Monday, 7 December 2015

My Favourite Makeup Brushes

 favourite makeup brushes zoeva real techniques no7 boots

I thought today I would share my favourite makeup brushes! These are the ones I use every day and some of them I have doubles for because I love them so much!

favourite makeup brushes zoeva powder real techniques setting brush

Some powder brushes I've used in the past are massive and while I like my powder, I sometimes feel a little like they make my makeup look a little cakey! This one is a great size and works perfectly to spread my powder evenly over my face! I got it in the Zoeva Rose Golden set which is expensive to fork out for but the quality of the brushes is amazing so it’s definitely worth it!

I never used to use this one until maybe the start of the year when I realised my powder brush wasn't great at reaching under my eyes and my concealer was creasing a little. This brush solves that problem for me! I sometimes use a different powder to the one I use all over my face such as a banana coloured powder to help brighten this area and it works so well, I couldn’t be without this one now!

favourite best makeup brushes no 7 blush zoeva luxe sheer cheek brush

No7 brushes are seriously underrated! This is actually the third incarnation of this brush I have gone through. It was in the first brush set I ever got years ago in a No7 Christmas set and I used it for blusher until replacing it when it got a little too worn looking and starting to use it for contour. I then rebought it a few months ago as they updated the brush line and mine had started shedding a little! This is my favourite brush for contouring as it's quite small but not completely flat so there are no harsh lines and it fits nicely under my cheek bone! It’s really soft so blends easily and it’s probably my favourite brush ever! I've got about 2 to 3 years daily use out of each of the previous versions I've had and while it’s quite pricey for a drugstore brush, if you get them with a £3 off No7 voucher they work out much better!

I switch quite frequently with this brush and a Zoeva 128 Cream Cheek brush depending on what blusher I am wearing but at the time of taking these photos I had just got the Hourglass blush palette (found it in stock online at John Lewis!) and this is the most perfect brush for applying those blushers! I have preferred to use an angled blush brush for the last few years as I feel I can apply my blush much more evenly and this and the Zoeva 128 are the perfect size.

favourite makeup best brushes real techniques base shadow angled zoeva pointed crease wing liner eye brush

I actually have two of these brushes, one from the starter set (of which this is the only brush I rate) and one from the Nic’s Picks set. This is by far my favourite brush to apply eyeshadow with. It’s soft, flexible but not too flexible and applies just the right amount of eyeshadow. I wish they would make this available as a single brush because I would definitely pick up a couple more, mine are starting to look a little battered but they still work really well!

At first I thought this brush would be too stiff to apply a darker colour in my crease but it works perfectly to add a bit more depth to my eyes!

This is my favourite blending brush to use, I love that it’s angled! I find it fits my crease better and allows me to blend more effectively! This is another brush I wish Real Techniques would sell separately as I love it so much!

This is another brush I have two of and originally talked about in this post! I use this bamboo handled one for my eyebrows when I’m using powder for my brows or my Anastasia Dipbrow pomade and I also use the one from the rose gold collection to apply eyeliner (usually just a black eyeshadow). It’s not too firm so I get a really natural look when using this!

I generally use my fingers or a Real Techniques sponge/Beauty Blender to apply my foundation so don’t really use brushes for that! Let me know what your must have brushes are!

Danielle xx
SHARE:

Thursday, 3 December 2015

Layering up with NIVEA Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser

NIVEA rich nourishing body moisturiser review
I was recently very kindly sent a few Nivea products to try including this body moisturiser. Now I know a lot of people can’t be bothered moisturising daily but it’s something I find quite pampering and absolutely essential in the winter months when the weather is so harsh and indoor heating can dry my skin out!

In winter we layer ourselves up with coats, hats and scarves but it’s also important that our first layer is a hydrating moisturiser. The NIVEA Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser* contains almond oil to help enhance the skin’s natural protective layer and its rich texture deeply moisturises the skin. It’s quite a liquid formulation so it spreads easily and absorbs quickly ready for layer upon layer of clothes over the top!

It’s got the unmistakable scent of Nivea, which if I’ve said once I’ve said a thousand times, is one of my favourite scents as it’s so fresh and clean smelling! It’s also formulated with dry skin in mind so it’s perfect for those with rough skin that need a little TLC! My skin has been feeling lovely and hydrated since I've been using it!

NIVEA rich nourishing body moisturiser creme care shower cream

As well as layering up my clothes, I've also been doubling up on the Nivea products and scent! I already had this NIVEA creme care shower cream in my stash and it’s been lovely using it together with the moisturiser as the scents really complement each other! It’s so creamy to use and lathers up well and I love following it up with the rich moisturiser afterwards!  

NIVEA Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser is priced from £3.59 and available at Boots and other leading high street retailers!

Let me know what your favourite budget body moisturiser is!

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

Danielle xx


SHARE:

Monday, 30 November 2015

Two Limited Edition palettes/possible gift ideas!

NARS The Balm limited edition palettes 2015

Hi everyone, I have two recent additions to my makeup collection to share with you today that came about as a result of me treating myself after landing a new job and a birthday present from my mum!

