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The Makeup Revolution foundations you NEED in your life!

| Lipstick and late nights

Just as I was about ready to give up on my eternally weary quest for that seemingly mythical, always just out of reach, product of dreams – the perfect drug store foundation, BOOM! Makeup Revolution come to the rescue once again with not one, but TWO newly certified favourites that I just don’t know how I got by without before!

This brand has been speedily working it’s way up the charts when it comes to my favourite makeup brands on the market today – we’re talking top five here guys, this is big! I’d be lying if I said that one of the reasons wasn’t the affordability factor, but the incredible quality of the majority of the range is really putting them up there with the big boys, and no more so than with the Pro range.

I’m sure like many of you out there, when the Pro range first stumbled on to my radar, I got to thinking – ‘what’s the catch?’. There’s got to be a sizable hike in price or something, right?

Could it really be a that a pro quality range is available on the high street for the same budget friendly price range as the everyday Revolution collection? Well actually, yes! And I bloody love it, so obviously I had to share my views on these two top notch foundations with you all so that we can put those extra pennies back in to the gin fund for when the weekend comes around.

Makeup Revolution Fast Base Stick Foundation – £5.

These little beauties have been getting a whole lot of hype lately, and for good reason.

Since trying the Makeup Forever stick foundation a couple of years ago and being pretty blown away by it, I’ve constantly been keeping an ear to the ground for a cruelty free version that would live up to it’s standard. Revolution have really hit it out of the park with this one, but it might not be perfect for everyone.

The foundation comes in 18 shades with a range of undertones, and aims to leave a dewy finish. I picked up F1 and F3. Believe it or not, F1 (the lightest shade) was too pale for even my pasty skin! I figured F2 would be my ideal shade, but as per my usual luck, it was out of stock. I was too full of determination to go home with the foundation every one had been talking about to leave empty handed, so instead I opted to go with a combination of F1 and F3 and hope for the best.

Swatches of the three shades I’ve been trying.

When blended the two together, it was actually a pretty damn good match! If anything it was a little pink, but by the time I slapped on the rest of my face, I was kind of loving the result.

It was full coverage, super glowy, and melted on to the skin like butter. One thing I will say is that I had to powder the hell out of my face to set it. Talk about hydrating! At this point I was starting to get a little worried, as usually no matter what I try, I’m just that wee bit oily a few hours in to any foundation.

I wasn’t wrong, later in the day the shine was becoming real, you would be in real trouble if you didn’t have a touch up kit with you, so I wouldn’t consider this for a night out makeup, but it’s an MUA’s dream for flawless looking models putting in a short stint in front of the camera.

This foundation would definitely be best suited to those with slightly drier/less oil prone skin.

Revolution Pro Full Coverage Camouflage foundation – £7.

Ok put down whatever it is you’re doing right now and PAY ATTENTION.

If you’ve already tried the Fast Base stick and loved it, prepare to fall harder for this absolute hero right here.

I stumbled upon it by accident while looking for an eyeliner, and I have to admit that it’s not one I’ve heard many people talking about, and I just can’t understand why not! When they say full coverage, they ain’t messing. The formula is thick and creamy, and blends seamlessly in to the skin. It reminds me of Illamasqua’s Skin Base, but with even better coverage!

I picked up shade F2, which as suspected was just right. Actually I’ll take that back, on first impression it was a little pale, but after a couple of minutes it did oxidise a tiny bit (which would normally be a bad thing, but in this case just works) and then it was just perfect!

Now prepare yourselves kids because things are about to get scary…but I’ve decided to take an extra dose of brave pills and show you my (half) naked face, just to give you a real view if how badass this coverage actually is! So here goes…

Half face, full base, then finished result.

Ok now that we’ve had a minute to get over the fact that I’m secretly a spotty little gremlin, can we just look at that coverage?! I mean wow!

I’m not going to lie and say that this somehow magically feels lightweight, it doesn’t, you can definitely tell that you’re wearing make up, but so long as you’ve got time to really let it set on, you won’t regret it. It’s even WATERPROOF. And here’s the real winner for me; this is the first foundation I think I’ve ever found that does not sink in to my smile lines, I’m actually amazed, as this is no mean feat, I smile a hell of a lot!

So well done once again Revolution I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again, and again, very soon.

Have any if you tried these foundations? Let me know what you think!

B x

P.s. This is not an ad. All views are my own!

