August Haul

I have to be honest, most of this was bought yesterday but a few things weren't available on the Isle of Man so I have had to buy them all on the internet, but they have all come this month. 

As I have previously alluded to, when it comes to makeup I have as many clues as I do Olympic Gold Medals (tally of 0). I am just starting to get back into it, and boy is a way more daunting place than it used to be! 

I have been reading blogs, reviews and watching videos on YouTube. I wanted to get a feel for what was out there, and then find my own way from some recommendations. There are some fantastic beauty bloggers who I follow who have given so much detailed information in their reviews that they have given me the push to get a few items I might not have looked at previously. There are also things I have bought that I haven't seen reviewed but I have found suit my skin tone! I don't want to be a "collection clone" but with so many people giving such great advice, I am going to link back to their posts as they were absolutely brilliant. 

So, without further ado - here is where I am so far. This is just an overview of what I have got. Over the next week or so I am going to give my take on what I have got and swatch things against my skin tone and, if I have the guts, show the finished product (errr, that would be a before and after photo of me!) 

I know when I have been watching haul videos or reading haul posts that some people assume that anything other than actual makeup is boring. I actually have learned so much from some of these posts that I am going to include the "boring" stuff too, and will link to everything that I have got. The things I have got have been grouped together so that I hope it makes some semblance of order! Just one thing I would like to mention is that I *know* the photographs aren't the greatest for today. I am going to work on them but I need my husband's help due to the whole "I live in a wheelchair" thing so these are just some I managed to take on the bed by myself. It may not sound much, but it has given me a huge sense of accomplishment! 

First up - hair care.

The lovely Heidi over at TheInsideOutBeauty.com wrote a great post about Dove haircare. I must have been past Dove shampoos and conditioners a hundred times and never given them a second thought as I had, for absolutely no rational reason whatsoever, thought they must smell the same as the hand soap which I absolutely detest the smell of. I was in Boots yesterday and it was on offer so I thought I would give it a go. My hair is damaged by radiotherapy so I bought the Pro-Age range which claims to "help repair the hair surface leaving it looking thick and full". You can betch I am up for trying that! My very fine frizz could do with a treat so I am looking forwards to trying this tonight that is for sure. 

The shampoo and conditioner can be found here and the conditioner can be found here as neither Boots or Superdrug appear to have them on their websites, but they are in their stores.

I also got some L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil (found here)  as much as I have tried, I just can't get Argan or Moroccan oil to work for me at all. It just leaves my hair feeling greasy. I have cheated a little on this one as though it isn't a repurchase, I have tried my daughters and it is fantastic for my hair. I had tried a couple of the Argan oils but they just aren't for me at all. 

Next up - some beauty bits and bobs..

Now the eyelash curlers are a bit of a cheat - I got them from Birchbox (here) when they had an offer on. They came as a freebie with any purchase. It had never even crossed my mind to purchase some (just as it has never, and never will, cross my mind to buy false eyelashes). Saying that, I wouldn't be without them now - they are fantastic. They don't hurt at all and I can get right down to the base of the eyelash without ending up with a kink in them, just leaving a lovely curl. 

The tweezers (found here) are another matter. I go through about a pair a month. This isn't due to any weird things I do with them, it is because they are always "just the thing" my husband needs for a job that usually involves soldering and flux paste. Once those old tweezers have been near that there is no way they are coming near my face, no matter how much he protests that they are clean. What he doesn't understand is that they have to be sharp too. I had this little trio out last night and given that they have the square, slant and point tip - they are fantastic. I was that pleased even my daughter got attacked with them too. I don't know about anyone else, but I find some tweezers hurt more than others. These are great, no pain at all. 

So, whilst we are on the "tools of the trade" I bought these from Amazon...

Yep, I caved in and bought the Real Techniques brushes. They can be found here and here and were a very good price from what I was able to find on the internet. I did have the absolute basic brushes from Avon which are superb, but I soon gathered I was going to need something a little more up to date than the 4 I had! 

