Max Factor 'The Face' Review

 

So whilst I was shopping a few months ago Max Factor were giving away a free gift when you spent over £15 on makeup. Around the time the winner of the TV show 'The Face' had just been announced and so the gift was tied in with that. As I was running low on both foundation and powder I easily spent £15 and was quite intrigued to see what was inside and to test out the products.

Inside the box were three of Max Factor's products as well as a few leaflet tutorials to bulk out the rest of the gift. The products were one of the relatively new 'lipfinity' lip products, a false lash effect mascara and a nail polish.

 

The first product that I decided to test out would be the  lipfinity lip colour in the shade 340 Essential Natural, which to be honest hadn't appealed to me before. The product itself consists of two parts, the colour for the lips and then a clear topcoat which is very similar to a balm. The reason why this product had not appealed to me before is because I am not the biggest fan of lipgloss, I much prefer a lipstick or balms.
  However, I decided to give this a go and one of the best things about this product is the packaging. I love the way that they are very sleek and sophisticated and I think the classic colours and combinations make them look luxurious. Although the concept of having two parts to this product may be good, I find that it is a bit unnecessary to have two tubes, where other brands have managed to fit them into one, such as the Rimmel 1000 Kisses lip stains.
  Having two tubes is such a hassle if you throw away the original box because you have to make sure you remember both of them and there is no way you can make sure they stay together.
  Inside the coloured part of the product is a lip gloss with a doe foot applicator which makes application really easy although it would be quite difficult to use one of your own brushes to apply. I've also found that for all the packaging there isn't much product inside. With these retailing at £8.99 it is quite a substantial amount to pay for a product of this type. I can think of some more affordable and quite simply better products than these so I'm not sure I would actually buy these.
  Still focusing on the colour, the shade that I received within the gift is a beautiful pink/nude with the slightest bit of shimmer in it. The idea is to apply this first to your lips and then follow up with the clear balm. Although I really love the colour, I'm not so sure on the formulation. I found this to be really sticky and just doesn't feel luxurious or nice at all. In addition, I've found that it takes a long time to get dry enough to apply the next stage and just having your lips stick together is really not what I expected or wanted. Even when the colour is dry it still has the same feeling. However, the colour does dry to a beautiful matte shade and if the formulation was better I think you would be able to wear this without the balm. It also has no scent to it, which means that if you are not a fan of perfumed products, this might be an advantage to you.
  The balm itself is very simple, in that it is identical to most bog-standard clear balms. You simply apply this on top of the colour and it rehydrates your lips and gets rid of the awful sticky sensation. Admittedly the finished result looks good and the colour is lovely, but the hassle of using two different products and the terrible formulation means that unfortunately I am not a fan, especially because of the price you would pay for one of these. The product itself does last a reasonable amount of time, but yet again if you want to touch this up you have to go through the whole process again with the colour followed by the balm.
 

The next product in the set was a nail polish from Max Factor's glossfinity range. These nail polishes retail for £5.99, which is slightly more expensive than their drugstore competitors such as Barry M and Rimmel. This particular shade is called cobalt blue and as the name suggests is a dark, almost navy blue. I haven't actually tried this product out properly yet, but from my first impressions I think it is a beautiful shade, which I'm guessing would need a couple of coats and if it lasts for up to 7 days as the packaging suggests surely it has to be a winner. There are so many colours to choose from in this range and I love the simple packaging with the gold text and black lid, which ties in with the colours of the previous product and keeps the product looking luxurious and sleek.

 

The final product in the gift set was one of Max Factor's mascaras. Immediately I was really excited to try this out because mascara is one product that I find I experiment more with, and I was interested to see if I liked this more than my current favourite mascara, the Maybelline Falsies.
   Again Max Factor has put a lot of effort into making the packaging simple yet sophisticated and the tube is actually quite big, so it seems as though you are getting a lot of product. This retails at £10.99, which is a little more expensive than other drugstore mascaras but not excessively. One thing I noticed about this mascara is that it is waterproof, which may explain the price but was also an added bonus because I don't think I've ever tried one of Max Factor's waterproof mascaras. I then also realised that was the shade black/brown, which is something completely different to what I would usually buy. Usually I would try and find the blackest shade a brand sells and so I didn't really know what to expect.