Art on your doorstep…Look again festival and the Etsy made local launch night.

| Lipstick and late nights

Whoever said that “nothing ever happens in Aberdeen” (ahem..me a hundred times in the past..) couldn’t be more wrong. This weekend has been the most wonderful few art filled days celebrating our local creative minds in the way that they truly deserve, and I’ve loved every moment of it.

‘Look again’ festival returned for it’s fourth year determined to get our creative juices flowing through a well imagined mix of artistic installations, cinema screenings and talks, and a host of other activities.

Also on the agenda was one of my favourite social events of the year, the Grays School of Art degree show launch. What better way to spend a Friday evening than immersed in a world of creative loveliness, discovering a wealth of fresh talent, surrounded by like minded people, and of course with several wines to wash it all down. Don’t wine and art just go hand in hand so gloriously? There’s something nice about the sense of being cultured that you feel when in an artistic environment, whether people know that I’m about as cultured as a yogurt in real life or not. I’ve been going to the Grays show for years now, and the class and quality of what’s on display never ceases to amaze me. It really is inspirational.

However this blog post is to tell you about an event that I’ve always missed in the past, and I really wish I hadn’t, the Etsy Made Local Summer showcase. Yes that’s right, I’m banging on about shopping local again, but that’s because I really to feel so strongly that it is our responsibility to support our local creative industries in any way that we can.

This design fair held a well deserved spotlight over some of Aberdeen’s finest Etsy sellers, and offered us a selection of stalls exhibiting everything from illustration and ceramics, to jewellery and homeware.

The Liberty Kitchen had some extremely tempting delights on offer.

Attendees were treated to the prettiest glass of Pimm’s I’ve ever seen to stay cool while perusing the wares on display.

I wanted to take a moment to share some of my favourite vendors from the night with you all, in the hope that you might consider them the next time a birthday or special event comes round, so that you can give the gift of something genuinely unique and made with love.

Beauelle – by Rachel West.

Rachel is predominantly a jewellery designer, but I have to admit, it was her selection of gorgeous marbled coasters, trinket dishes and plant holders that really caught my eye. If I wasn’t on a trinket dish ban from the BF (apparently one in every room is enough..what does he know?!) I would have snapped a few of these right up. As a self confessed copper (read: anything shiny) addict, I absolutely adored the bang on trend mix of marble and metallics. If anyone really feels like being nice to me, I’ll have one of everything from this range for Christmas please!

Check out Rachel’s stunning clay work here.

Rose-Tea & Rabbit – by Deborah Cowan.

Lovers of Alice and Wonderland, Harry Potter and anything magically beyond, pay attention! Deborah’s vast collection of handmade bespoke jewellery is the perfect mix of modern vintage and boho chic. From skull cameos to beautiful agate bracelets, Rose-Tea & Rabbit has it all. Be prepared to spend a long time lustfully working your way through their extensive collection of beautifully detailed, whimsical pieces.

Take a look here.

Juniper Press – by Laura Bremner.

Juniper press offers intricate botanical inspired wares, covering everything from prints, to stationary, to homeware. I first fell for Laura’s designs at Botanica last year where we picked up a Gin print, which takes pride of place above our wee gin bar, and I’ve followed her work since. You might have spotted a Juniper Press design occupying a door near The Green as part of the Painted Doors project.

Find the perfect gift for the gin lover in your life here.

Leanh La Jewellery.

Leanh La creates quirky geometric wooden jewellery, laser cut and hand painted. These unique and stylish pieces are the perfect gift for that fashionable friend who has everything. Top of my wishlist is the ‘Triangular dots on dusty pink’ necklace, which personally I think would suit me just perfectly… (can you tell that I’m hoping the BF is reading this post?!). These colourful pieces are just what the fashion doctor ordered to really make an otherwise simple outfit pop.

Shop the collection here.

So there we have it, my round up of some if the finest Aberdeen based designers that you simply must check out next time you’re on a gift hunt. Stand out from the crowd and #SHOPLOCAL!

See you soon loves,

B x

A BLOGGERS EVENING WITH… THE BODY SHOP.

| Lipstick and late nights

Oh my. My second bloggers event already, and I’m just about starting to feel like less of a phoney…

On Friday night I was kindly invited along to The Body Shop Aberdeen for an evening of exploring their new ranges and rediscovering some old favourites.

I have to be honest, it’s been a very long time since I’ve shopped with the Body Shop, we’re talking years here. As an ex Lushie, you’re still ingrained with that slight feeling off infidelity when you even shoot a flirtatious side glance into a Body Shop store while still exuding that familiar Lush scent that becomes semi-permanent after years of slinging soap and unpacking bath bombs. The truth is, Lush and the Body Shop share a closer history than most people realise, and I’ve come to justify that if after all these years they can still play nicely together, then there’s no reason that I can’t engage in a little cosmetic ménage à trois too.

