Danielle's Beauty Blog: benefit

Sunday, 18 October 2020

What’s in my Mum’s Makeup Bag #2

Morning all! I was having a nosy through my mums makeup the other day and thought I would do an updated version of this post from a few years ago (based on one Jasmine did)! Not much has changed but here’s a little look into a fifty somethings makeup bag!

Like myself, my mum’s two favourite foundations are Estee Lauder Double Wear in Desert Beige and Revlon Colourstay Combination/Oily in Sand Beige. She has been reaching for the Colourstay more often these days as she’s not going too far and its obviously more affordable than the EL. Both are long lasting, full coverage and staples in both our makeup bags! When I discovered the Laura Mercier Translucent loose setting powder a few years ago I told my mum about it and lo and behold she bought a pot and loves it too! Its mattifying without being cakey and even though its expensive, a pot lasts a long time!

Her bronzer which you can see is well loved it a cast off from me from longer ago than I care to remember! It’s the Loreal Glam Bronze in 06 Golden Bronze which seems to be discontinued (my mum said typical when I told her this which we will get to in a minute) or renamed as Back to Bronze now! She likes it as it’s not too in your face and the light shade means she can build it up! I’m one part impressed one part embarrassed my mum is still using this mini NARS Orgasm blush, she likes a project empty more than me! This is another hand me down from me as I already have the shade and while my mum said she likes the colour she found it too sparkly so it’s not going to be one she repurchases! She also uses an Estee Lauder compact she got as a GWP (shades are Signature Silky Powder Bush Nude Rose 11, Bronze Goddess Soft Matte bronzer 01 and Signature Shimmer powder Gold Pearl 01). Clearly the matte blush and bronzer shade are more loved than the shimmer but she says she mixes these as a blush.

The NYX Retractable waterproof eye liner in Grey is the best eye liner my mum has found in recent years as it doesn’t smudge and stays put all day and as luck would have it NYX seem to have discontinued it! My mum currently has five backups as she noticed it was out of stock everywhere but the NYX website and I just went to see if I could link it and it’s not there anymore! She is not impressed! For her brows she uses Gimme Brow in shade 1 as it’s so quick and easy and she’s just asked me to get her a new one for Christmas too! Although she has tried the Charlotte Tilbury lip cheat in Pillowtalk she find she goes through it too quickly for what it’s worth so she is back to the No7 Precision Lips pencil in Nude as its much more affordable and does the job! Bobbi Brown lip colour in Brown has been my mums signature lipstick for as long as I can remember and the only one she used until I sent her a mini MAC Velvet Teddy for Christmas one year! The MAC is more matte but both last well and are similar shades, classic nudes!

With the amount of pan going on in this picture I asked what back-ups she has and similarly to last time we have Benefit Hoola Bronzer as well as NYX Blush in Mauve (another recommendation from moi and another one that is discontinued and she bought back ups of lol).

Like last time there is no primer, concealer, highlighter, eyeshadow or mascara here because my mum doesn’t use them! She wears glasses and gets her lashes tinted so just misses the mascara step and doesn’t see the point in the others! Do you recognise any of these products from your makeup bag? What do you do when your favourite makeup products get discontinued?

Danielle xx

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What’s in my Mum’s Makeup Bag?

I’ve been wanting to do a post like this for ages and the idea came from a post Jasmine did with her mum ages ago but I finally got my mum talked into telling me why she likes certain items of makeup and you might see a few familiar products here because a few are firm favourites of mine too! Her response to why she uses these products was mostly “it’s nice and I like it” so I’ve tried to expand a little more on that but it’s safe to say she won’t be starting her own blog!

My mum is a bit like me in that she won’t leave the house without her “face” on but not like me in that she wants to try every new makeup product that’s released! Some of these are new to her but a lot of them are tried and tested old favourites and she really only spends money on makeup when it comes to foundation and lipstick, everything else is more on the drugstore side of things!

