My Week In Photos

1. Sardines in a herb and lemon oil crust on a bed of rocket. 2. Catching some rays at work. 3. Rocking the 'Lorraine' ring finger with InStyles Nail Inc Polish and Models Own. 4. GlossyBox's 1st Birthday Box. 5. Mac Goodies. 6. Shopping! 7. Drive through the countryside. 8. Bbq at the beach. 9. Rimmel 'Wake Me Up Foundation' my new favourite.

Now that I've upgraded to an IPhone I'm a huge fan of Instagram, my username on there is now lisamichellexx so feel free to follow me and I'll follow back! :) Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine!

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Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo Eyeshadows

Price: £4.99

Available in 7 shades from Superdrug and Boots

The 'Blogger Buzz' around the Maybelline 24 Hour Colour Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow's was HUGE! I can't count the amounts of reviews I've seen on these, which is why I've left it so long to put up a blog post on these. Although there are 7 shades available on the Boots website I could only get my hands on two, 'On and On Bronze - 35' and 'Eternal Gold - 05'.

My favourite of the two by far is 'On and On Bronze' as it makes a great base to build on, or to wear alone. 'Eternal Gold' is undeniably eye catching and very pretty but quite bright and unflattering on my skin tone so I have to add in some deep browns and darker golds to get it to work for me.

These look quite solid and dry in the pot but once you swirl your finger in the product it turns in to a light, creamy consistency making it easy to apply and blend. They're really great quality, they stay put, have amazing pigmentation, they're priced well and come nicely packaged. I'd definitely say they were a great alternative to Mac Paint Pots if you don't have a lot of cash to spend. The only downside for me is the lack of neutral colours, I'd love to see a subtle champagne shade, 'Painterly' dupe and a matte black.

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Current Favourites

Soap & Glory's Lid Stuff Palette in 'What's Nude' - Full Review Here. This is a great palette for daily use. It has a pale beige, deep brown, pink toned brown and a bronze, shimmery shade. It's versatile, pigmented, compact and only £10. Bargain.
Estee Lauder Double Wear - No matter how many times I'm lured away from this foundation by the promise of newly released products claims of making my skin look radiant, beautiful, flawless even, I always return. Without a doubt, this is my reliable favourite. If you have oily skin, like myself - this will be your saviour. I love the coverage, the finish, the longevity - not the scent, but that can be over looked.
Bourjois Highlighting Powder - An old favourite, I find some highlighters too shimmery and noticeable for every day but this is very subtle and pretty. It adds a gorgeous pearlescent sheen to the skin, re-purchased twice. Say's it all!
Mac 'Harmony' Blush - Recently added to my collection, this is a matte contour shade that sculpts the face, whilst adding warmth to your complexion.
Illamasqua 'Katie' Blusher - My favourite blusher, I use this almost every day. In the pan it looks too delicate and pale to use on any one with a tan but it add's the prettiest flush to your cheeks. Once swatched, you wont be able to resist buying.
Collection 2000 Extreme Liner in 'Black' - Although I've only brought this recently I absolutely love it. Unlike the Maybelline version I previously tried this doesn't need vigorously shaking to get product on to the tip. It's probably the easiest liner to use so ideal if your a beginner, it's an intense black and stays put all day. Not bad for £2.99!
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - Full Review Here. This works amazingly under the eyes, or on anything you need to cover up. It has a medium - full coverage, stays put and doesn't settle into fine lines.
Sleek Pout Paint 'Cloud 9' - This looks scary in the tube, but a small amount of this mixed in to darker lipsticks means you can customise and create your perfect shade! I've always been on the search for a milky pink and pale peach colour, and with this it's possible for me to create my own.
Avon Spectra Lash Mascara - This has the same idea as the Rimmel and Bourjois mascara where you have a dial (1-2-3) to decide the intensity of your lashes. I didn't get on very well with the Bourjois version, but this I LOVED. This seperates lashes, adds volume and lengthens and even when you dial up to 3, it still doesn't clump on me.
Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara - Completely different brush to the Bourjois mascara, this has a tapered wand, making it easy to apply product to the small corner lashes. This does everything that the Avon Spectra Lash does, you can build up the intensity easily, it doesn't make lashes crispy but once you've had it for a while you do start to get a bit of fall out.

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April 2012 GlossyBox - The Natural Box

The most recent GlossyBox* was the Limited Edition Natural Box. The box itself is made from 100% biodegradable material and the five products you receive inside are all eco friendly.

In my box I had..

Figs & Rouge Peppermint and Tea Tree Lip Balm, £3.29 - I already have one of these in the scent 'rambling rose' which is amazing, it smells just of Turkish Delight! These have adorable packaging and are 100% organic and natural. They do a great job at keeping your lips moisturised without feeling greasy and I would happily buy more.

