Purchasing Regrets

Superdrug Haul!

Well who doesn’t love a good ol’ haul! I went a bit splurgeous a couple days ago (very naughty) and Superdrug-ed my way to a £35 bill*. Yay!

Here are my purchases:

IMG_0431

The first one from the left is the Sally Hansen Miracle Cure nail treatment ‘for severe problem nails’ (sounds a bit harsh) claiming to give you 40% stronger nails in three days and stop nails from peeling. My nails peel horribly all the time and are weak and bendy so this product and I get on like a house on fire. I have used this before and it really worked which is why I repurchased it, but it did go gloopy and unusable so I had to throw around half the product away. Despite this I was really impressed with the product and there was a truly noticeable difference in the strength of my nails.

The big bright yellow monstrosity in the middle there is the classic Carmex, a wonder product that is a staple in so many people’s handbags. It’s motto of soothing, relieving and moisturising is one that is true to the product and it is probably my favourite lip balm. This is not only due to its superior moisturising qualities and abundance of cool ingredients (Hello to you, menthol), but also its signature tingly, cold, fresh feeling that calms my often chemical-overloaded and inflamed lips. Fantastic product that can never be replaced. Also love the pop-art packaging and colour scheme.

Down there in the bottom right hand corner is the Rimmel Stay Matte long lasting transparent pressed powder. I needed a powder and I’ve heard the ravings so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon and go apurchasing. I can’t wait to try it out.

bourjois foundation swatch

On the top: unblended On the bottom: blended (love that movie)

bourjois

I was on the hunt for a new foundation when I came across this. I remember watching a YouTube video recommending this for a lighter coverage, and there was an offer on Bourjois so I happily donned it in my shopping basket. My colour is 52 Vanilla which was the second lightest they had in Superdrug. It’s a gel foundation claiming to last 16hrs and boost radiance for instant anti-fatigue. This is all due to the ‘Vitamin-rich fruit therapy’ in the mix, an exciting prospect that sounds as delectable as it’s sure to look. I really like the sound and the look of this, its a nice texture and blends well as you can see on my swatch. Loving the long, smooth bottle and red bursts of colour helping to reflect the ‘radiance’ that the product is designed to give, and the little image of fruit. Excellent packaging design I think.

Borjois blush Borjois blush brush borjois blush swatch

This beautiful Bourjois blush is quite a sheer colour that is very blendable and easy to layer. My above swatch was around three layers in fact! I really like the colour on the swatch it looks like it will really give my cheeks a pretty pink pop. I love the softly magnetic lid that ensures it stays tight shut around the little moulded brush which sits neatly atop the curved shape of the blush.

I hope you enjoyed reading about how I said goodbye to more of my money and I’ll see you all next time <3

Love from,

SASHA x

* The products included in this post did not in themselves add up to £35, that was inclusive of some more personal products.

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What Goes On My Lips!

My lip stuffs are a bountiful and beautiful collection, however not particularly diverse. It consists mostly of lip balms which I use to keep my lips from drying up and falling off, which takes a lot of work thanks to my abysmally dry skin. I have brands from The Body Shop to EOS, each providing different levels of effectiveness  and longevity on the lips.

I am trying to get more into lipstick but at the mo I just have a few colours. I seem to own a lot of lip gloss despite the fact I don’t wear it very often as it annoys me (actually probably more because I moved all my lip products on a really high shelf far away from my mirror and all my other make up so I can never be bothered to go up and get it) but I used to wear it quite a lot so I have a bit of a collection! All drugstore though, I had a tiny excuse for a budget back when I bought these!

As I have already sort of mentioned, I don’t use half of these products. At all. But writing this post has inspired me to get back into lippy products and now I plan to use the hell out of them! Except the unopened ones which I think I’m going to give away because I have way too many anyway.

lippy IMG_0307 eos

So there’s my collection! Most of it were gifts if I’m honest but I have contributed quite a few pennies to get this far! Ironically I bought another lip balm just after taking these photos, but it will have to remain a mystery until I blog about it separately later. Half of these things are things my grandma gave me for Christmas when I was younger, one being the Astor shine deluxe prismatic gloss which claims to last up to 6h. Granny has managed to give me eight of these over the years. I have to say, Granny – you did good! This is the best clear lip gloss I have ever tried; it’s the most long lasting, it makes my lips look plumper and gives them serious shine and glossiness, on its own or over any lip colour. It can also be layered up really thick depending on how much glamour you wish to inject into your look. It is my go-to lip gloss for a night out, especially when I want that extra boost of chic. I cannot sing its praises enough. It is truly a holy grail lip gloss.

lipstick mac lipstickkate moss lipstickFrom the left: Max Factor 894 Raisin, MAC A63 Lady Danger, Rimmel Kate Moss 05

Click the links to shop the products!

The Max Factor one was given to me by my mother in a kit containing that and some other Max Factor products in a cute folding bag with a how to use guide. This is my oldest and probably most used lipstick. Max Factor do not sell the exact same lipstick any more but they do sell the same colour in a different range which is what I have linked above.

