I went out and bought the wake me up foundation from boots, for £8.99, in the lightest shade.
The packaging of this product is really nice. It comes in a glass bottle, making it feel much more expensive than it actually is. The bright orange lid is particularly eye catching, which I am also a fan of. However, the glass bottle does make it difficult to tell how much of the foundation you have left. Most days I don't use a lot of foundation, and this one hasn't lasted me as long as other high street brands. It has medium coverage but is definitely buildable. I often use a small amount on problem areas just to even out my skin tone, almost like a tinted moisturiser, and this works nicely. Alternatively when applying all over the face, I find that the foundation covers blemishes really well, and stays put all day. It has a natural looking, dewey finish and the tiny flecks of shimmer do give you a glowing look. I also really like that it has an SPF of 15, as we are going into the summer months this is important to me (look after your skin in the sun guys!)

The main problem I have with this foundation, is that the lightest shade is too orange toned for my skin, which is a real shame because I like everything else about. Yes, I am pale, but not really any more than the average non fake tanning English teenager. Therefore I think it's a bit rubbish that Rimmel don't cater for my skin tone. The range of colours to choose from was very limited. The pump allows you to dispense just the right amount out of the bottle, and it has a really lovely, fresh cucumber smell.
To sum up, I liked this foundation. The coverage is good, and can be build up depending on personal preference. It can be applied with fingers or a brush and is really easy to blend. The finish does have that "wake me up" effect that it claims, but I wouldn't recommend it for oily skin. Yes, it is suitable for sensitive skin, and it does smell lovely. For the price, I think it was a good buy. But due to the mismatch of colours I will not be repurchasing.
If you're reading this, thanks! And I hope it helps if you're thinking of buying this foundation.
B xxo

Barbara Daly Soufflé Foundation

I’ll be the first to admit, me and foundation have a long running love/hate relationship. As a girl very rarely seen in public without foundation, I consider it a necessity and yet I’m still struggling to find a foundation I’m willing to have a long term relationship with. Having said that, I’m currently using Barbara Daly Souffle Foundation in “Soft Linen” (£7.25 for 20ml) and I’m fairly pleased with the results.

The packaging is fairly basic, a clear plastic pot allowing you to see the colour and a black lid bearing the product name and the Barbara Daly symbol, but makes it look slightly more upmarket than other products of a similar price. For the amount you get, the foundation is pretty fairly priced, around the same price as similar soufflé foundations that I’ve tried (and abandoned) in the past. A 20ml pot can last me around 6 weeks, and given that I often get more than one pot in one go thanks to tempting Tesco 3-for-2 offers, for under £15 I can usually get around 4 months worth of foundation.

The coverage of the foundation is good, though can quickly look thick if I'm slightly too heavy handed . However, it looks soft and natural for the most part , with a light matte finish with the slightest of coverings, even for someone with oily skin like me, however, the make up does catch awkwardly on dry patches of skin . The make-up has a soft feel to it and has a flawless look without the need of concealer if applied with the fingers (in my experience, application with a brush leaves unsightly lines throughout) but as waitress , running up and down the stairs and… ahem… perspiration is part of my everyday job so one important factor for me is how well the make-up lasts. I know, I know, I could just use primer but, I’ll be honest, I always forget to buy it when I’m searching for make-up essentials, and so I like a foundation that lasts well without the need for it. This does, for the most part, although often even if I haven’t been in work I find it’s rubbed off my forehead and my nose by the end of the day if I don’t find the time to top it up. It’s not the end of the world, but it is a niggly problem I find I have with this foundation that I haven’t encountered with others.

One of my biggest issues with this foundation (and most other foundations) is skin match. As a girl who is horrendously pale but with pinkish undertones, I find it really difficult to find matches with my skin, which I still think is weird given that I assume it's fairly common. However, I do find that soft linen isn’t too bad, but is perhaps slightly more orangey than I might like, and I have to admit I find this with a fair few other Barbara Daly products.

Overall, I feel like I’m not appalled by this foundation, but it’s not a love affair of any kind. It’s a foundation of fair quality that lasts fairly well,  but no doubt it will be forgotten by the end of the year and replaced by something new (although admittedly that might just be down to a personality trait!)

Sammy xo