For foundation, my mum generally sticks to Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place foundation in Desert Beige and Revlon Colorstay foundation for oily/combination skin in Sand Beige. She says these both offer good coverage for her oily/combo skin and while Double Wear is her favourite, the ColorStay is a lot cheaper so she switches between the two. She was the first person to mention these foundations to me and they (Double Wear in particular) are favourites of mine too!

No7 Perfect Light Translucent loose powder is my mums go to powder and you might know that the pressed version is my favourite too so you can see a pattern forming! She says this helps keep her makeup in place though she will usually top up her T zone when she’s home at lunchtime which is normal for her with her skin type.

My aunt recently gave my mum the end of her Benefit Hoola bronzer which she has really been enjoying. She says this gives a nice shade of bronze to her skin and I also gave her one of my minis to use up as she really likes it!

For blusher, she has been using the No7 Perfectly Bronzed Mozaic Bronzer for years and you can see there are quite a lot of bronze tones here too! The one in the main photo is actually one I got in a set and gave to my mum because I found it a bit much for my skin. She already has a backup ready to go and you can see she really likes to use the last of the product up – something I could learn from!

The NYX Eye and Eyebrow Pencil in Charcoal is a recent buy for my mum. She wears eyeliner everyday but finds black shades too harsh so always goes for a grey. This is easily put on and doesn’t drag though she does experience some smudging like she does with all eyeliner because she has watery eyes.

Another No7 product she is a fan of is the Precision Lips Pencil in Nude which keeps her lipstick from bleeding. She only outlines her lips and doesn’t fill them in with the lip liner as she doesn’t want to change the colour of her lipstick. I’m the opposite and always fill my whole lip in!

Bobbi Brown Lip Colour in Brown is the only lipstick she owns (!), I usually buy her one for Christmas but she probably goes through about two of these a year. She likes the colour and the formula and when she gets to the end she digs it out with a cotton bud to make sure she gets every last bit!

Benefit Gimme Brow Volumising Brow Gel in the shade 1 is another newish addition to my mum’s routine. This is a mini from a magazine but my mum loves it and I bought her the full size for Christmas. She says it gives her eyebrows a bit of shape and colour which she needs as she is blonde so this is easy and quick for her.

You’ll notice there is no primer, concealer, highlighter, eyeshadow or mascara here because my mum doesn’t use them! She is a glasses wearer with really curly lashes so just misses the mascara step and doesn’t see the point in the others! How am I related to her?

Also the makeup bag is just a Estee Lauder one she uses if she’s going on holiday, a bit like me, her makeup lives on her dressing table or in some drawers she has! Hope you enjoyed that post and a look into someone else's makeup collection! Do you have any of the same products as my mum?

Danielle xx

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A Try not to Buy Haul

benefit blusher smashbox my digits charlotte tilbury secret salma pillowtalk review

I’ve been mentioning in different posts and on Instagram about my recent challenge to try not to buy beauty products so I thought I would gather a few of the products I have bought and give a little update as to how I’m getting on! I’ve been calling it a try not to buy as well because the word ban would have the reverse effect on me!

I started this just before Christmas and you will have seen my last big beauty purchase before trying not to buy anything last week with my custom ABH palette! This was a guilt free long time coming purchase as the single eyeshadows had been on my wishlist for the longest time!

Anyway, long story short, aside from being a spendaholic when it comes to beauty products, my hours at work have recently changed so I knew I would need to tighten the purse strings. I had been covering maternity leave for a woman and she came back a couple of weeks ago but wanted to job share so I’m still doing the same job just working part time now instead of full time. I knew it was coming and I’m still getting used to it, having days off is the best but I know I won’t be saying that when I see my pay at the end of the month!

I also started the process of applying for my Canadian visa/work permit late last year and it came through last month so I have a year to move to Canada and I will be spending my spare time researching and planning for that. I’ve always wanted to try living somewhere new and I know I won’t be able to job share forever so it seems like a good time to try it!