Inika Certified Organic Eyeliner Pencil in 'Sapphire', £11.75 - Although slightly more expensive than your average Kohl pencil these are Organic and contain oils, meaning they're gentle on your eyes and suitable for even the most sensitive of skin. This glides on like a dream and is the most gorgeous midnight blue colour!

Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum, £29 - This serum instantly moisturised my skin, leaving it feeling soft and hydrated. I probably wouldn't re-purchase as it left me slightly oily and I feel like my skin benefits more from a thick cream than a serum.

Monu Spa Enriched Body Cream, £23 - This had a lovely, refreshing zesty scent that I adore, it's quick a thick cream but rubs in easily and leaves skin nicely moisturised. I'd consider purchasing however the price tag is slightly off putting considering how quickly I go through moisturisers.

Philip B Drop Dead Straightening Baume, £17 - I'm a big fan of straightening balm's so I'm excited to try this, I haven't had a chance to test it out yet but it sounds great and I'll be sure to update when I've tried it properly.

Top Row: Monu Body Cream, Straightening Baume, Figs & Rouge Lip Balm

Bottom Row: Caudalie Serum, Inika Eyeliner Pencil 'Sapphire'

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Benefit Skincare Sample Kit Review

A little while back I ordered the Benefit Skincare Sample Set from Asos, this cost me just £10 and came with 6 miniature (very cutely packaged) samples. The products you get to try are the Total Moisture Facial Cream, It's Potent Eye Cream (bottom row), Triple Performance Facial Emulsion, Moisture Prep Toning Lotion, Refined Finish Skin Polish and Foamingly Clean Facial Wash.

Having never tried anything from the Benefit Skincare line I was excited to try these out, but remained at the same time sceptical - I'm not very in to skincare so I'll rarely ever rush out and buy an expensive moisturiser or toner, etc. In all honesty my 'skincare routine' for the past four years has probably consisted of a quick removal of make-up with a Simple remover wipe before bed and a slap dash application of whatever moisturiser I have in closest reach. All I can say in my defence is that my mum never had much of an interest in any beauty products and therefore passed down her lazy approach to skincare to me.. 'like mother, like daughter'.

The reason for my mini life story is basically to say that it is extremely rare for me to rate a skincare product as anything other than just 'ok' and I've never been convinced enough to go out and purchase pricey face products, which is why I was baffled when I found myself loving - almost all, of the Benefit range.

Total Moisture Facial Cream, £26.50 - This was one of my favourites from the set. The consistency is a bit odd, it's very thick and feels almost like a gel when you scoop it out the pot but it blends in a dream. I used this at night as my skin is FAR too oily for a thick cream during the day and by morning my skin was nourished and baby soft. I felt like after using this my skin was plumper and looked in better condition, it's just a really, really lovely product and I was genuinely gutted when the sample ran out. I plan on getting the full size next month.

It's Potent Eye Cream, £23.50 - This product claims to help fade dark circles and smooth fine lines for brighter, firmer under eyes. I'd definitely say I have bags - my nickname by my boyfriend being 'the night owl' as I rarely fall asleep before 2/3am - but I've never suffered from dark shadows under my eyes so I can't comment on whether it would fade dark circles. I found this had a nice consistency and felt refreshing to apply but it stings like a mutha@*! if you dab it too close and get a bit in your eye. I didn't notice much difference so probably wouldn't re-purchase this one!

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash, £16.50 - This has a lovely consistency also, thick but still easy to apply and creamy. It didn't sting if you got it in your eyes, it does a pretty decent job of removing make-up and feels really lovely to apply. I liked this, but not as much as my current favourite NuBo cleanser.

Refined Finish Facial Polish, £17.50 - I love, love, love this. I find that most facial scrubs I buy end up chucked in the bin after a few tries, I like scrubs with lots of little beads/abrasive bits in that give your skin a proper exfoliation and this one does exactly that. I actually felt like this gave me skin a thorough clean and afterwards any dry or flaky patches were vanished. I'm definitely grabbing a tube of this next time I'm in town!

Triple Performing Facial Emulsion, £19.50 - This is the moisturiser in the range aimed at us oily skinned girls. It does a good job of adding a bit of moisture to the skin whilst still managing to feel light, refreshing and sink in quickly. I quite liked this for everyday use as it left me with a smooth base for make-up so I'd definitely consider buying the full size for Summer.

Moisture Prep Toning Lotion, £23.50 - This is a really lovely toner. I found this really refreshing to use at night after removing my make-up just to freshen up my skin and make sure it was completely clean. This felt really gentle on my skin and didn't leave it with the tight, horrible feeling most do! I'm not sure I'd re-purchase in full size because I don't totally understand the benefits of a toner but - I'll use the rest up and see if I'm swayed!

Top Row - Toning Lotion, Facial Wash

Facial Emulsion, Facial Polish

Overall I've been really impressed with the samples I've tried. If you've been tempted by the Benefit Skin Care range then I'd definitely recommend the 6 Piece Set to see what you like before investing in the full size!

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