HOT OMBRE COSMETICS BY CC CLARKE REVIEW

From lip contour tutorials on Instagram to her own ombre lipstick brand 'Hot Ombre Cosmetics' - CC Clarke is absolutely killing it. I'm 99% sure if you have an Instagram account you would have seen at least one of her lipstick videos on your discovery page. I have been following her for years now and of course when I saw she was bringing out her own range I had to get my hands on every shade.

If you are looking for a last minute stocking filler then one of these ombre lip kits is the perfect gift because you don't need to be a pro at make up to get a beautiful result. I wish there was a product on the market like these when I first got into make up because it would've been a lot easier and also cost effective.

There are 5 gorgeous shades in the collection she has released which are a long-lasting matte liquid lipsticks and she also has a Hot Shine Balm available to be purchased separately which can be used as a finishing touch for those who aren't a huge fan of matte lips.

When I say these are long lasting - I mean you could probably go through a zombie apocalypse and your lips would still be flawless were you to make it out alive. I put one to the test from 7am all the way through til around 8pm and it had barely moved through all the talking, eating & drinking, impressive right?  If anything they're a little TOO long lasting and they wont come off with just a micellar water, i'd recommend an oil based cleanser and the product will just melt away. 

Hearing the words matte and long lasting you're probably thinking how dry the formula must be and how much lip balm you will need to use after, but it is honestly the most comfortable formula I have ever used and it doesn't flake at all

I literally do not have a bad word to say about these products - they blend seamlessly, there is a shade perfect for every occasion and they're cruelty free and vegan. 

If you would like to see the shades in action then keep your eyes peeled over on my Instagram! 

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REVOLUTION X PATRICIA BRIGHT ¦ REVIEW

After daily checking my local Superdrug store since the day of release - today was the day they finally put Patricia Brights collaboration with Revolution on the shelves! When I think of Patricia I think - glam, a little boujee, fun and also naturally beautiful and this is exactly what her collaboration portrays. The collection is made up of 4 skin palettes and 2 eye shadow palettes. Each face palette contains 3 shades a contour, highlight and blush for all different skin tones and in the eye shadow palettes she has blessed us with 28 gorgeous shades in each.

I picked up the Rich in Life palette which she designed with everyday working women in mind, she wanted to create a palette that is just easy, full of pigment and creates a cute eye look without all the fuss of a million steps.

Many eye shadow palettes nowadays are made of cardboard or plastic which when travelling isn't always practical as it can break/get extremely dirty and Patricia has gone totally against that a used a tin packaging which is super sturdy. Not only do you get 28 shades in this palette you also get a huge internal mirror which is just perfect for on the go.

Lets talk about the shadows - the mattes, shimmers and pops of colour. From one glance you can see how gorgeous the shades are going to be on the eyes and when you feel how creamy and soft they are you would never think this palette is just £20. With it being such an affordable palette I wasn't expecting the BEST pigmentation but I can honestly say it beats some of my more expensive palettes by far! You don't have to keep putting more on your brush to build the colour, you can literally tap and get on with your look. 'You are gold' is the prettiest shade in the whole palette, I simply use my finger to press it onto my lid and it just glides on leaving a stunning shimmer.

I have only ever owned one or two face palettes previously and they always managed to slip to the back of my drawers as they were never that impressive so my individual products would grab my attention instead and when staying the night somewhere this can weigh down a makeup bag massively. I definitely wont be experiencing this problem anymore because this Moonlight Glow face palette is everything I need and it's perfect for my skin tone. The bronzer isn't ashy in anyway it simply warms the cheeks without looking like too much. Along with a touch of a peachy blush and a champagne highlight, you've got a dream combination. You can tell how much work went into this collaboration through the texture of the products, they're all so soft and almost melt onto the skin (as much as a powder can do so).

Revolution X Patricia Bright is available at Superdrug, ASOS, Beauty Bay and more.

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FACE MASKS ¦ A MASK FOR EVERY OCCASION

No matter what the weather, your mood, your skin condition - there is always a face mask to pick you up and get your skin feeling refreshed. Whether you're going on a flight, having a pamper at home or having some skin technical difficulties, this post has got you covered.

I am the type of person to use a face mask in order to feel like my life is back on track, I've got my sh*t together and i'm ready to go (or sleep, depending on the mask & situation). A bad mood may not completely vanish but it at least makes you feel a little better knowing how glowy and good your skin looks on the outside.