  However, I did find that when I tried out this product I couldn't see a huge difference between a black shade and this one. I think it definitely made my makeup less dramatic, but it still made my lashes look defined and slightly longer, albeit not as much as my regular mascara. I'm not sure if I would voluntarily buy another brown shade purely because I prefer the effect a black mascara has, especially because my eyelashes are quite dark anyway.
I was really impressed that the product wasn't clumpy either and the huge brush made sure that I was covering each of my lashes. I did find it was a little more difficult to apply to my lower lashes though, but I did find that I only needed to apply one coat of this.

Perhaps the one thing that disappoints me with this product is the removal. I knew because it was a waterproof product taking it off at the end of the day may not be the easiest, but even after using make-up wipes that claimed to remove waterproof makeup there was still a lot of product on my eyes. I then used my cleanser and a cotton pad to try and remove as much as a could and still found I couldn't remove it all as I found out the next morning when it was all around my eyes. The hassle of taking this product off proved too much for me and so for this reason I probably won't be repurchasing this and even though the black brown shade was something different and the product itself isn't bad at all, I still think there are other drugstore mascaras which are better.
 It has been a real eye-opener to try out some new products from a brand that I love for their foundations and powders, but unfortunately I have not fallen in love with any of these products to the extent that I would go out and buy more of them. Probably the most disappointing was the lipfinity glosses because purely on first impressions and seeing the box I thought it would be a product that would become a summer staple for me. However, the search will continue and I am excited about trying some new products out soon.

First Purchases of 2014 (Makeup Haul)

 

So with Christmas over for another year and having received my bank statement for December (ouch!) it's that time of year where you decide that you really need to save some money after spending so much during the festive season.

Apparently I didn't get that memo and I've been out shopping over the past few weeks and have brought some amazing cosmetics which I'm going to share today.

 

The first thing that I've purchased were these makeup wipes from Superdrug. Recently I've been using some Sainsbury's own branded wipes just because they are cheap and easy to pick up, but I decided I should probably invest in some wipes that are actually designed to be used to take off makeup. These were also a complete bargain at only about £1.50 and although I have never used them before I thought that they would be worth the risk.

 

My obsession with nail polish continues. Barry M have recently released a new collection of matte polishes in a variety of colours. Their new polishes always intrigue me and after buying loads of their standard as well as jelly polishes I just needed to try this one. I picked up the shade 'Vanilla' costing me £3.99 from Superdrug.   

 

As Superdrug were having a 3 for 2 offer on all their Barry M products, it would be rude for me not to buy two more polishes. For my second polish I decided on this gorgeous burgundy shade called 'crush' from the new matte collection, which also retails at £3.99.

 

To complete the three for two offer, I needed to decide on one final polish. On the Barry M stand they had a picture of a model showing off one particular shade. I fell in love with it and decided that this would be the final shade that I would buy. This polish is part of the Hi-Shine jelly collection and is called 'Guava', also priced at £3.99 in Superdrug.

 

I actually brought another nail polish from Barry M a few weeks ago whilst I was shopping in Cambridge and totally forgot about it. At the time Superdrug were doing a 2 for £6 deal on all their nail polishes and so my friend and I got one each. I picked up this shade called 'blackberry' from the jelly range, saving myself 0.99p!

 

Living in a small town means that my local Superdrug doesn't sell any sleek products. After buying a blush and the contour kit online, I was desperate to get my hands on some of their other products, but wanted to be able to see what I was buying first. Luckily Cambridge had a whole stand of Sleek products, and it's fair to say that I went a little crazy.

 

The first thing that I picked up from Sleek was this gorgeous lipstick in the shade 'barely there.' Although I haven't used this product yet it claims to be a highly pigmented non drying and conditioning lipstick, which sounds pretty good to me! Costing only £4.99 it is also a bit cheaper than some of the other drugstore lipsticks out there so thought it would be worth a try.

