Benefit They're Real Push-Up Liner

Benefit's 'They're Real' mascara is very popular and probably my all time favourite mascara- If you haven't tried it then I recommend you do. So I was very excited to see that they have also recently released a push up liner. The interesting thing about this is that it's a gel liner in the form of a pen. I've used a gel liner once before and love the texture and look, but didn't get on well applying it with a brush. 

I've been using this liner for about month now in order to give an honest review because, I wasn't a big fan to start with. I think this is because of it's dry consistency. The key to getting along with this liner is practice, practice, practice. Once you overcome the strange push up technique, it actually becomes a pretty easy and effective liner to use. It drys very quickly, but once it's dry it does not budge or transfer onto your eyelids and has such amazing lasting power. The gel liner is activated when the base is twisted and I learnt pretty quickly that you only need one click to release a small amount of liner which goes a long way. When I was in the States in September I bought the 'Real Steal' set which contains a smaller version of the liner, full sized mascara and a sample of the remover for $24. Such a bargain...especially as it's a great way to try the liner for the first time. Although the liner is a miniature version, it is still substantial and easy to hold (see photo above for size comparison to the mascara).

I can understand why Benefit have made a remover to go with this push up liner as it does take a lot of scrubbing to get rid of. However, a full sized bottle is £14.50 which is very pricey considering a good (cheaper) make up remover can do the same job. 

If you enjoy using gel liner then I would recommend this product. I do feel that $18.50 is over priced, but if you already love the mascara then I would suggest getting it as part of this set.  It's available in Boots in the UK and is only £19.50, meaning that you are in fact getting the eyeliner for free. 

Have you tried this liner before? Did you find it easy or difficult to use?

USA Beauty Goodies | Part 1: Flower Power

When I visited the US in May my wonderful cousins very kindly gave me some make up bags filled with beauty goodies to try. They had all contributed a few of their favourite beauty products and I was so excited and overwhelmed by how thoughtful this was. If you're reading this guys...you're the best!

I have been using the American beauty goodies for three months now, so I thought it was time to write a series of posts and share my thoughts on them. Each one of my cousins included a hand written statement about the favourites they has chosen, explaining why they love them so much. This post includes some brilliant make up and thoughts from Christina.  

In today's post, I'm going to be talking about some make up from the beauty products line 'Flower' by Drew Barrymore. You'll be pleased to know that her products are not tested on animals! I was particularly excited to try things from this line because as far as I'm aware none of her products are available in the UK. 

My favourite is the lipstick. Firstly, just look at how beautiful that packaging is. My cousin Christina said- "Cherry Chiffon is a heavily pigmented red. It can be sheer and neutral if applied lightly and then you can build if you want more colour. It's my go to lip butter". Well let me tell you, this has become my own go to lip product. It's very well pigmented for a lip butter and has a slightly glossy finish. It claims to have a plumping effect and I think the texture helps to achieve this. (See a photo of the lip butter applied below). 

Next up, is a Lip and Cheek Chubby Stick. Christina said- "Raisin the Roof is a beautiful deep berry red. Be sure to use a light touch and build. It has a velvet texture when used on moisturised skin." She's right about not applying too much. This stuff comes out pretty dark so I haven't been using it on my cheeks. But it makes a nice lip tint. I just use my finger to apply a little bit at a time as the tip of the product is way too big to apply like a lip stick. This is probably my least favourite product out of the three. 

Again, look at the beautiful packaging! This is a Créme Blush from the range. When I first saw it I wasn't sure how I would use it because it's a brown shade. Christina said- "I know Rose-o-den-dron looks more like a bronzer than a blush, but it works great as both! It has a butter texture and a small amount gives me a nice natural glow". She was so right. The fact that this blush is so creamy and buttery means that applying a tiny bit to your cheeks using either your fingers or a brush gives your cheeks a lovely natural glow. I am really enjoying using this on a daily basis at the moment. 

Here, I have used the Créme Blush and the Lip Butter to create a minimal summer make up look. I'm visiting the US again in September and hope to pick up more products from this range because I've really enjoyed using the Lip Butter and Blush. I do like the lip and cheek stick but I think I'll use it more during the winter time because it's a darker shade.

Christina also gave me two 'Flower' nail polishes so expect a separate review on these soon!

Have you tried any of the products from Drew Barrymore's line? Which is your favourite? 

L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint | Review

I used to wear fairly heavy foundation with a medium coverage but recently I've found that it just doesn't agree with my skin and I end up feeling unfomfortable throughout the day. I don't know about you but now that it's summer in the UK I only ever feel like wearing something light on my skin...or nothing at all. But the problem is I haven't quite built up enough confidence to go out with a completely bare face. (I am getting better though!) I'd heard great things about the L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint and was sold after reading the words 'Fresh Feel' and 'Weightless' on the bottle so decided to give it a go. 