One thing I did learn from my hours of YouTube watching was that there was no need for expensive brush cleaner - I have washed them with baby shampoo and they have come up brilliantly. If it is good enough for some of the professional ladies out there, it is good enough for me. It was quite a relief too as the price of brush cleaner nearly made me boke! 

So, all this out of the way - on to the actual makeup I bought. I think I will just go from the skin outwards so here we go. 

Concealers, primers and colour correctors! This is probably where I went a bit overboard. I have oily skin some days, and dry others so I have to cover all bases. Also this is when I found the Benefit counter too ^.^! I know a lot of these products will be so familiar to so many people, but I was so lucky to have a makeup artist help me with my colour selection. I have horrible red hyper pigmentation on my cheeks and really purple/blue dark circles under my eyes so with help, and after being introduced to the colour wheel, I am now sorted to cover it all up! Along with my enormous pores!  

From left to right:- benefit porefessional

 benefit boi-ing industrial strength concealer (in a scary shade, but it looks great on!)

No 7 Colour Calming Primer Green 

NYX HD Studio Photogenic Primer

E.L.F. Tone Correcting Concealer

I stopped there as I now have enough for oily, dry and combination days! As with all the makeup I got, I am going to do individual posts with swatches if applicable to see what I think of them, an to see if anyone else has any ideas as to other things that I might benefit from. 

Next up - foundations and a BB cream (that I stole back from my Mum for the photo - I have more on order)

I had a really good look round for these items, after reading lots of blog entries. 

Sleek's be beautiful Blemish Balm

Revlon's Colourstay for combination/oily skin

NYX's HD Studio Photogenic Primer and

Cosmopolitan's blend perfection sponge (yep - I am a cheapskate on occasion!)

I am thrilled with all of these as I have things covered for both skin days! 

Next up - the brows that need taming!

I was very tempted to get the benefit's one, but I think that can wait for another month or two! 

From the top..

NYX's EP Eyebrow pencil

MUA's Matte eye shadow shade 19

MUA's mascara shade 1

Beauty UK's Hi-Brow Kit

I am genuinely looking forwards to seeing how the last one works out as I haven't seen it floating round the blogs at all. It wasn't the one I had set out to get (an Accessorize one) but they were sold out. This one has some wax and a good choice of colours (even though that is what I bought the MUA eye shadow for) so I am looking forwards to giving this one a test run. 

So, with the brows out of the way, I am guessing it is time for me to 'fess up to the eye shadow part of this haul. Here we go...

I am going to do swatches of all these in another post, so just for now, here are the links to what I got:-

theBalm's Nude'tude

NYX's The Smokey Shadow Palette

Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Eternal Gold (05)

Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Permanent Taupe (40)

It was the lovely Michelle over at beautylifemichelle.blogspot.com that gave me the heads up with her fantastic review of the Maybelline Color Tattoos. I was completely won over! She didn't just say "woo, they are great" she actually gave some advice as to what you could do with them other than slather them on your lids. Her brilliant post is here. 

OK, so with our eye shadow out of the way, on to eye liners! 

I already had a couple of the traditional kohl liners so I thought I would branch out a little. First up the beast on the left which is Sleek's Kajal Liner. I am not going to lie, it looks as scary as hell but I am going to really give this one a go. Armed with my brushes I think I stand a fighting chance. The others are, from top to bottom:-

Maybelline's Eye Studio Master Precise Liner in Black (damn you and your 3 for 2 Superdrug!) 

E.L.F.'s Liquid Eyeliner in Coffee

Laura Geller's Inkwell in Purple (thank you Birchbox)

MUA's Eye Liner Intense Colour in Snow White

I think I have all the bases covered that I need to for now! 

OK, now we are getting somewhere. Next? Mascara! 

From top to bottom:-

MUA's Waterproof Mascara (black)

Rimmel's new Scandaleyes in Black (and it is GORGEOUS!)

E.L.F.'s Earth and Water in brown

Anyone for blush?