One thing that i'm trying hard to incorporate into my life is skin care on the go. I see so many beauty influencers with their sheet masks on the plane and I am a forgetful person at the best of times so when i'm stressing about a flight my skin usually isn't the number one priority when it comes to packing. When you're in the air and surrounded by air con, your skin is going to be DYING for a drink/pick me up so a sheet/eye mask is the perfect solution.

Before any face mask at home always be sure to wash your skin - my current favourite way to do this is using a Face Halo as it's really quick and easy & leaves no dirt behind. You don't want any rubbish on the surface of the skin being moved into your pores.

If ever my skin is going through a rough patch, whether that's blemish wise or dry and uncomfortable my number one step would be a face mask. Over the past few years I have been through so many products and masks trying to find ones that actually make a noticeable difference & don't actually make my skin worse due to too much perfume or unfriendly ingredients. I would highly recommend purchasing a mask brush or even just a cheap foundation brush to apply the product purely to avoid any dirt from your fingers getting into your pores.

Blemishes aren't anyone's friend and a product I love to use when my skin is struggling is the L'Oreal Blemish Rescue Mask and I love this because for me it's a multi-use product. It's a face mask but I also use it as an over night spot treatment by simply dotting it onto a more aggressive spot and letting it works it's magic through the night and by morning the spot is always noticeably smaller.

Uncomfortable skin is the worst and now it's a lot colder outside, for my skin this is an issue! Whether it's caused by the weather or a slightly too abrasive exfoliating product, my absolute favourite cooling mask is the Aloe Vera one from Vichy. It is so refreshing and instantly makes the skin happier. If you're feeling particularly boujee - going over this mask with a rose quartz face roller  feels delightful as it adds to the cooling affect and helps to stimulate the skin.

If you're quite lucky and don't have too many problems with your skin and just like a face mask as a bit of a treat then the Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment is a god send! I like to use this mask weekly as it really does give the skin exactly what it needs (although this one is a little pricey - it is totally worth it)

What is your favourite face mask?

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Glossy Box Review

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've most likely heard of Glossy Box and their monthly beauty box subscriptions. Basically what happens is.. you sign up to a subscription or pay per month and then a box containing 5 mystery beauty/nail/hair products is delivered directly to your door. I am very new to the whole Glossy Box scene having only received 2 boxes so far but I am loving it!

I personally think this is such a good gift idea and with Christmas just around the corner (please don't hate me for saying that in September) I thought i'd give you a little insight into the kind of things to expect from Glossy Box.

First off I absolutely adore the packaging - it's fun, it's sleek and it's pretty. The products inside are completely varied from samples to full sized products and it could be anything from a nail varnish, a beauty tool or simply a sample of a dreamy cream. For example, in the August 2019 Birthday Edition Box I received: a full sized HUDA BEAUTY lip gloss (can you believe it!!!), a full sized liquid eyeliner, a single set of under eye patches, rose gold eyelash curlers and a travel sized Imperial Leather body foam. You do get a leaflet inside the box as you open it describing each of the products but I choose to look at this after so it doesn't ruin the surprise.

The box photographed in this post is September 2019 & it actually contained 7 items in total:

Colgate Charcoal Toothpaste - something I totally wouldn't expect to receive in a beauty box but also a product i'm really excited to try out.

Mayy Banana Setting Powder - because who doesn't need a setting powder to stop their under eyes creasing, v happy Aimee.

Mitchell and Peach EDP - this smells like a bath bomb in a bottle. I am going on holiday next week and this is 100% coming with me, it's an adorable yet generous size.

Carex Strawberry Laces Hand Gel - again a very handy travel companion and it smells so good. I'm the type of person to take hand sanitiser everywhere I go so although this may sound a little dull to receive to some people, it was a win for me.

Coconut Oil Deep Conditioning Hair Mask - a great way to try a new product and by the title I am already excited to use this.

Godiva Masterpieces - a small treat that would put a smile on anyone's face (unless you don't like dark chocolate - in which case I can't relate as I actually ate this before I had the chance to photograph it... oops)

Hello Beau-Tea-Ful Tea Body Scrub - this is another great way to try a new product, I would never think to purchase one of these from a store but now I've got it I am super intrigued to try it.

It works out to be £10 a box but it can vary with different savings on different subscriptions so I have linked their website here so you can have a look for yourself.

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TK Maxx Haul ¦ Why Haven't I Shopped Here Before?

To say I was surprised by all the brands available in TK Maxx is an understatement. It has always been one of those store i'd heard about but chose to walk straight passed and i'm so mad at myself for all the time I did that! I am a newly obsessed TK Maxx shopper and there is no stopping me now - regardless of if I have time or not I will always pop my head in just to be sure I'm not missing out on any of their incredible bargains.