After using this foundation on and off for the past few months I wanted to share my honest thoughts with you because I don't feel like this foundation is for me. The main thing I found difficult when choosing the foundation was the limited range of shades. There weren't many to choose from at all and they all seemed to be pretty dark. I haven't got fair skin and would usually go for something between medium and light (if they have it). I went for shade 110 'Warm Ivory' after trying a tester in the shop and hoped for the best! It's not an awful match but it does seem to have a very orangey tone to it...yes I know the shade does have the word warm in it! But it was literally the only shade that remotely matched my skin. 

The formulation of this foundation is very thin and liquid-y (which is obviously the point), I'd never seen a foundation like it before. The bottle instructs you to give it a shake before using and the good thing about this foundation is that a tiny bit of product tipped out onto your finger seems to go a long way.

Like I said before, the whole reason I wanted to try this is because I wanted a lighter foundation and didn't want to cake my face in product. But I still found myself using this and then applying a layer of bareMinerals foundation over the top, just to even everything out. That's probably just me being weird though and applying much more make up than I need! I think this foundation would be great for taking on holiday with you to a hot country if you didn't want to wear much make up. But I don't think I'll be continuing to use it and will just stick to the bareMinerals foundation alone. I will be sure to give the bareMinerals foundation it's very own review because it definitely deserves it! 

Have you tried this foundation? What are your thoughts? 

I Recommend...The Garnier Micellar Water

Thanks to this miracle Micellar Water, the days of make up wipes are long gone. I've never tried Bioderma but I started using the L'Oreal Micellar Water last year. I couldn't believe how effortlessly it removes make up.

Garnier recently brought out their own version in a bottle twice the size for the same price as the L'Oreal water. After being told by a friend that the ingredients are the same and reading Kat's review on Blushing Rose  I decided to go for Garnier's version this time round. It's strange because I do actually prefer it, even though it's exactly the same product. This is because it's much easier to get the product out of the bottle without wasting any and because I feel like it works quicker to remove my eye make up. It's so easy to use too, just apply to a cotton pad and hold over your eyes/face/lips for a few seconds and then wipe. 

This Micellar Water is brilliant and I would recommend it if you are looking for something that removes your make up quickly but thoroughly. 

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Concealer | Review

A product that I've been enjoying recently is the L'Oreal Lumi Magique concealer so here's a quick review for you.

I was using the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch but when it ran out I decided to go for the L'Oreal one. I think it was probably the gorgeous packaging that drew me to it more than anything else...so pretty! The only downside of the packaging compared to the Maybelline concealer is that you can't see how much you have left so don't know when you are close to running out. The way that you rotate the bottom of the packaging is the same however. It makes a clicking sound and the product is dispensed through a brush at the end. I use the brush to sweep the concealer under and around my eyes and then I use a Real Techniques Foundation Brush to really blend the product in. 

I have been using the shade medium, which is perfect. I think this product literally only comes in the shades Light or Medium, but I guess it doesn't need to as it's only being used for under the eyes. It doesn't have very thick coverage either meaning it doesn't cover up those dark circles, but it's just enough to brighten up your eyes in a subtle way. I love to use it as part of my every day make up routine and I think I'll purchase it again when this one runs out. I also want to try the Primer from this range, has anyone tried it?

Beauty Haul: Recent Additions

I was on a clothes spending ban during January but I seem to have picked up more beauty items to make up for that...oops. To be fair, most of these products were on offer and I did purchase most of them with a gift voucher and my Boots points. So the damage isn't as bad as it looks. I'm also really pleased with everything that I bought, especially the Revlon Colourburst Matte and Lacquer Balms.

I've been using the Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean Cleanser for about two weeks and I am already starting to see a difference to my skin. I've also already incorporated the L'Oreal Cleansing Oil into my routine and it really helps to budge that last bit of eye make up. I haven't used the La Roche Possay Effaclar Duo Plus yet but I love using the Effaclar Duo twice a day and have a feeling this one might be even better. 

The little purple lipstick is from the Littlemix range by Collection. I don't normally pay much attention to lines like this but my friend was wearing Perrie's shade the other week and I thought it looked lovely so got one for myself. At £2.99 you can't really go wrong with Collection lipsticks. The Maybelline Colour Tattoos are amazing, so I finally added the shade 'Pomegranate' to my collection and find that it's great for creating a quick and easy smokey eye. I also picked up the MUA LUXE Power Brow and I'm liking that so far, however the colour range wasn't that great when I was trying to decide which one to get and I'm worried that it might be a bit too dark. What I do like about this brow pencil is that there's a highlighter at the other end. 