Ok, this is turning into more of an update/lifestyle post than I meant it to but basically, every year I am guilty of buying discounted gift sets and products in the sales so I thought late December was a good time to start trying not to buy. While it’s all well and good getting a bargain when you are a beauty addict, with boxes and drawers filled with new, unopened or back up products, buying more is pretty pointless when you are barely getting through what you already have and planning a potential move when you won’t be able to take it with you!

So, instead of snapping up the half price Soap and Glory Christmas sets (not necessary when you still have backups of backups from last year) or spending Boxing Day in the online Lush sale queue, I put my bank card down and man oh man do I feel all the better for it. I give into my greed way too easily; I can’t believe I haven’t taken this approach before. As you will see, I have bought some things but it’s nowhere near as much as usual and I don’t feel guilty for buying them!

smashbox my digits charlotte tilbury secret salma pillowtalk review

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Secret Salma

This was my first beauty purchase of 2017. I had a £15 Cult Beauty gift card that I had received in my last GWP and although it wasn’t due to run out to the end of January, I’ll admit, I wanted new makeup to play with! I went with Secret Salma in the end, a Matte Revolution formulation which I hadn’t tried before - a fact made all the sweeter that I didn’t have to part with the full £23 myself (now increased to £24)! I ended up having to pay delivery with this too which I usually refuse to do (I will buy things until I reach the threshold for free delivery!). I’m so glad I have it in my collection now though, it’s a beautiful deep plum/pink shade that is long lasting and though it’s the CT matte formulation, it feels hydrating and doesn’t exaggerate any dry patches I have on my lips!

Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in My Digits

This lipstick shade had been on my wishlist for the longest time so I had been exercising self-control over this for quite a while already before getting my hands on it! I was planning on waiting for my Boots points to pile up to buy this but my Godson (or more likely my aunt!) got me a Boots gift card for Christmas so after unsuccessfully trying to use it online (who knew they don’t accept them?) I finally got my hands on this when I got to a big Boots. It doesn’t disappoint either - it’s the most perfect pinky/berry toned creamy lipstick that wears off evenly and leaves a gorgeous stain! I had tried the formula before and you can see my review and some more swatches of other shades here!

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillowtalk

I did cave completely when I saw this and had it ordered as soon as I got the email landed in my inbox but how could I not! Pillowtalk is my favourite lipliner so the matching lipstick had to be mine and the fact its limited edition meant it had to mine right now! Again, it’s the matte revolution formula and it’s a beautiful muted pinky nude with a hint of brown. I’d say the lipliner has a hint more mauve to it but I know I will get so much wear out of this!

smashbox my digits charlotte tilbury secret salma pillowtalk swatches

l-r: Smashbox My Digits, Charlotte Tilbury Secret Salma, Pillowtalk

Large Z Palatte

You might have seen a few posts on my Instagram about me depotting my Benefit blush palette. I never reached for it because the packaging was so bulky so I spent £17.50 (I don’t remember them being so dear!) on a new Z palette to pop them into! I know not everyone is a fan of Z palettes and they definitely are an expensive option for what is basically a card and a magnet but I love that you can see inside them and the sticky metal magnets that come included to stick on pans are so handy for covering the glue that sometimes remains after depotting! Since depotting, despite a few crumbles, I have been getting a lot more use out of the blushers and bronzer in the palette and I ended up depotting a few mini Too Faced bronzers as well !

Anyway, hope you didn’t mind that little try not to buy/update from me! Also, don’t be shocked if I cave and make a splurge on Cult Beauty if they do another GWP offer soon, I’m good but I’m not that good! Let me know what you’ve been buying recently or if you are trying to cut down your spending like me!