 

After buying and falling in love with the Sleek blush in the shade 'flamingo' I decided that I would definitely need to expand my collection. With 11 shades in the collection it wasn't easy to pick just one so I brought two on this occasion, but could have easily brought them all! Oops.

 

I decided to go for two more pink shades, but these are no way near as bright as 'flamingo.' The blush pictured above is a lovely dark pink almost red shade with the slightest bit of shimmer in called 'flushed.' I can't wait to start using it and with it being priced at only £4.49 it is a serious bargain in my eyes.

 

The other blush I picked up for £4.49 was the shade in 'rose gold.' I've seen so many other beauty bloggers and vloggers rave about this shade of product and thought it was about time I got my hands on it too. It contains more shimmer than the other two blushes I have, yet will be a welcome addition to my collection.

 

This is where I think I got a little bit over the top and went a bit crazy with the sleek products. But whilst I was there I decided to pick up one of Sleek's eyeshadow palettes.

 

Typically of Sleek, the have kept their gorgeous black packaging for the palette and I'm so excited to try it out. They have a variety of palettes available but I got the 'Au Naturel 601' palette as I thought it would be one that I'd use the most.

 

Although I haven't used this product yet, I am seriously impressed with it at first glance. The colours inside look absolutely gorgeous and I love the mixture of both matte and shimmery shades in there. I also love the fact that each shade has it's own name and that there isn't one colour in the palette that I don't like. Perhaps the biggest bonus is that this cost only £7.99!

 

 

My final purchase over the past few weeks have been some new make-up brushes. I've had my eye on real-techniques brushes for ages and after receiving some for Christmas I decided to expand my collection. This resulted in a trip to Boots!

 

I decided to purchase the core collection, costing me £21.99. Working out at only about £5 a brush, they are seriously good value for money and even the woman in Boots told me that they are amazing!

Featuring a foundation brush, a brush for concealer, powder and contouring, I'm super excited about using these brushes alongside my new and old purchases, although I don't want to get them dirty! Haha.

Wow, it seems as though I've gone a bit overboard recently on products. One day I will learn to resist. (I hope)

NOTD: Ruby Fruit

To get in the spirit of autumn and to have a change from my usual go to nail polish brand of Barry M today I've used a polish by Max Factor. This is the only nail polish from max factor in my collection and it is a dark red, almost black shade called 'Ruby Fruit.' I think I've only actually worn this a couple of times previously and when I was looking through my collection it caught my eye. I think it is a perfect colour for autumn and it certainly contrasts to the brights and pastel shades that I was wearing during the summer.

I found that the consistency of this nail polish was really lovely, not too thick or thin and the brush can hold a fair amount of polish. Also the brush is really long, so you can easily reach all of your nails without getting it on your skin. I also applied two coats of this polish, but I think you could easily get away with one, but two coats makes the colour look very intense. 

Another thing I really love about this nail polish is that in some lights it looks really dark and almost black whilst in others it looks red. It makes it seem as though you are wearing two polishes at once! One thing I'm not looking forward to though is taking it off because I'm pretty sure it will stain my nails, so I'm planning on keeping it on as long as possible.

Nail Tutorial: Ombre

It's always exciting when you find a new nail art technique to experiment and try out. The fashion world has gone crazy with everything ombre over the past two years and if your not sure whether or not to try ombre hair, ombre nails are a much quicker, reversible solution for all your ombre needs!

  This effect can take a while to perfect and I am still trying to perfect it myself, so my finished result may not look as amazing as it can do, but it shows that this can be a difficult technique to master. Anyhow, like with other nail effects, you can use pretty much any colour that you want and a contrast between the two colours can make it look really effective.

Items needed to create the ombre nail effect

For this tutorial you will need:

• A base colour
• A different colour to create the ombre effect with
• A small sponge, slightly larger than the size of your nail
• A plastic sheet or poly-pocket
• Something to mix the two colours together such as a toothpick or nail art tool
• Base/Top coat (optional)  

Barry M Nail Paint in Blueberry

Step 1

1. Firstly you need to apply a decent base coat, especially if you are using nail polishes which are likely to stain your nails. Once this is dry, you need to apply a base colour to your nails. For this tutorial I am using the Barry M nail paint in 'Blueberry.' 

