I ruddy well won something!!

I'm not what one would call one of life's winners, don't get me wrong, I've achieved and I've achieved highly, but I haven't won - sports day, definitely not my thing, raffle prizes also allude me, as do lucky dips and competitions. But my luck has changed, and okay I have won the item that holds the least monetary value of anything I've ever entered but I don't care, I did a squeal of excitement both when I found out and when my prize was delivered today!! I also know that other people won as well but I simply do not care!! 

Look at how beautifully they were wrapped - it felt too nice to open...

...But I did... and now all my Real Techniques brushes have their own special home, which, for someone like me who likes everything in it's rightful place, is perfect. 

Thank you Real Techniques! 

Click here for my review of the Stippling Brush! More reviews coming soon! 

xxx

123 Perfect

I know this might seem awful, but it has been YEARS since I bought a 'low end' foundation, and even this at £10.99 isn't cheap (although I did take full advantage of the 3 for 2 across all beauty that Boots were running last month!) 

I had heard everyone raving about the Healthy Mix range by Bourjois so I thought, for some deluded reason, to go for this instead (probably because it was new and put at the front, and like a magpie to a broach, I couldn't resist), but then I read Fleur's review on it, and I was literally too scared to try it.  All she'd said was that she didn't like it, it's not like it was going to make my face to melt away anything, but anyway I put it off and put it off, but now I've faced my fear and wore it, and you know what, I like it!! It just serves as a lesson to me not to believe everything I read as if it's the holy grail, it's just personal preference, and everyone is different! 

On to my thoughts about the foundation itself.  It glides on so smoothly, it really is so lightweight and makes my skin feel really soft (which I think we'd all agree has got to be a good thing).  This colour, 53, blends really well into my skin tone, it really does look as if I'm not wearing foundation.  As for the three different pigments working their magic to reduce circles around the eyes, brighten complexion and reduce redness, I'm not so sure, but then the dark circles under my eyes resist every product I throw at them, so I wasn't shocked that this failed to do the trick! 

I'd say that on the most part it wears well, although my t-zone needed to be touched up after a few hours as the make up seemed to have slipped, so I don't think, for me anyway, I'll be getting the 16 hours of wear it claims...what a shocker!  It does wear off a lot quicker than my Mac Pro Longwear for instance, but if you're not planning to wear it for a long day then I don't think you'd have too much of a problem.

I have found that on my chin (a problem area for me, with drying breakouts) this foundation looks a bit flaky, but then even my MAC foundation sometimes does so that's not a big disappointment either. 

Overall, I'm pleased I bought it, it's nice to have something that feels more lightweight than my usual MAC Pro Longwear. I'm a happy shopper with this one! 

Have you tried either 123 Perfect, or Pro Longwear? If you have, what do you think? And if not, what's your favourite foundation? 

xxx

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

It was love at first stroke with this brush I'd say.  In fact, I think it was love at first sight because I think I knew I'd love it before I even got it.  I love watching Nic and Sam's YouTube videos and last year I got a bit obsessed with everything Pixiwoo and Real Techniques and I just knew I needed some of the brushes in my life!  I asked for this for Christmas and it was an absolute delight to see it there in my stocking on Christmas morning, and even more of a delight to feel it's beautifully soft caress (yes, I appreciate that talking this way about a brush might be a bit wrong, but trust me, if you've experienced it you'll know it's oh so true)! To be perfectly honest the rest is history really, and for the past four and a bit months this has been the only brush i've used to apply my foundation and I love it.  It claims to give an airbrushed finish, and I really didn't think it was possible because I've never really been wowed by a foundation brush in the past as I find they leave marks or seem to drag the product around, but this stippling brush really does just buff the product onto the skin leaving a flawless finish that looks really natural.  

I recently bought the Buffing Brush and I'm yet to try it.  I've heard such great things about it but I just don't know how anything can be better than the Stippling Brush, I'm almost scared to try it!! I don't want my love affair to end! 

I have quite a few other Real Techniques brushes (that's a bit of an understatement) but I'm yet to give them all a proper trial so I will have to wait a bit before I declare my love for them (although the Blush Brush is definitely a firm favourite as well - seperate post to come).

So far I've used this brush with Mac Pro Longwear, Max Factor Lasting Performance, Bourjois 123 Perfect and Lancome Teint Miracle and it has applied all of them like a dream.  I did however get a sample of Estee Lauder Double Wear Light and for some reason it seemed to be quite hard to apply with this brush, I felt like I was having to drag it around my face and use a fair amount of product, I don't know why this was, if it was the brush or the foundation or me?! 

I also love that the larger Real Techniques brushes can stand up on their own, because you don't want to have to lay your brushes down on unhygienic surfaces. 

These brushes are 100% cruelty-free which is also a massive positive, and because the bristles are synthetic it means that they can be used with a massive range of products, from creams to liquids and mineral products so the stippling brush could also be used to apply a cream or powder blush or bronzer...the wonders never cease! 

Can you tell I'm a bit of a fan?

Have you experienced the joy of this brush? Which is your favourite foundation brush?

x

My First Try of Mii Cosmetics

I was so excited when the gorgeous lady who does my waxing (who doesn't love the woman who can do that for you?) text me to say she was getting Mii Cosmetics for the salon, and today was the day that I got to play with them!! 


I got to try the Illuminating Face Base SPF 15, and I'm shade 03. It really is a gorgeous lightweight foundation, that gives more long lasting coverage than a tinted moisturiser but it's still really sheer (I could still see my freckles but I felt comfortable in it, which I think is a good sign).  I know it says it's illuminating, and I'm never so sure about those claims because I sometimes look plain old shiny not nice and glowing, but this truly did make me glow, and it's not until you see it in sunlight that you really get the true effect.  In fact I was meeting my dad in town just after I'd had this applied and without knowing I'd had my make up done he told me I was positively sparkling from half way down the street.  I felt sparkly too, all healthy and nice looking!! I was really gutted that they didn't have my shade in, but I am going to make sure I get my hands on some before summer because I think it'll be a summertime essential!