So I entered the Body Shop with a blank canvas and an open mind to what skin perfecting beauties I might find, and possibly even invite to join me and my never ending Lush stash in polyamorous matrimony.

We were greeted with bubbles and goody bags; a nice touch I thought, as there’s nothing worse than recieving a goody bag right at the end just to find out that it already contains that extra item that you decided to splash out and treat yourself to.

The lovely Holly introduced us to the reason that we were all there, the launch of the new Facial Mist and Body Yogurt collections, a range of expectedly divine smelling summer essentials. We then had the rest of the evening to slather ourselves in heavenly scented lotions and potions, take advantage of hand and arm massages and scrubs, and to delve in to the wealth of skin care expertise that we had at our disposal for the night.

Lending my hand to a fabulously indulgent scrub and massage using the Brazilian Cupuaçu scrub-in-oil from the spa range..

Rediscovering the make up range after a ten+ year long (yes I’m old..) hiatus. These Drops of Glow were a definite favourite.

The new light weight, fast absorbing Body Yogurts. Delicately fragranced and non-greasy, these are a holiday must have!

Ok, let’s get down to it. With such an extensive range of sensory delights, I could go on all night, but instead I’ve decided to give you a run down of just a few of my favourite products that I bagged, and recommend that you do too.

1. Facial Mists in ‘Coco Calming’ & ‘Mattifying Mint’ – £6/60ml.

I have something to confess.. My name’s Becca, and I’ve recently become a fully fledged face mist addict. They may be the in thing at the moment, but a face mist is something that I can see firmly remaining a part of my skin care routine for the forseeable future, so I was particularly intrigued to see how the Body Shop’s latest offerings compared to the competition. FYI, my can’t-live-without-it misty favourite right now is the Superdrug Vitamin E hydrating mist. The Coco Calming spray boasted similar ingredients and effects to this, so I was delighted to find it in my goody bag to give a whirl. I have to be completely honest, it wasn’t as hydrating as I hoped it would be, but the summery scent and refreshing fine mist did leave my skin soft, and I would definitely say try it out for yourself. The real hero for me though was the Mattifying Mint. Despite having a lot of underlying dehydration, my skin also turns in to a complete oil slick in summer, to the point where you can see your reflection in my freckle covered forehead, so after giving it a good test run, I’ve decided that this is definitely the one for me. Mint and aloe refresh and tone, while kaolin powder soaks up that shine. A winning combination for a sweaty Betty like me! Top tip: These can be used over make up when you’re on the go, but when it’s not in your handbag Keep in the fridge for extra cooling loveliness.

There are five nature inspired variations, so pop in to your local TBS and give them a spritz to find out which one is perfect for your skin.

2. Camomile sumptuous cleansing butter – £10/90ml.

If you haven’t heard of this little baby yet then WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! My guess is under a giant rock…that doesn’t have wifi.

With Youtube stars such as Belle Jorden amongst a hoard of others singing it’s praises, I’ve been blue with envy (geddit? Camomile blue? Oh never mind…) over the multitude of people that have tried it before me, so I was pretty pleased with myself to get my well moisturised hands on some at last. This cleansing butter claims to ‘melt away make up and inpurities, even waterproof make up’, while staying sympathetic to even the most sensitive of skins, and oh boy does it!

The best – and most fun – way to use this is to scoop out a small amount, rub between your fingers and just go to town gently massaging the days make up away, then once you’ve gotten over the fright of temporarily looking like a Marilyn Manson impersonator, wash away with a hot cloth to reveal the softest smoothest skin imaginable. I adore this product, and can see it taking pride of place in my bathroom cabinet for a very long time. Just wow.

3. Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner – £6.50/250ml.

This was a risky one for me having been a long term fan of the Lush Tea Tree toner water, but this is a year of breaking habits and trying new things, so I decided to give it a bash.

As afore mentioned, I have the most indecisive skin imaginable, but in general I go for fairly hydrating products. However as a former acne sufferer, I have to be careful not to over-do it on the moisturisation front, so I decided to go for something to add a little balance to my routine. With these surprisingly hot days, I’ve been breaking out a little more too, so this seemed to be the right guy for the job. The intense tea tree essential oils definitely pack a punch, and you can feel the effects almost instantly. This toner also contains mattifying powders to eliminate shine, although for me this is a bit of a redundant point as I would always moisturise after toning anyway. Regardless, I really am loving this toner, and will continue to use it until we have a change in weather, which I hope won’t be any time soon!