Lastly, we have the L'Oreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint. I love the formulation of this foundation and think it will be great for spring and summer time when you want less coverage and something less heavy. But I found it very difficult to pick a shade as the range isn't great so ended up choosing 110 Warm Ivory. I'm a bit worried that in the summer this might be too light, but all of the other shades were way too orange. Did anyone else find this?

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts? Or have you picked up anything new recently that you would recommend? 

Fortnight in Photos #13

 Spent the day hanging out with waxwork people in Madame Tussauds. Watched (half of) The Great Gatsby. Drank a large hot chocolate with marshmallows to get rid of the Monday blues. Finally went to Chipotle in London. Bought some trainers- so I no longer have an excuse not to exercise. Tried out this pretty Nailsinc topcoat.

Became addicted to popcorn. Added some new things to my bedroom. Made the best fish finger sandwich ever. Organised my jewellery. Hung out with my cat. Tried out some new make up (which I recommend).



What have you guys been up to recently?


Instagram @hannahcelder

What's in my Make up Bag?

I'm so nosy and love seeing what other people have in their make up bags, so here's a peek at all of the products (I know it looks like a lot) that I like to take with me if I'm going away for the weekend. These are products that I enjoy using on a regular basis to create an everyday make up look and I was visiting Ben the weekend I took this lot with me so thought it would be the perfect opportunity to put this post together. 

Starting with face products, my favourite foundation is the Bourjois Healthy Mix. I love everything about it, the way I can apply it so easily with a Real Techniques Buffing Brush, the way the shade is such a good match to my skin and the great amount of coverage that it gives. For concealer I use either Rimmel Wake Me Up (I'm also a big fan of the foundation) or the Maybelline Dream Touch Lumi. Both of these are great highlighters for using under your eyes. I also take my Revlon Nearly Naked powder with me, although I haven't really been using powder recently. There's also a Soap and Glory pen liner that I used to create a winged effect.

I'll usually take one or two of my favourite lipsticks of the moment. I've really been enjoying using the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in shade 03.

My go to bronzer is the Bourjois Delice de Poudre, but I am looking for another one to try so if anyone can recommend a good bronzer that would be great! I use the MUA Pro-Brow kit every day to fill in my eyebrows and the white coloured powder from the Collection Shimmer Shades to highlight my cheekbones. A blush I've really been enjoying recently is a  No7 Powder in Cool Pink. It's such a pretty, rosy pink with the tiniest bit of shimmer.
I probably mention the Maybelline Colour Tattoos way too often, but I just love them...a lot. I usually wear the shade Pink Gold with some shades from the Urban Decay Naked Palette.

As for brushes, I've really been enjoying using the Real Techniques Core Collection. I also have a couple of trusty elf brushes, which aren't amazing but do the job nicely and a DirtyWorks brush for my eyebrows which I picked up in Sainsbury's. I probably could get away with taking less brushes and would if I was just packing up my make up bag for the day, but it's nice to have the choice if you are away for a weekend or longer.
As well as using the MUA Pro-Brow kit I also like to use the Rimmel brow pencil in 002 Hazel, which I will either use alone or with a powder. I highly recommend this, it's great if you are doing your make up in a hurry.

I change my mascara a lot but have been using this travel size Benefit Bad Gal Lash recently...I'd forgotten how brilliant this mascara is. I also have my much loved MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study which I would say is my holy grail product. It's brilliant and I often use it over an eye primer before I apply powder or cream eyeshadow. Last but not least is an eye crayon from Topshop in the shade Equinox, which I purchased a while ago. It's a beautiful gold and I like to use it in the inner corners of my eyes to make them look a bit brighter. 

So there you have it, that is everything in my make up bag. I know it looks like a lot but I really do use every single product if I'm applying a full face of make up. I feel like all of the things I take are really versatile and can be worn throughout the day but also used to create a different look in the evening.

What's always in your make up bag?

I'm Loving: L'Oreal Skin Perfection Micellar Solution

I saw this advertised in a magazine recently, read the words 'High performance make up removal' and thought 'I need to try this'. I've never tried Bioderma's version (I'm not sure why this hasn't happened either. Especially as I frequently travelled to France before it was available in the UK) so I thought this might be the next best thing and for £4.99 you can't really go wrong. 