Step 2

2. Next, on the sheet of plastic you need to paint a thick layer of the base nail polish onto one side of the sheet. Then next to it as close as possible without allowing the two nail polishes to touch, you need to apply a thick layer of nail polish which will be used to make the ombre effect, as shown above. The nail polish which I am using for the ombre effect is Barry M nail paint in 'Bright Pink.' You will need to make sure that the combined nail polish is the length of your nails to ensure that your nails will be covered effectively. 

Step 3

3. Before the nail polish has time to dry you then take your toothpick or nail art tool and gently mix the two colours together in the middle so you are left with one colour on the left, the mixture of colours in the middle and the other colour on the right. This creates the ombre effect on your nails.

Step 4

4. Next, you need to take the sponge and put it into the nail polish mixture. At this stage you should have the base colour at the bottom of the sponge, and the ombre colour at the top, with the mixture of the two colours in the middle. This is shown below. You will need to work quite quickly to ensure that the nail polish doesn't dry. 

Step 5

5. Once the sponge has been dipped into the mixture, you then press it onto the nail. You need to ensure the top of the sponge is applied to the top of the nail in order to create the ombre effect. You will find at this stage the nails will look rather messy because of the sponge but this will be cleared up later in the tutorial. Repeat this stage until all your nails have been painted, which may mean you might need to apply more nail polish to the plastic sheet.

Step 6

6. Once you have applied the sponge to all of your nails it is important to allow the nail polish to dry. When you are satisfied that it is dry, take a cotton bud and dip it into nail polish remover. Then use the cotton bud to clean up any nail polish which has got onto your cuticles or skin and you have successfully created the ombre nail effect. Using the sponge gives a textured finish, and you can alter the amount of ombre by the amount that you mix the two colours together. At this stage you can also apply a top coat if desired. 

A-Z of Favourite Beauty Products

A:  Alien by Thierry Mugler (perfume)
B: Body Shop Coconut body butter
C: CK One Shock for Women by Calvin Klein (perfume)
D: Dry shampoo dark & deep brown by Batiste 
E: Elvive full restore 5 replenshing shampoo & conditioner 
F: Falsies Mascara by Maybelline
G: Glam Eyes Professional Liquid Liner by Rimmel
H: Happy by Clinque (perfume)
I: Imperial Leather shower gel soft touch
J: Jelly Pong Pong make up brushes 
K: Kleenex balsam pocket tissues
L: Lychee Barry M Hi-Shine nail polish
M: Miracle Hair Insurance Leave in conditioner by Aussie 
N: Night Flight by Rimmel (nail polish from the lycra pro range)
O: Original Source Pure Lime shower gel
P: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Lotion
Q: Quickies nail varnish remover pads
R: Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip tint in 'Nothing but Nude'
S: Shockwaves Boost it volumising hairspray 
T: TreSemme Naturals Smooth shampoo & conditioner 
U: *
V: Vaseline Lip Therapy
W: Wisdom Regular fresh medium twin toothbrushes
X: *
Y: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in shade 50
Z: *

*As much as I racked my brain and collection, I honestly couldn't think of any products that I love beginning with U,X or Z, so if you're reading this and have a suggestion let me know!

NOTD: Lychee

I have really been loving this nail polish from Barry M. I've previously featured this particular one in my 'Top 5 Barry M Nail Polish' post, and it is the shade which I am currently wear on my nails.

 

The shade itself is called 'Lychee' and can be found in most drugstores in the UK such as Boots and Superdrug. This one came from http://www.superdrug.com/barry-m/barry-m-gelly-nail-paint-lychee/invt/612353 and cost £3.99

I really like the neutral shade of this nail paint and it looks really elegant and sophisticated. It also compliments my natural skin tone, and it applies evenly and lump or bubble free to my nails. I find that I always apply two coats of this polish though to ensure maximum coverage.

  It doesn't chip easily and I find the wear is good on this polish which makes it really great value for money. 