Danielle xx

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Product Empties #12

product empties danielles beauty blog skincare haircare bodycare makeup soap and glory

I’m back today with another empties post! I've finished quite a lot of full size products and its Soap and Glory heavy! I’ve also slightly changed the time I post at which I’m not sure if anyone actually notices (I know I don’t) but I’m so busy with work at the minute it’s easier for me to promote the post in the evenings for the time being! Anyway, admin over, onto the empties!

Body care

Soap and Glory Butter Yourself Moisture Lotion

I have quite a few S&G products to get through so I'll try and do them quickly! This isn't my favourite scent but it's lovely and moisturising! I'm a fan of the packaging until it gets to about ¾ of the way down then the pump stops working and to get anything out you have to keep the bottle upside down and squeeze it out or stick your pinky in which becomes a hassle! This is one I always seem to get in gift sets but not one I would go out to buy!

Soap and Glory Shower Jelly Clean on Me

This is one of the newest lines in the shower gel range and after being a bit disappointed with it on its own, when used with exfoliating gloves it works really well to scrub the remnants of my tan off! The formula is really refreshing too but it’s more expensive than the standard S&G shower gels that I love so I won't be rushing out to repurchase!

Soap and Glory Mist You Madly Body Spray

I am obsessed with this, it's probably my favourite scent in the entire world, it's so musky and understated and I absolutely love it! It also lasts all day on me and it's only £6.50! I already have a backup open and a mini in my handbag! Give it a sniff if you get a chance!

Soap and Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream

I feel like everyone has probably tried this at some point, it's a lovely foot cream but I do get a bit bored of it by the time I'm finished mine because it lasts so long! Again I probably have about 5 of these stashed away from various gift sets so won't need to repurchase for a while!

Soap and Glory Hand Maid Hand Cleansing Gel

I love this stuff and always have one in my bag! It smells so much better than standard hand sanitizers and doesn't dry my hands out at all! Already repurchased!

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

This is probably my least favourite body scrub in my least favourite scent! I don't find its effective at scrubbing my tan off (if you are just using it to scrub dry/dead skin it's probably OK) and I waste so much product scooping it out! I’m glad to be finished and can't wait to get back to my favourite Pulp Friction scrub!

White to Brown Body Wash

I got this in a gift set along with the tan last Christmas, it has the same scent of the tan which is quite nice but I didn't find it optimised my tan like it said it would and I wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again!

Nivea Invisible Anti-Perspirant

I usually use a roll on but I won this in an Instagram competition and loved it! I took it on holiday with me and it was so handy to just spray and go without having to wait for anything to dry in and it worked really well too! Will repurchase!

Skincare

Garnier Express 2 in 1 Eye Makeup Remover

I won’t go on about this again but it really is one of the best eye makeup removers I've ever tried and works brilliantly to remove my waterproof mascara and eye makeup! I will continue to repurchase!

Pixi Glow Tonic

I absolutely love this toner! My skin always feel much clearer and looks smoother when I use it, its gentle enough to use every day and I have already repurchased a full size! It was also included in my forever repurchased post!

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

I couldn't wait to be finished these pads. I love the concept of the pre-soaked pad but I really didn’t see a difference any night I used these and I don’t think they were strong enough for my skin! I won’t be repurchasing!

Eucerin AQUAporin Active Hydrating Care*

I have a whole post on this moisturiser when it was included in my skincare saviours but in short it is a lovely rich hydrating cream! I actually switched to using it at night even though it has SPF because it was too much for my oily/combo skin this summer but I think this would be great for dry skin types for the daytime! I have used a few different Eucerin moisturisers now and will definitely come back to them after a break to try some new products!

Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips

I don't use these often but I like having a pack at home for when my nose just feels too bumpy and clogged and nothing else will work! I love these for getting rid of blackheads and they work so well on my nose! Definitely a repurchase for me!

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub

I use this daily and it gives me the perfect base for lipstick! It’s an absolute essential for me and I already have another one open!