Bag yourself this cute free gift when you currently spend over £20 in store. Also pictured are a few samples that I was given including the banana hair care range, which smells good enough to eat!

So there we have it, my childhood love affair with the Body Shop has been well and truly rekindled, and I can see it being a love that stands the test of time. One of the best things I discovered at this night was also that they offer an in depth skin consultation service using fancy hydration and oiliness tests to provide you with a taylor made skin care routine unique to you. Unfortunately they were in high demand on the night, but I’ll be popping back in to have one myself soon for sure.

Holly from TBS Aberdeen giving an expert consultation.

See you lurking round my local Body shop scouting for new favourites soon!

B x

May Glossy Box.

| Lipstick and late nights

 

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Glossy box and I go way back. It’s safe to say that our relationship has had it’s highs and lows. I’ve thrown strops and left when I’ve opened my beautiful parcels to find not much more than cheap perfume samples, but I’ve come crawling back time and time again full of envy at the latest must have product that those who have stayed loyal have gotten their perfectly manicured hands on.

Lately I’ve been contemplating heading for the door again as a few too many non cruelty free products have been creeping their way in to my beloved pink parcels which means that they are instantly gifted to someone else that will make use of them, or sent to that dusty cosmetic graveyard that we all have lurking in a drawer somewhere. They really pulled it out of the bag (or box?!) this month though with an entirely cruelty free box of treats aimed at relaxation and pampering. I’ve been trying out them out for the last couple of weeks to give them a fair test run, so keep on reading to find out whether they were a hit or a miss for me.

But first, let’s just take a moment to appreciate the gorgeously pastel coloured cloudy vision that is this month’s packaging…

2018-05-23 06.04.01 1.jpgIsn’t it just the most heavenly design?

Maria Nila True Soft shampoo & conditioner. 

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I was super happy to find these this month as I have been keeping an eye out for a new shampoo and conditioner that will be kind to my colour treated locks. Anyone with pastel coloured hair will know the pain of the ‘three washes and your colour is gone’ nightmare caused by overly cleansing or stripping shampoos. This vegan, sulphate free and paraben free duo promise to moisturise and strengthen while also gently cleansing the hair.

I was not disappointed. The nourishing Argan Oil combined with the ‘colour guard complex’ left my hair baby soft, and almost as if it had never been traumatized by years of bleachy torture, and after multiple uses my colour is still going strong, a massive plus point for me. The only negative is the price point; at £12.99 for the 350ml shampoo  and £13.99 for a 300ml conditioner, it’s a little out of my current budget, but with a nice payday bonus I would be sorely tempted.

Overall rating: 4/5.

This would 100% have been a 5/5 if they were just a tiny bit more budget friendly!

You can find the products here.

Trifle cosmetics Praline Palette. 

 

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A quick look created with the palette. Top tip: use the colours wet to intensify like I did with the purple on the lower lash line here!

As a former make-up artist, I’m always pretty hesitant to get on board with palettes that come with sponge applicators (is that just make-up snobbery? Probably, but I’m sure I can’t be the only one..). This handbag palette however was so totally adoreable on the outside that I decided not to be too quick to judge what was on the inside. I gave it a try with mixed results, the copper is a stunning, hyper pigmented metallic, so I was more than pleasantly surprised! The rest of the shades however didn’t quite match up in terms of quality. The verdict: really cute for a gift for a make up lover with a basic skill set, but for those of us who love a full beat this might not be for you.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Check it out for yourself here.

Kueshi double effect make up remover.

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Although Glossy Box described this as a facial make up remover (whoopsy Glossy Box!), this little dual phased beauty is actually intended for eyes and sensitive areas. Give it a good shake and apply to a cotton pad and even waterproof makeup glides off in seconds, leaving skin feeling calm and refreshed. I often battle with stubborn mascaras, leaving my poor eyes as red and sore as when I’ve had a night on the red wine, but this product does exactly what it says on the tin. Well done Kueshi.

Overall rating: 4/5

The sole reason for the one point mark down here is that for £10.20 per 100ml, I would expect the packaging to feel a little more luxury (it’s a very thin and malleable plastic), but hey, it’s what’s inside that counts so give it a try!

Pick yours up here.

Gel spa, Just for feet, Luxury jelly foot soak.