I would highly recommend this nail colour to anybody that wants a change from bright colours or if you just want to try something new. You won't be disappointed! 

September: Wishlist

I love making lists and have always written down exactly what I would like to buy in the coming months. I find that some things are quite a simple purchase whilst others required a fair bit of saving in order to pay for them. I thought that I would share my wishlist which includes all the things I hope to buy in both September and in the coming months.

• Sleek Contour Kit
  I have had my eye on this product throughout the whole summer, yet every time I think that I am going to buy it, another expense to deal with comes along. Therefore I haven't had chance to purchase this product yet but I am really excited about buying it.
• Sleek Blush
  Alongside the contour kit I really would like to buy a blush from Sleek because I have heard some amazing reviews on their products. I am waiting to buy the contour it and blush together and so I think this will be one of my main purchases this month. 

• Real Techniques make up brushes
  There is nothing wrong with the make up brushes that I am currently using, however I am in definite need of a new blush brush and one brand which has really appealed to me is Real Techniques. I think their brushes are reasonably priced and again have heard good things from them.
• Canon 700D camera
  This product is definitely not a target to buy for September, but I will be putting some money aside and saving for this product over the coming months. Whilst there is nothing wrong with my Sony DSLR camera, it is 3 years old now and I think it is time to invest in a camera with more features and the ability to record film as well. I've done some extensive research on this camera and have set myself on buying this so now all that's left to do is save!
• Lipstick
  After experimenting with lip tints during the summer I would love to purchase some more lipsticks to extend my current collection. I will be looking for a few natural shades as well as some deep reds to wear throughout winter. I really like the look of the Kate Moss for Rimmel products and I may even treat myself to a YSL lipstick because I know how amazing they are as my mum uses them regularly.
• The 1975 album
  I've looked on the future released on the play.com website recently and the prospect of this album has stood out to me. I loved the song chocolate and so think this would be a good purchase this month. However, I think I will be giving it a listen on iTunes before buying it myself.
• Pandora charms
  I was very lucky to receive a Pandora charm bracelet for my 18th birthday in August and have been since planning the charms that will eventually fill the bracelet. During September I hope to add at least one more charm to it as I've found buying them to be rather addictive.
• Make up bag
  Recently I've noticed that I can no longer shut my make up bag so have been in need for a new one. I brought one off ebay a few weeks ago, but it was much smaller than I thought it was going to be so the hunt continues!
• Barry M Nail Polishes
  I am always looking at new nail polishes and I plan to continue to extend my collection by purchasing some more shades by Barry M. I am possibly going to try and find some colours which will suit Autumn and Winter so will probably go for darker shades.
• Curling Wand
  Finally, my old curlers decided to blow up a few weeks ago after about 7 years of using them so I was gutted when it happened. They have lasted so well and I think they still make them so I will probably be purchasing a new pair. However I also want to look for a new curling wand and I think I have found one by Remington which has received some good reviews. At £18.50 it is a bargain as well so I hope to buy this and see if it lives up to the reviews!

August Favourites!

I honestly cannot believe how quickly the month of August has gone. It is one of my favourite months, not only because my birthday falls within it, but also because it is the peak of Summer and it is meant to be hot and sunny. 
  Now that it is the end of the summer, we will be preparing for the Autumn; cooler weather, shorter days and warmer clothing. 
   However, these have been my favourite things throughout this month!

Summer Sun
I love the summer, and we've been quite lucky in the UK to have had a decent summer with a good amount of sun and I've enjoyed just being outside in the sunshine whether it be walking the dog or having a BBQ.

Food:

Strawberries/Raspberries
At the beginning of the month me and my sister went to a local farm shop and picked our own raspberries and strawberries. They are two of my favourite fruit and I find I've eaten a lot more of these throughout the summer. A simple favourite but one I probably won't be enjoying as much throughout the cooler months. 

McDonald's Mocha Frappé
When McDonald's released some new drinks as part of a summer menu, I was excited to try them. My favourite is the Mocha Frappé because it tastes so delicious and is a nice alternative to normal coffee. These are so reasonably priced too at only £2.19. Bargain!