REN Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel

I got this in a little try me set and really liked it, it was very cooling around my eye area and I loved using it in the morning to reduce any puffiness. I prefer the Eucerin one that was included in my last empties so I will probably repurchase that over this REN one when the eye cream I’m using at the minute is finished.

Hair care

VO5 Plump it Up Dry Shampoo

I love this stuff and like the eye makeup remover, it features heavily in my empties so I won’t bang on about it! It leaves no white cast, smells lovely and gives a little volume to my usually lank hair! I bought four the last time I spotted it in a shop because it's so hard to find!

L’Oreal Elvive Nutri-Gloss Shine Shampoo

I bought this hoping it would be a replacement for my beloved Nutri-gloss light shampoo that L’Oreal discontinued but this isn't sadly :( The light version made my hair so shiny but I just don't get that with this version. It smells basically the same but there is something missing so I won't be repurchasing!

Makeup

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

This mini lasted me absolutely ages! I loved it at the start but the older it got the less well it worked on my oily lids which is no surprise! Still, I wouldn’t buy the full size because I’d never get through it and the mini lasted so long and is great value for money!

So that's another empties done and dusted and I have a box half full ready for another one! Have you tried any of these products? What did you think?

*denotes a PR sample that was sent to me. All opinions are my own.

Danielle xx

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Thinking Pink

#glossierpink the balm too faced soap and glory barry m opi nails inc essie benefit lush

Hi guys! I have a bit of a themed post today! Taking inspiration from the Pantone Colour of the year (Rose Quartz) and Glossier beauty products pink branding, I have a few of my favourite pink beauty products to share with you and the #glossierpink Pinterest board!

Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette and Melted Lipstick in Peony

I lusted after this palette so much! I do like it but not as much as I thought I would unfortunately but everything about it is so cute from the packaging to the heart shaped pans inside! I got the Melted Lipstick in a set at Christmas and I’m in love with the formula! So long lasting, not sticky and it’s the perfect shade of pink!

The Balm Down Boy Blush

This is one of my absolute favourite blushes and the one 9 times out of 10 I will take with me when I’m travelling somewhere and don’t have much room for makeup. Its matte, pigmented and long lasting and makes me look healthy and just the right amount of flushed!

Benefit Posie Balm

I got this mini in a duty free haul here and it’s come in so handy! It gives a really light wash of colour on the lips but feels so hydrating and what’s not to love about minis!

l-r: The Balm Down Boy, Benefit Posiebalm, Too Faced Melted Peony

Lush Candy Mountain Bubble Bar

This is a limited edition Christmas bubble bar that like my beloved Snow Fairy, I savour before using up! It smells sweet like vanilla candy, gives the best bubbles and makes my skin feel so soft when I get out of the bath! I usually split it in two because when it’s gone it’s gone!

Soap and Glory Mist you Madly, Original Pink, Hand Maid and Hand Food

Ah how could I not include Soap and Glory in a post about pink! Their products are some of my favourites and you are all probably sick of me bleating on about them! Mist you Madly is probably my favourite scent ever, it’s so musky and long lasting and the bottle is perfect for throwing in your handbag! I also love the Original Pink perfume which is a lot lighter but just as long lasting and has such a pretty bottle! Finally another two handbag essentials for me are the Hand Maid hand sanitizer and Hand Food hand cream! I love popping these out to freshen up and moisturise whenever I want!

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser

This was a welcome addition in a gift with purchase from Cult Beauty as I had wanted to try Aurelia skincare for ages! It’s a cream texture and I love the smell of eucalyptus when I’m massaging it into my face! I then remove it with the muslin cloth that came with it and it does a great job of getting rid of my makeup and making me skin feel super soft!

spring summer nail polishes glossier pink nails inc chiltern street barry m rose hip opi bubble bath essie fiji

