Hong Kong and UK drugstore skincare and makeup haul & reviews!

I was super excited by the prospect of my husband having to go to Hong Kong for a business trip. We both missed him terribly, but I knew he would be able to pick up a few beauty bargains for me while away:)) I mainly wanted to focus on skincare as I know Asian brands are famous for it, plus not being there myself I just didn't know what other brands and colours are available.

So here is what my hubby got for me :)! 

I was very excited to receive three boxes of My Beauty Diary face masks! They are sheet masks, 10 in each pack and I have them in aloe, black pearl and strawberry yoghurt. These were 58 HK$ in Sasa which is a real bargain!

Then I got Etude House wonder pore white clay clear mask as I heard so many good reviews about it, but haven't had a chance to try it out properly yet. I am not sure about the price of this one as some things didn't have price labels on them.

My heart was definitely stolen by the next mask my husband got for me. It's the Borghese Fango Active Mud Mask for face and body. It is available in the UK on Cult Beauty website but from what I've seen it's much cheaper over there as it cost 390 HK$ which is just above £30. I have used it a few times already and I can't get enough of it! Not only my skin feels hydrated and supple, but it looks clear and bright and feels deeply cleansed! I also love the smell which is slightly herby.

Then I caved in and asked my husband to pick up Shu Uemura eyelash curler, as it was much cheaper over there as well! He paid 98 HK$ which is just over £10 comparing to £20 in the UK. I have used it and I have to admit so far so good. It is much better than the previous eyelash curlers I had from my Glossybox.

Last but not least was a product by Etude House Lovely Cookie blusher in Peach Parfait.

I have to say when I was looking for things online it was mainly the packaging that has tempted me to put this one on my wanted list. I've noticed EH has one of the most beautiful and cute packaging! I already own a couple of their lipsticks and another blusher and I am in love!

The colour is gorgeous, perfect for those spring/ summer months. The colour payoff is not as intense as Sleek by any means but it's enough to give you a healthy peachy cheek:)

Then of course I couldn't say no to a quick trip to my local Boots and Superdrug to get my ''beauty fix'' and here is what I got!

They had an offer on all Revlon cosmetics, bogof so I decided to treat myself to another foundation in colour Shell as I haven't tried so many of them from this brand and two new nail polishes that are scented one in Ginger Melon and African Tea Rose. Of course the colours are very predictable and very me. And don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of nail polishes in these colours, but it's a weakness of mine, I am just a nail polish hoarder!

I also got a new mascara (again I don't need one!!) but it was brand new and had argan oil in it and this just sucked me in to buying it!

I needed a new powder brush as I really didn't have a proper big one like this and decided to go for Real Techniques one! I absolutely love it.

Of course a drugstore trip wouldn't be complete without popping in to Superdrug where I picked up a few interesting bits:))

First of all are Barry M nail polishes that have been recently released. I absolutely fell in love with the pastely springy colours! They also ventured into Gelly lip products which I just had to pick up and try out! I will keep you posted on these.

Then lucky enough Look Beauty was marked half price as I think they are no longer going to stock this brand. So I picked up some double hit lip products in Red Alert, Pink Punch and Berry Blast (from left to right). These are very interesting, not at all bulky but you get a lipstick and a corresponding lip gloss which I think is a nice idea. I also picked up a single lipstick in Petal Nude. It is very moisturising and soft on the lips, doesn't stay on awfully long but it doesn't claim to anyways. I really like the colour of it as well, the sticker at the bottom does definitely not give you the proper indication of colour. I think the packaging is a little bit too bulky and the magnetic closing is a little bit flimsy, so watch out for an open lipstick if you just throw it into your bag!

There is also a gorgeous rose goldy pink glitter nail polish hiding in the back, which looks absolutely stunning on the nail and stays put for a really decent amount of time so will be going back for some more of these to try out:)

The bottom swatch is of an exciting new product by 2true and it's their 8hr Power Lip lipglossy lipsticky thing in colour Natalie. They have about 5 or 6 shades and they are all super pigmented, in a form of a lipgloss but reminding me a lot of liquid lipsticks that are so popular with other brands now! I've got some of the new Milani lip intense lipglosses and they remind me of these as well, but haven't had a chance to compare.

Haven't tested it out yet but will be keeping you posted! 

Next was a cheeky order from Topshop. A cream blush (not very typical for me) but I was tempted with the gorgeous colour and the fact it's cream so definitely looks more natural in the spring / summer. The blush is in colour Afternoon Tea. I also picked up two lip paints in reminisce and hibiscus. Just can't get enough of my lip products at the moment! I was tempted by Topshop nail varnishes as they look so juicy and beautiful + the packaging is cute, but just got the one in green to try the formula out. I've never had any of these in my collection!

Last but not least was a trip to a Mac counter and I just got two things. Single eyeshadow in expensive pink and a lipstick retro matte finish in flat out. I am in love with these two colours! And the lipstick stays on for EVER!!