This product is alcohol free and L'Oreal claim that it 'acts like a purifying magnet on the skin's surface to capture and draw out excess oil and impurities.' I've used this cleanser a few times now and really like it. It removes make up so thoroughly but is also very gentle and has no fragrance. To use this effectively I apply it to cotton pads and then leave them over my eyes for a good few seconds. This water solution magically removes all traces of eye make up without you really having to rub the cotton pads onto your skin. It can also be used all over your face and on your lips. But I always find eye make up the hardest thing to remove so this product is a lifesaver. I only use this to pre cleanse though and will use something like a cleanse and polish afterwards to get rid of every trace of make up and exfoliate. But it's brilliant for removing that tough make up to start with and is also perfect for using if you are in a hurry or in ones of those moods when you can't be bothered to spend ages cleaning your face. Another fantastic thing about this cleanser is that it isn't greasy at all. I read somewhere that it does have oil in it but that it does not separate from the water so i'm guessing that this is the reason it feels like you are only applying water to your face.

Have you tried this product or anything from the range? What are your thoughts?


Disclosure: The views expressed are based on my own experience.

I'm loving...Kiko Nail Lacquers

I first came across a Kiko Make up Milano shop when I was in Italy a couple of summers ago. What immediately drew me to it was the extremely neat rows and rows of make up that I could see through the shop window from down the road. I was expecting it to be some high end cosmetic store with ridiculous prices, but as I got closer I realised that this was my kind of shop. 

Firstly, they appeared to have every shade of nail polish going and secondly the price tag was way more reasonable than I was expecting. I stocked up on a couple of shades but managed to somehow restrain myself. I don't know what it is about nail polish but I feel like I can never have too many. 

I then discovered that Kiko also have stores in the UK when I came across one at the Westfield in Stratford. In the UK these nail polishes only cost £2.50 which is even cheaper than Barry M so I decided to pick up a few more shades. I'm so glad I did because I think I might even prefer them.

Last week I wore this pretty pale pink shade on my nails and it's my favourite out of the bunch. It lasted for about 4 or 5 days without chipping too badly which is pretty good, considering i'm ready to change my nail polish after about 3 days. I always struggle applying lighter colours because you have too put on a few coats before your nails look even. However, I only used 2 coats of this polish and managed to achieve a pretty even finish. I find that these polishes are the perfect consistency, dry quickly and teamed up with a top coat look really lovely.

They also have a wide range of mascaras which i'm a big fan of too. Let me know if you've tried any polishes from kiko or any of their other products! 

Disclosure: The views expressed are based on my own experience.

Spring Things: Beauty Picks

This is my first post so here goes, I hope you like it!

It’s finally beginning to feel like spring, so I thought it would be a good idea to share with you some of my favourite spring appropriate beauty products.

Left to right: Revlon Lip Butter £7.99, L'Oreal Stain Splash £7.99, YSL Rouge Pur Couture £23.00

Firstly, I have chosen three lip products that I have been reaching for a lot lately. Each one has a different formulation and overall look. On the left we have a Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in the shade Tutti Frutti (015) which is a gorgeous bright orange when applied. I love the formulation of this product because it gives quite a glossy finish as well as a pop of colour, making it perfect for spring. I have a few of these in my collection and I’m sure that I will be purchasing some of the new shades. I suffer from dry lips and love just how moisturising these are! Overall probably my favourite lip product to use throughout spring and summer.

In the centre is a new Glamshine Stain Splash from L’Oreal in the shade Romy (102). When they say stain they are not kidding, this stuff stays on your lips for hours. The shade that I have is a really pretty natural pink with a hint of shimmer and I can see myself wearing it a lot during the daytime.

The product on the right is a YSL Rouge Pur Couture Golden Lustre lipstick in the shade 109. When on the lips this product is a peachy pink with a very subtle hint of gold glimmer. The gold doesn’t show up too much on my lips, which is why I like it and the formulation is creamy but not too thick. This is probably my least favourite product out of the three as it doesn’t seem to last very long on my lips!  However, the packaging is beautiful and it’s a nice lipstick to carry in my handbag.

Left to right: No7 Blush Tint Powder £8.00, Maybelline Color Tattoo £4.99

Next up are two of my favourite products for my face. The first is a No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in the shade Cool Pink. This is a recent purchase but since I bought it I have worn it every day. I think that bright pink is great for spring and could be used on any skin tone. It’s quite bright for a blusher but you can build it up how you want it on your own cheeks.

Another spring favourite is the Maybelline Color Tattoo 24Hr Eyeshadow in the shade Pink Gold (65). I am also planning on getting my hands on a few more shades as I am really enjoying using this eye shadow as a base. The staying power is amazing and it works great alone but also underneath powder eye shadows as a primer.

What would your spring beauty essentials be?

Disclosure: The views expressed are based on my own experience.