Finally, I have a few slightly different shades of pink nail polish! First up is the most pink, Nails Inc Gel Effect in Chiltern Street. Then we have the most affordable, Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paint in Rose Hip. Next we have my favourite formula; OPI Nail Envy in Bubble Bath and finally my favourite shade, Essie Fiji. All look amazing with a tan and I have a feeling these will be on rotation from now till September!

spring summer nail polishes glossier pink nails inc chiltern street barry m rose hip opi bubble bath essie fiji swatches

l-r: Nails Inc Chiltern Street, Barry M Rose Hip, OPI Bubble Bath, Essie Fiji

Let me know what your favourite pink products are of if you have tried any of these! I might have also enjoyed doing this theme so much I have a few other colour focus posts coming up!

Danielle xx

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Duty Free Haul ft. Smashbox Full Exposure palette and Benefit Lip Lovin’ Tinted Lip Balms

duty free haul smashbox full exposure benefit lip lovin lip balm

Hi everyone, I have a little duty free haul I picked up last week when I was on the way to Spain for a few days for my birthday!

duty free haul smashbox full exposure benefit lip balm benebalm chachabalm posibalm

First off is the Smashbox Full Exposure palette which includes fourteen eyeshadow shades and a double ended brush. Now I remember when this first launched and I saw all the reviews, I though it looked amazing but then heard the formula of the top row of glitter/shimmer eyeshadows wasn’t great so I didn’t want to part with nearly £40.

Fast forward to last week, I was sat on the plane reading the magazine with all their offers in and saw the palette advertised for £29.50. Now this was still a little too dear for me so I put it to the back of my mind until about halfway through the flight when they announced they were having 20% off all cosmetics! That was the little push I needed to decide it would be mine! I also got the Smashbox #Shapematters palette back when it was star gift in Boots and have been loving it so knew the quality would be great!

I do have to agree with other reviews I’ve read of the glitter/shimmer row in the Full Exposure palette, I used the second shade from the left on the top row one night on holidays and the pigmentation wasn’t great and the fallout was awful with it. The shades toward the middle and right hand side of the top row seem to be a little better though!

Smashbox full exposure palette top row swatches

Smashbox full exposure palette bottom row matte swatches

The mattes on the other hand are what I mainly bought this palette for and they have a lovely formulation with the shades being right up my street! I particularly love the three shades on the bottom right hand side for an all over wash of colour, deepening my crease and as a liner!

I had also heard really good reviews on the brush included with this palette but I still need to give it more of a test, I love the Cruella De Vil-esqe half while half black brush head but both sides are a little more rigid than I usually use so it will take me a little more time to get to grips with it!

As well as the palette, I picked up the set of three Benefit Lip Lovin’ lip balms while I was on the plane because I have the full size Benebalm and Posiebalm and love them but hate taking them out of the house in case I lose them (it’s happened one to many times with other products in the past) so this way I won’t be too heartbroken if they do get lost! They also give a gorgeous tint to the lips and last a fair amount of time too! I think these were down to about £12.50 then had a further 20% off!

L-R: Benebalm, Posiebalm, Chachabalm

All in all I’m so happy with my purchases! Did I need them – no! I’m still glad I have them though but I think I will need a serious spending ban soon (after Christmas – too many cute Limited Edition sets and offers to attempt to stop spending before!)

What do you think of what I picked up? Have you tried anything or got any good bargains on board a flight?

P.S. I finally upgraded my blog template last night! Still need to add a few bits in but I'm really happy with it and installation was unbelievably easy!

Danielle xx

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Danielle's Beauty Blog

Sunday, 18 October 2020

What’s in my Mum’s Makeup Bag #2

Thursday, 20 April 2017

What’s in my Mum’s Makeup Bag?

Monday, 13 February 2017

A Try not to Buy Haul

Monday, 12 September 2016

Product Empties #12

Monday, 25 April 2016

Thinking Pink

Monday, 23 November 2015

Duty Free Haul ft. Smashbox Full Exposure palette and Benefit Lip Lovin’ Tinted Lip Balms