If you are like I was and simply turn a blind eye at TK Maxx then this post is for you - from make up to shoes/accessories/clothing & home ware. They stock some amazing brands at such WOW bargain prices.

I'll admit it was payday and I did get totally carried away but I thought i'd do a small(ish) haul of just some of the secret gems hidden away in the shelves of TK Maxx. There were so many other amazing bargains that I wouldn't picked up if I had any more space in my hands but I figured a basket was far too dangerous for my bank account and sadly left behind the likes of Clarins, Tangle Teezer, PIXI Beauty, Clinique, St Tropez, Bobbi Brown etc... the list is endless.

Anastasia Beverley Hills:
Single Eyeshadows £3.99 (RRP £12)
Liquid Lipsticks £9.99 (RRP £22)
Lipsticks £9.99 (RRP £20)
Nip & Fab Kale Pads £3.99 (RRP £12.95)
Yes To Blueberries Eye Mask £1.99 (RRP £2.99)
Ardell Lashes £3.99 (RRP £5.49)
Calvin Klein Bra £12.99 (RRP £30)
Leila Eve Gems £2.99 (RRP £8.00)
FoxyBae Leave in Conditioner £7.99 (RRP $14.95)
Beach Road Hydrating Mist £4.99 (RRP $18)

I wasn't joking when I said they were bargains - how incredible are those prices....?!

If you don't have one locally, don't panic!!! They now have an online store (RIP Aimee's bank account) you can shop here.

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HOW TO ¦ QUICK & EASY HALO EYE

If you're looking for a dramatic but also soft eye make up look then a halo eye is my go to. They're a lot easier than they look and this post is going to be a step by step on how to achieve one.

First of all - prime the eyelids to create a blank canvas.

Then you want to add a transition shade that is going to ensure your darker shades blend easily.

You want to now pack your darkest shade into the crease as well as the outer and inner thirds of the lid and then blend so the transition is smooth.

I then like to cut the crease with the same product I used to prime my eyelids on a flat brush.

Depending on the colours you're using to create your halo eye you want to then add your shimmer or lightest shade to the centre of the eyelid to create the halo effect.

To finish the look I go back in with the darkest shade just to neaten up where the light shade meets the dark.

I then repeat the same deep shade on the outer thirds and lighter on the centre under the eye so it looks seamless before then going onto add lashes and mascara.

Viola.

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GHD GLIDE ¦ CAN IT TAME THE UN-TAMEABLE?

When people say their hair is too frizzy and un-tameable - they haven't seen anything until they've seen my natural hair. It would honestly shock you the amount of volume/frizz to my hair when it's freshly washed and straightening it has always been such a chore. NOT ANYMORE, the GHD Glide has changed the game. Because it's a brush I was so sure it would do barely anything except maybe take it from lions mane to the normal size of frizzy hair but it is so quick and easy to tame my hair.

It claims to be the best on second day hair but one or two brushes through each section straight after freshly washing and drying my hair is honestly enough to get it straight, it's not the slick dead straight that you would achieve by going over and over it with straighteners but it's very much tamed and presentable.

Before

With it being a brush you save the time of having to comb the hair and then go over with straighteners so it's a lot more time efficient than my regular straighteners. I simply section the hair and relatively slowly slide the brush from the roots to the ends making sure the hair stays at the base of the brush to maximise the results.

After

The answer is yes, it can tame the un-tameable and if you have overly frizzy hair like me then it will be the best money you ever spend. You can pick it up here.

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FULL FACE OF PRODUCTS UNDER £10

I'm not the only one who has wandered into Superdrug purely just for Micellar Water, Deodorant, Cotton Pads... You know all the necessary items and walking out with a whole bag of new make up to try, right? Well this might've happened again, woops.

After about 5 minutes of me wandering up the make up aisle I found myself with a basket... and from there I knew where this was headed. After a mini pep-talk and a spontaneous 'treat yourself' mood I decided to set myself a challenge - treat yourself but don't break the bank, I bought a whole face of make up products for under £10 each and I am going to spill the tea in this post as I cannot get enough of them.

I think a lot of people associate the price of the product with how well it is going to work and that couldn't be further from the truth - yes there are some beautiful products that cost slightly more and are 100% worth it but I think we can all agree on the fact that the drugstores have seriously upped their game on new releases and keeping their products affordable yet good quality. I managed to get my hands on every product needed for a full face all without breaking the bank.