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This is a classic case of saving the best until last. I LOVE this product. It’s like getting a foot massage from Harry Potter. This two phase, powder to jelly foot soak is about the most fun you can have while getting your tootsies summer sandal ready. As I poured the first powder sachet in to the warm water and watched it transform into a magical purple jelly, while the scent of lavender and lemongrass filled the air, I knew I was in for a treat! Don’t get me wrong, as you sink your feet in to the warm squishy bath, it’s a very bizarre feeling, but once you get over the initial weirdness it’s pretty darn fabulous!

Fifteen minutes later, my feet felt baby soft and smelled divine. In case you were wondering what on earth you do with your big bowl of purple jelly once you’re done, it comes with a second powder sachet which turns it back to liquid so that you can easily dispose of it down the sink – magic or what!

This is definitely one to enjoy on a girls night in over a glass of wine and a few giggles.

Overall rating: 5/5

Go and stock up here!

Well done Glossy Box, this was one of my favourite boxes to date. More like this please!

B x

Aberdeen Inspired nights.

| Lipstick and late nights

If there’s one thing that still thrives in Aberdeen in this often rocky economic climate, it’s the food and drinks industry. Dining out and socialising seem to rank pretty highly on the average Aberdonian’s list of ‘what I do in my spare time’ activities, and who can blame us with so many fantastic venues right on our doorstep? But answer me this… how many of you are guilty of frequenting the same old haunts time and time again out of habit, or knowing that you can rely on them for a good night? How many of us sit at the same table sharing the same old bottle of pinot week in, week out? Having somewhere familiar or a local that you feel comfortable in is great and all, and who doesn’t love walking in to a bar and having the bartender appear with your favourite tipple and a knowing smile before you’ve even taken your coat off, but are we overlooking some amazing places just a stones throw away, that could well become your new favourite hangout?

Enter Aberdeen Inspired, the driving force behind projects such as the Nuart festival and the Christmas village. In my experience, the natives will always be the first to grumble about how ‘nothing ever happens round here’, but are we just complaining blindly without opening our eyes to some of the amazing things happening all around us? They don’t call us ‘Abermoanians’ for nothing. Aberdeen Inspired are on a mission to make the most of our beautiful city and help us to truly appreciate what a great place we live in.

This week I went along to the media launch for their latest project aimed at getting us off of our sofas an on to those cobbled streets, Aberdeen Inspired nights.

Rye and Soda graciously hosted the event where local press, business owners and bloggers were invited to mingle and find out exactly what will be going on over the ten day festival.

For anyone that took advantage of restaurant week back in February, this is the next installment in the form of a night time extravaganza involving local venues who will be serving up a host of fine wines, temping cocktails and delicious dining opportunities for the night time revellers of Aberdeen to enjoy. Here’s what Inspired nights have to say about the event…

ABOUT INSPIRED NIGHTS

Welcome to Aberdeen Inspired Nights!

A 10-day food, drink and cocktail festival celebrating night-time culture in the silver city. This year we will be bringing together some of the most well-known and up-and-coming bars, restaurants and brands from the North East, Scotland and beyond.

Get your Inspired Nights festival wristband today and enjoy £5 cocktails, 20% off food and other fantastic, exclusive discounts from across the city.

Explore the city, experience the nightlife like never before and find new things to do in Aberdeen at night. Inspired Nights will be hosting exclusive offers on food, drink and tickets to events like tastings, pairings, brand parties and master classes hosted by a variety of the city centre’s best nightspots.

These wristbands are set to be the hottest accessory that no cocktail loving socialite will be seen without this May..

The event will be kicking off on Friday the 18th of may with a night market in the heart of the city, down on The Green. You’ll be able to enjoy street food from local vendors such such as the irisistible Melt, and don’t miss out on the Hard Grind X 10 Dollar shake pop up bar, where bartending and barbering will have a glorious meeting.

Check out full details of the night market here https://aberdeeninspirednights.com/night-market.

I’m not going to go in too much detail on the rest of the goings on across the festival, get out there and find out for yourself! Do we really need any more of an excuse not only to go out and enjoy some fabulous food and drinks at great prices, but also to support our local businesses? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we need to SHOP LOCAL, whether that be in retail or in the food and drinks industry, we need to keep our city’s heart pumping.

Over the festival I’ll be going out and compiling a list of my favourite hotspots, and maybe finding some new ones to report back to you, and I encourage you to do the same. We may live in the Granite city, but if we look hard enough it’s easy to see how vibrant and colourful it can really be.

Go out and enjoy a cocktail, maybe enjoy a few, I know I will..

B x