The Body Shop lipgloss rimmel lipgloss

And here are my lip glosses! The ‘lip gloss’ tube in Cranberry Twist was my most used one when I was younger. I used it every day along with the other two that came with it in a set. Unfortunately I lost these other two and lost interest in the remaining one, veering instead towards the better known brands. This leads us on to the Rimmel Stay Glossy tubes which were given to me by my make up artist friend who had a few spare (she has worked for so many brands who give her free samples and now has so many that she simply gives them away…living the dream I say) and I really like the one in the middle – it’s got shimmer and glam and it would be my first choice if I wanted a tinted gloss on a night out. It’s fairly used for this reason, but I haven’t found it to have any out-of-this-world staying power despite what the name might suggest. The bottom one is slightly darker – DEFINITELY for eveningwear – and the top one is a barbie pop pink that’s nice to add a little fun to the mornings. The Body Shop ones were gifts and ones I will probably never use despite really liking them because I am one of those people who does not like sticking their finger in the pot. I want glossy lips, not sticky fingers!

nivealip balmFrom the left: EOS lip balm in Mint, Marks and Spencer Ingredients Shea Nut Lip Butter, The Body Shop lip butter in Shea, Lip Lishuss Vanilla Scent Lip Balm

Those not linked are part of sets

I forgot to include my Carmex Soothing Lip Balm because I don’t keep it with the others. I keep it where I can access it easily because sometimes my upper lip starts to flame up from chemicals in other lip products (if I overuse them) and this always sorts it out. Designed to treat cold sores, this ultra-soothing tingly balm contains camphor which alleviates burning and aloe butter, a natural plant-derived substance that heals and soothes. Menthol also cools and refreshes, offering relief from discomfort. I love this product as it’s tailored to my needs, feels GREAT on my lips (tingly and minty and soft…mmmm!) and it lasts for ages! I now permanently have my eye on Carmex.

The Body Shop lip butter smells good but does nothing for my lips. The Body Shop Shimmer Lip Balm in Lychee gives my lips a clear sparkle, but often sets off the irritation so I’ve stopped using it so much. The Miss Sports Dr. Balm is a tinted balm the colour of the packet and came free with another Miss Sporty purchase. I’ve not used it yet.

So that’s my collection! I could write more but I feel like I’m going on a bit so I’ll stop here and say thank you very much for reading!

Before you go, leave a comment telling me if you share any of my views or have your eye on any of these products, and be sure to leave your blog link if you have one!

Love from,

SASHA x

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Anti-Perspirants that really work

Let’s just start off by saying:

I sweat. I sweat a lot.

As free as I am admitting this to all of you, I’m not quite comfortable showing the rest of the world so I am always on the look out for great anti-perspirants to stop myself looking like I’ve weed me armpits.

I’ve compiled a list of different anti-perspirants and which skin type they would work for. Let’s get started!

For the sweaty bunny

If you’re like me, then you have tried product after product and still can’t reach for the stars for fear of embarrassment. I hardly even remember the days when I didn’t have huge wet patches under my armpits from running, the sun, existing, etc, and boy did I stink.

If this is you, go for Dove Go Fresh Pomegranate and Lemon Verbena Scent. This is the best smelling anti-perspirant IN THE WORLD. There’s no irritation for you sensitive bunnies and it’s a lovely soft, light spray. I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I only developed small sweat patches after going to extreme lengths (running with my coat on, if you must know everything), and those sweat patches smelt fantabulous. My skin feels soft and smooth. Dove also claim that this lasts 48hrs and contains 1/4 moisturisers! If that isn’t quite enough for you, it has my seal of approval and is my favourite anti-perspirant to date. I love it.

For the stinky bunny

You could go for the above if you wanted, but this one has a much stronger scent which would be good for those of you who are really stink-concious.

When I first started using this I was completely wowed by it’s great smell and sweat prevention skills. I’ve gone off it a bit now in favour of the Dove one*, but I know a fair few people who swear by it.

The Sure Long Lasting Protection Bright Fragrance Collection anti-perspirant has a really strong and potent fragrance which, if sprayed enough, will cover up any manner of stinkiness.

*Funny story actually. I gave up on this when I developed huge wet sweat patches whilst ice-skating (don’t be fooled – I was exercising pretty hard), which my lovely friend Milly remarked upon. Thanks Mils.

For the sensitive, mild bunny

For a sweaty bunny like me this one just doesn’t cut it, but if you haven’t got much of a sweat problem then this will eliminate what you do have. If this sounds like you, then Soft and Gentle Kind to Skin anti-perspirant will be good for you. It feels nice on your skin and is great for sensitive bunnies. It is VERY MILD, so good for those who only need a little bit of help and don’t want to overload with a normal anti-perspirant and damage their skin.

One Anti-Perspirant that I Regret Buying

Sure crystal invisible pure anti white marks and yellow stains is a poor excuse for an anti-perspirant. Although I do feel mean writing this, I genuinely felt like I didn’t have anything on at all. I was sweating like a gorilla and still smelly as the product doesn’t really smell of much, nor does it make any effort to de-stink me. At least I know not to buy this one again!

So that’s it I hope I helped you find the right anti-perspirant and I won’t have to keep smelling my own sweat patches any more!

Don’t see your fave anti-perspirant on my list? Let me know what it is and I’ll give it a go!

Love you,

SASHA x

The Black Sheep of the Flock

As I so clearly expressed in my last blog post, I am completely in love with the BarryM nail paints. BUT DON’T JUDGE A NAIL PAINT BY ITS BRAND – 336 Crystal Glaze is rubbish on its own or as a top coat and it has made me very sad and upset.

You may be thinking, “but I just googled it and it looks so pretty!”

If this is you, don’t be fooled. That is exactly what I thought when I bought the sad little thing. It looks godly in the bottle, but on your nails the sparkles show up in huge clumps and don’t spread out and the rest of the nail just looks clear.

This is definitely a product I regret buying.

please tell me what you think of this nail polish! do you love it or loath it?

CLICK HERE to see me drooling over other Barry M nail polishes!

Lots of love,

SASHA x