NARS One Shocking Moment palette close up

The first one I got was the NARS One Shocking Moment palette and not having a huge amount of their face products apart from an older palette I bought in a blog sale, I thought I would treat myself to this one which is exclusive to Space NK in the UK!

NARS One Shocking Moment  palette swatches
l-r Paloma, Laguna, Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster, Dolce Vita
I was expecting this to be dearer but at £45 I decided to take the plunge and try it out and I’m so glad I did. I haven’t used Laguna much as I don’t bronze my face for the daytime but I love the Paloma contour duo (and the fact it has a matte highlight!) and it actually reminds me a little of the SEVENTEEN contour kit with the SEVENTEEN coming off a tad warmer when I swatched them, anyone else? The blushers are gorgeous, from left to right we have Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita which are all good sized pans and have lovely pigmentation. As I don’t have any single pan NARS blushers I can’t tell if there are any differences in pigmentation but I know sometimes people mention that the quality isn’t the same.

The Balm In the Balm of your Hand palette close up

Next up we have the Balm’s In the Balm of Your Hand palette featuring some of their most loved cheek eye and lip products! I’m a huge fan of the Balm, especially their blushers Frat Boy and Down Boy so when I started to see pictures of this palette floating about I knew it would be top of my wish list!

In the Balm of your Hand blush swatches
l-r Hot Mama, Instain in Argyle, Cabana Boy, Bahama Mama
The only duplicate I have in the palette is the Bahama Mama bronzer which I really like and also use for contouring! I’m loving Hot Mama and the Instain blush especially but need to find a softer brush to use with Cabana Boy as it’s so pigmented I put a little too much on and had to spend a little extra time blending it out! 

In the Balm of your Hand lip swatches
l-r Mia Moore, Caramel
I was more impressed than I expected to be with the lip products, I thought they would be sticky and hard to apply smoothly and it was only when I put How About them Apples in Caramel on my lips with my finger that I was won over by the gorgeous colour, easy application, no stickiness and comfortable feel! I haven’t tried it on my cheeks yet and probably won’t bother as I’m not a huge fan of cream blushers!

In the Balm of your Hand eyeshadow swatches
l-r Insane Jane, Mischevious Marissa, Sexy, Lead Zeppelin, Mary Lou Manizer
I’m enjoying using the much hyped Mary Lou Manizer (I don’t highlight often so a full size would be wasted on me) and with a light hand it’s easy to add a subtle sheen to my face.  The eyeshadows Sexy and Lead Zeppelin are unlike anything I have in my collection at the minute and although not normally shades I would go for on a day to day basis, the pigmentation is amazing and I can’t wait to wear them over Christmas! Mischievous Marissa is a lovely warm toned shimmer shade and Insane Jane is another shade that is more in my comfort zone.

I got my palette from Cloud10 beauty a few weeks ago (then gave it to my mum to wrap up for my birthday!). It was my first time ordering from the site but they had a 15% off offer on, great samples and the delivery was super quick! I've also seen it on asos.com for a lot cheaper but it’s out of stock at the minute and Debenhams have it too!

Overall, I’m super happy with both palettes and will get loads of wear out of them! They are definitely great for beauty lovers or for people wanting to try a few different things from a brand! Have you tried either of these palettes or anything from NARS or The Balm?

P.S. Sorry about the horrific state of my tan in these photos! I took these pictures just before I scrubbed it off!

Danielle xx
SHARE:

Thursday, 26 November 2015

Limited Edition Nivea Creme 75ml Tins

Nivea Creme 75ml limited edition tins

If you have read my blog before you might have seen a few different products from Nivea crop up as I particularly love their skincare and body care ranges! Therefore I was super excited when I got sent two of their new limited edition Nivea Creme 75ml collectable tins* to celebrate the launch of the brand new, permanent 75ml tins available in the UK from January 2016!

Nivea Creme has been protecting and caring for skin for over a century now and in order to mark the new 75ml tin size they have launched four limited edition collectable tins featuring the cutest illustrations by Joelle Tourlainias. The core values of Nivea Creme include simplicity, care, courage, trust and family. On the inside of the tin is a link to an online fairy tale written by Udo Weigelt and the site also includes games for the whole family to play. I know I will be showing my little cousins these coming up to Chirstmas, they will love them!

Nivea Creme 75ml limited edition tins

The blue and white packaging is instantly recognisable to me, as is the scent which I love; it’s so fresh and clean! The cream itself is a lot thicker than the Nivea creams I’ve tried in the past  and at first feels a little like Sudocrem but it seems to change consistency once you start rubbing it in and it spreads very evenly! As it doesn't dry as quickly as some other creams, I've been using this mainly at night time on the back of my arms on patches of keratosis pilaris and on patches of itchy dry skin on my legs. I’ve been really surprised at how well it’s worked to smooth and stop my scratching as I find it very hard to get moisturisers that do both! 

With an RRP of £1.99 these are well worth picking up for yourself as a winter skin pick me up or as a stocking filler for a friend or family member – it suits all ages and is available at Boots and other leading retailers!

Have you tried Nivea Creme before?

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

Danielle xx


SHARE:
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
© Danielle's Beauty Blog | All rights reserved.
Blogger Template Created by pipdig