I genuinely couldn't resist either of them. And the first of my Accessorize products too. I have tried to make sure that I have a "day" look and a "night" look with all the things that I have bought and can mix and match. These are the ones that I have gone for:-

MUA's blusher in Candyfloss

Accessorize's Merged Baked Blush in Scandal.

Like I said, this is just a haul post so swatches and my thoughts on all these things are to come over the next couple of weeks.

That is it for the blush, so on next to bronzers for contouring. Oh yeah, I know where I am at now with it all!!

Two here again - one for day and one for night.

NYX's Illuminator in Narcissistic and

Accessorize's Baked Bronzer Duo in Pearl Sands (shade 1). 

Have to admit, preliminary investigations show these both to be rather fantastic. 

My haul is nearly at an end now (and if you are still with me, I am thoroughly impressed!). Only two more things to go. My penultimate purchases were face powders..

NYC's Smooth Skin loose face powder

Rimmel's Stay Matte pressed powder. Just a side note on the Rimmel powder - I must have bought my first one when I was about 12. It still smells the same!!! That is in no way a complaint, it really is a blast from the past! 

With my face done, there is only one thing to finish my haul off. Lippy! Only one problem there though - I hate the stuff. I can just about manage a light gloss so these are the ones that I have (including 2 from Glossybox and 1 from Birchbox)

Yep - that is it! I am so embarrassed that I don't really want to even leave the links to it! Lest it be said, 2 Sleek pout paints from Glossybox (actually love these), 1 Laqa&Co Lil'lip from Birchbox (lovely formula, not the greatest colour for me) and a couple of MUA's sheer finish lip glosses. I have got a few bits on order lip wise so these will no doubt appear in a September haul post! The ELF products are end of line all over body things that you can use on your lips so I bought them to give them a try. One colour stick and one body shimmer. We shall see. 

So yes, that is my haul. Just when I thought it was all over, my gorgeous husband took me into TK Maxx and he went off looking for things. As I mentioned in my previous post, he wouldn't let me look at what he was getting. This is what he arrived at the check out with:-

Now I have absolutely no links to these, but they are a large storage box in chocolate brown with cream writing on to keep said haul, a lovely mirror with normal reflection on one side and 4 X magnification on the other. The little organizer on the right is in chocolate brown pleather and turns round on a little circle on the bottom for my brushes and pencils. I feel quite the spoiled lady, that is for sure! 

Anyway, if anyone sees any glaring omissions, or has any suggestions for me, I would really be thrilled to hear them. I take constructive criticism very well and don't bite!

Fi xoxox

No pic pre-haul post..

I have had a rough few days with my epilepsy so my gorgeous husband took me to our local high street yesterday and let me go wild in Boots and Superdrug!

With my little list that I had been compiling over the past few days when I had been reading all the lovely blogs that I follow safely saved in my phone (and after the endless reading of decent dupes for certain things) off I went. 

Now, living where I do - the Isle of Man - our choices are limited, hence my total wish list, accompanied by my "dupes" alternatives.

First up? Boots! I have to admit, I hadn't been upstairs (where the makeup selection is) for about 5 years. Since breaking my back I had got out of the habit of wearing ANY makeup whatsoever. I hadn't been able to get there either as they have only recently (in the last 2 years) had a lift put in. The store had a huge refit and in went an escalator, lift etc. 

Needless to say - it has changed! Beyond recognition! A lot of the girls were busy but the gorgeous Mary from the Lancome section was on hand to help me. 

Being in a wheelchair I can safely report back that there isn't much you can see. At all. She asked me what I was looking for and I handed over my phone. She asked what I had got already (a few bits from theBalm, NYX, E.L.F and NYC - all this in my mega haul posts later today and more this week when I can get the camera out. I am writing this at 4.30 am so I didn't think my husband would be too pleased if I got the camera out just now!) and seemed impressed that I had got my head round the basics. 

So, after stops at Revlon, No 7 and Rimmel she took me over to a stand that I couldn't see from where we had been. We have a Benefit stand!! 

Just to put this into context - it would be the equivalent of a Sephora suddenly popping up in every high street in the UK. Yes, we are seriously that far behind the times. 