Products purchased:

ELF Tone Adjusting Face Primer in Lavender £7.50 - I will start by saying if you don't enjoy a silicone feel primer then this one is not for you. I am one of those people so this wasn't my favourite product of them all, however this primer did leave my skin feeling very silky. I would recommend leaving this product to set on the skin for about 60 seconds before going in with foundation as initially it feels almost greasy and I can imagine foundation wouldn't sit nicely but after washing my hands and feeling how it was on my skin, the greasy/silicone feel had gone and just left my skin smooth and ready for foundation. In terms of brightening this product doesn't do a lot for my skin but if you're looking for a cheap smoothing primer the make up sat nicely on top of this one.

L'OREAL Infallible Magic Essence Drops £9.99 - I did already have a primer in my basket and I was really keen to try ELF for the first time however I just couldn't leave this on the shelf. Without turning you into a Smurf this primer feels really lovely on the skin. It's a water-like texture leaves the skin feeling very hydrated and absorbs straight away so you can get on with the rest of your make up instantly. Personally this one is my favourite out of the two.

MAKE UP REVOLUTION Conceal & Define Foundation and Concealer £9 & £4 - If you haven't seen anything about this duo then where have you been? I think around 99% of the make up community has tried this foundation and I was the 1% who hadn't but couldn't wait to try it. The concealer is my go-to, I have re-purchased this over and over again and will continue to do so. The concealer is quite full coverage so initially I wondered whether the foundation would be slightly cakey/too full coverage compared to what I like but I have worn it every day since so I think that speaks for itself. It's not too matte, it's not too dewy and it doesn't cake or go gross throughout the day.

MUA Loose Setting Powder £2.50 - Laura Mercier has been my holy-grail powder for as long as I can remember but each time I repurchase I have to live off baked beans for the rest of the month so I have been looking for a fine and translucent loose powder that is a fraction of the price but still sets my face without caking/creasing and this powder is a very strong contender.

MUA Glow Bronzer in Golden Dunes £4 - I was instantly drawn to this bronzer by the swirl of different shades. I was so curious to see what shade it would create if I was to mix them all together or if I could use one half for untanned skin and the other for when I have fake tan on and need a deeper bronze. It instantly joined my everyday make up bag - although the deeper tones intimidated my pale skin initially, the colour is actually beautiful and the perfect bronze.

MUA BLUSHED in Rose Tea £2.50 - I am totally obsessed with this blush, it is such a gorgeous pink. It's super pigmented and you literally only need to tap your brush in once and you'll have a pretty pop of pink on your cheeks, it's pink enough to be seen but not over the top which I love.This is another one who has found it's place in my everyday make up bag.

MAKE UP REVOLUTION x SOPH Palette £10 - After recently trying MUR's collaboration with Imogen and being pleasantly surprised by the pigmentation I had to pick up a different palette from them. The colours in this palette are beautiful and the colour pay off is really impressive for such an affordable palette.I love that with the MUR palettes you can easily create a day to day look or go full glam/colourful all from just one palette and the shadows are really easy to blend out.

MUA Brow Define £2.50 - When it comes to brows Benefit has always been my go to but it can be quite expensive so this is a pretty good dupe for their 'Precisely my brow' at a much cheaper price. It's super easy to create a defined brow as natural or intense as you like your brows.


MAYBELLINE Lash Sensational £8.99 - I have used this mascara for years, even after trialling others I always find myself going back and re-purchasing this one. It's ultra black, lengthening and adds volume without clumping - otherwise known as the perfect mascara.


NYX Duo-chrome Highlighter £9 - Can you believe I forgot to pick up a highlighter? Instead I thought i'd mention this one that's been in my collection for a little while now. This highlighter is unlike any others I own. I'm such a typical champagne highlight kinda girl but the tones in this were too pretty to pass up. On the cheeks it initially has a white champagne look to it however in different lights it actually shows off pink pigments, it's such a pretty highlight.

COLLECTION Liquid Lip Colour £4.99 - For years I was a matte lip person but in the recent months I have been loving the glossy look so much more. This lip colour is as pigmented as a lipstick but also as glossy as a lip gloss without the mega sticky feeling. I opted for a natural pink so I could get a lot of wear out of it but i'll definitely be picking up a few more shade as it's such a comfortable product. It's not the longest lasting but at such an affordable price I don't mind having to use more product and re-apply.

L'OREAL SHAKE & GLOW £9.99 - Setting sprays are my favourite part of my make up routine. Mac Fix+ is my usual go to but again with such a high price tag i'm always reluctant to use a lot of it. This one from L'Oreal has a super fine mist so it doesn't leave your face wet but it still helps to bring my make up together and get rid of the powdery feeling.

You can get your hands on any of these products over on Superdrug's website.

Do you have any drugstore recommendations?

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