TV Shows: 

Cake Boss (TLC)
This month my sister has introduced me to the channel TLC and the program Cake Boss. (Channel 125 on Sky.) Basically this program is about a man called Buddy who runs a family bakery in America and along with his team they made the most extraordinary cakes and pastries. In one episode they make a life-size car cake and in another they've made a space shuttle cake which takes off! Cake Boss is usually shown every weekday between 7pm and 8pm, but is also on at random times throughout the day as well. 

Storage Hunters (Dave)
Another program that I've loved watching throughout July and August is Storage Hunters, shown on the channel Dave. (Sky 111, Freeview 12.) This show follows a group of bidders at storage auctions, where if the rent has not been paid on storage units for a certain period of time, they go up for auction. At the beginning of each auction, the auctioneer opens up the unit and bidders are able to look at the stuff inside, but are not allowed to touch anything or go inside the unit. Once everyone has had an initial look the unit is auctioned off right there and then. The highest bidder wins the unit and then is able to go inside and see what they've won. The aim is to pay low prices for units and make as much profit on them as possible. There is also rivalries between bidders which makes the program a bit more entertaining.  


Fashion:

Sunglasses
In this lovely weather this month sunglasses have been absolutely essential and out of all the sunglasses I own, this pair from New Look have been the ones I've worn the most. A bargain at £4.99, this is my second pair after my first pair broke and I've worn them most days. I love the studs around the frames and I really love the shape of them as well. 

Sunglasses: New Look £4.99

Maxi Skirts
This summer I have been experimenting with a lot of different clothes. Looking back now I cannot believe that before this summer I did not own a single maxi skirt. Now I have 3! I brought a coral and pink one at the beginning of the summer and last week brought a black one which is a bit more versatile. I have been constantly wearing these throughout the summer and I will be trying to get them into my autumn wardrobe as well. They are so easy to wear, both for everyday wear and during the evening, whilst not being too hot either. Again from New Look, these have been a bargain at £14.99 and I even got the black one in the sale for £8!

Maxi Skirts L-R: Coral, Pink & Black. All New Look £14.99

Espadrilles
I've found espadrilles a very versatile and essential shoe to have in my collection. Although sandals are a good shoe to have during the summer, they are not always the most practical and so I've found these shoes to be a good alternative. I brought myself two pairs of these plimsol type shoes, one in navy and one in this lovely aztec pattern and found myself to be wearing them on a regular basis. They are so comfortable and can be worn with just about anything, leggings, maxi skirts, shorts etc and were so affordable at £7.99 or two pairs for £10 at New Look. I've worn this aztec pair the most as they've added a bit more to a simple outfit on a night out and they've been great for everyday use as well. I've worn these with leggings and peplum tops in the evening and I've paired them with my maxi skirts as well. 

Espadrilles, New Look £7.99

Makeup/Beauty:

Natural Hair
I've found that throughout the summer my hair has needed a break from heat-styling and so I've hardly used my straighteners this month. From this I've learnt how to love my natural slightly wavy hair and it has saved me 10 minutes when I'm getting ready. I've also had my hair up a lot because of the heat so it has seemed rather pointless straightening my hair. I've noticed that giving up the straighteners has dramatically improved my hair and its condition.

Coral Nail Polishes
I've had a slight obsession with everything coral this summer. I've brought a coral maxi AND skater skirt and numerous coral nail polishes. Yet I've loved all of these products and each one is a slightly different shade of coral or orange so that's been my excuse! I've loved wearing these colours on my nails as they've complimented the summer tan that I've had and cannot see myself packing them away for the winter.

Coral Nail Polishes: L-R. Barry M Hi-Shine in Passionfruit £3.99
Rimmel 60 Seconds in Coralicious £3.69
Both from Superdrug

Lip Tints
I've had a couple of lip tints for a while now but this month I've starting to use them a bit more. In particular I've used 'Timeless Tango' from the Rimmel 1000 Kisses range a lot more than when I first brought it and although I wasn't sure if I liked the colour when I first got it, I've really loved it this month. It is quite a bright colour, so I've kept the rest of my makeup quite simple when I've worn it, but it's great.