I did reign it in at the Benefit stand but treated myself to the two things I was trying to get my dupes for. 

She also let me into a secret. Well, not so much a secret but I am the only person who has asked about this brand and they are coming to my local Boots in October. Smashbox is making it's début ! They are actually coming over the week before my first wedding anniversary, and she is going to be running it. 

Normally, as with any other Boots you can't book a makeover, but she has booked me in for one on the morning of my wedding anniversary (I saw it in her diary) so I am ridiculously excited for that. 

Next stop - Superdrug. I knew Maybelline was on offer there, so I got 3 for 2, some Accessorize and a couple of MUA things, a gorgeous little brow kit from B and some bits and bobs (including a new set of tweezers as my last ones ended up being used by my husband for soldering something). Anyone else have this problem?! 

Then, my better half who usually couldn't tell you if .I am wearing makeup or not took me to TK Maxx. I have a confession. I absolutely hate TK Maxx with a passion for clothes but he took me upstairs as they have some home wear items. 

(I have just realized how bad this sounds that my husband has to take me everywhere. I am perfectly capable of getting myself round in my wheelchair, but I have uncontrolled epilepsy so that is why I can't be left alone. Ever. No, not even the loo!) 

He had looked at my viewing history on YouTube and I had been watching the storage videos. Not the ones with people who have lots of make up, but ones for those with just enough for a few looks. 

I wasn't allowed down the aisles that he went down, I had to stay at the end. He came back proudly brandishing the most beautiful flip top box in a chocolate brown with cream writing on it (it goes with our bedroom), a beautiful little brown pleather twirling thing for my brushes and a little stand alone vanity mirror that flips over to  4 X magnification. 

To say I was stunned would have been an understatement! They are perfect for the amount of stuff I have, and perfect for what I wanted.

I have been reading, lurking and watching SO many videos to get an idea of what I wanted and I am now finally there. To do one huge haul post would be ridiculous, but I am going to split it up by brand, and then my gorgeous little F Features (my daughter) has agreed to be my guinea pig and is going to let me do a makeover on her.

I must admit to having information overload so I decided that I was going to take the basics that really did perform across the board, and find my own way from there. I have swatched, taken advice from professionals and have what I hope is a great little "kit" that will see me through the seasons for now. 

I knew if I bought the Urban Decay palette it would only be because everyone else had it which is why I bought theBalm one instead as I had received a sample of their blush in a Birchbox, which had given me actual access to the quality of the products in person so I wasn't buying blindly over the internet. 

So, over the coming days there will be daily posts with my new things, from the "tools of the trade" down to the foundations, concealers, primers, bushers and bronzers. 

Genuinely, I would really appreciate ANY help I can get. If anyone has any ideas as to what might help something I have work better, or something that I have completely missed then I would be incredibly grateful for their help. 

Makeup hasn't been a regular appearance on my radar for ohh, about 15 years now so I really do need all the help I have got. I have also made myself a promise not to get thing just because everyone else has them. I am going to get what suits me, and nothing else. I don't want tons of the stuff lying round that will never be used at all (although I am going to have to repurchase something already - I made the mistake of showing my incredibly glamorous 71 year old Mum my Sleek BB cream and that was it - GONE!). She may be 71 but would pass for late 50's, early 60's. Unfortunately, I do believe I haven't got the "I don't look my age" gene! She seriously is one stylish lady. 

So, when the sun comes up - the camera is coming out and I am really hoping that you guys could help me out with some feedback as to things I might need, or things that I have wasted my money on. As is my mission statement in my little corner of the net - I am just starting out again and it has changed so much since the last time I was here!

Pic heavy posts to come, but I always resize on the computer before uploading onto PhotoBucket (Flickr and I just don't seem to get along too well), in case anyone is worried about data usage etc. 

So, with that, a haul post to come later today - I am thinking I have enough for a week, then I will be trying out the stuff I have bought, and who knows - maybe even a YouTube video. 

Fi xoxox