You probably wonder now... what the hell is this?! But I have placed a cheeky order online from the US! I love Wet n Wild products as they are super affordable but of really good quality! I am also a huge Milani fan (such a shame this brand is not available in the UK:(  ) So I just couldn't resist buying two limited edition palettes by WnW in colours Walking the red carpet and Flirting at the after party. The names are AMAZING, shame I can't say the same about the pigmentation of the shadows, especially the top two. They are so light they are barely visible and comparing these palettes to the other ones I have from this brand the formula of the shadows is definitely not the same!

And lastly the most gorgeous blusher I've seen in a while Milani powder rose blush in Coral Cove. I love the embossing on it, it's a shame to touch it but I will definitely be dipping my brushes into it as I hate not using make up. Even the prettiest things have been made to be used and to be enjoyed. I read so many people buy makeup and collect it for its embossing, limited edition products etc and each to their own but my heart bleeds ( I know! How dramatic:)) when things just don't get used:/

Anyways the swatch of the blushed is above the WnW palettes!

Hope you enjoyed seeing my collective haul! Don't forget to check out my YT video as well and follow me through bloglovin:))

M xxx

Make up UK & US haul. What is new at the drugstore?!

Goodness knows why I purchased more things again??!! I think it's just too tempting not to when you have 3 for 2 offers everywhere you go and beauty goodies packed so nicely in the juicy colours of spring! I was a naughty girl but as I don't treat myself to any new clothes I thought I am allowed to spend more money on make up;)

So here are my little finds!

So firstly on my list was Superdrug and some budget lipstick buys. Beauty UK and Collection has some gorgeous shades out which I simply had to buy! Especially that there was an offer buy one get one half price! From the top left Beauty UK: 03 Snob (dusty pink nude in matte), 07 In The Buff, 10 Passion & 17 Plumalicious. Bottom row is by Collection Deluxe: 02 Tallulah, 04 Speakeasy, 01 Prohibition. All of the colours are gorgeous and very creamy except Snob that is a matte finish. 

Then browsing for some new spring clothes for Annabell I stumbled across a make up display in H&M! I picked up 3 Lip Tints and one gold liquid eyeliner. From the top Hot Pink, Raspberry Red & Deep Red. They do remind me of Lip Tars by OCC and Sleek Pout Paints , but I haven't had a chance to test them yet so not sure about the staying power! 

And then for my US crazy lipstick haul! Most of the things you see below have been ordered from drugstore.com and delivered to my friend's address who lives in America, as they don't ship internationally! 

 But up first is the package from nyx.com! Just savour those beautiful colours of the packaging!! 

I got some new lip butter lipsticks and lip glosses and to accompany those 3 lip liners! 

So from the top left to right are Butter Lipsticks: Pop, Sweet Tarte, Razzle & Hunk. 

In the middle are Butter Glosses: Strawberry Parfait, Sugar Cookie & Raspberry Tarte. 

And bottom row are 3 lip liners in Soft Pink, Hot Pink & Plum.

I love the colours and formulas, pigmentation is great as well and packaging deserves A+!

Next up are goodies from L'oreal and Maybelline. On top are L'oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstics in colours 104 Dancing Rose, 201 Rose Symphony, 106 Fuchsia Orchestra & 403 Purple Prelude. I ordered them as in the US they have much bigger colour selection! I love the formula and pigmentation, they don't stay on your lips for ever but I still love them! 

Bottom row is a little but sad a there are only two Maybelline Color Sensational Elixir lipglosses, but after hearing lots of positive feedback about them I was just curious to try them out! So from left to right we've got 010 Celestial Coral & 030 Raspberry Rhapsody. I fell in love with the packaging as it's shaped like a lipstick in a clear rectangular clear case! 

And last but certainly not least are goodies by Milani. Oh my gosh do I love Milani or what?! I really do wish they carried this brand in the UK as well! So I got two lip products that have recently came out and on top you've got Milani Lip Intense liquid lip sticks kind of things. From th left: Fiery Coral, Pink Rave & Violet Addict. These are gorgeous, not only stay on the lips for a long time, they we so vibrant and easy to apply! Certainly my favs!! 

And then the bottom row are Milani Power Lip stains, from the left: Creamy Cafe, Macaroon, Mango Tango, Pink Lemonade, Raspberry Tarte & Cabaret Blend.

I love the colours and the fact that the product in itself is quite small and not too bulky ideal for a small make up bag on the go! The staying power is fantastic as well and colour selection. Unfortunately the reason why I wouldn't repurchase this product is because of its packaging. It's a twist tube with a brush at the end. You never know how much product to squeeze out and it's more difficult in my opinion to distribute it around the lips. 

I also have got some other bits and bobs which you can check out in my video on you tube! 

xxx

Sleek iDivine Garden of Eden palette review with swatches!

As I promised I will be more active on my blog this year:) So here is my second post on this new Sleek palette Garden of Eden. I bought it online for £7.99 along with some pout paints and the new blush by 3 palette in Pink Lemonade. I will review this later on in the week!

This palette has a gorgeous selection of colours and nice variety of finishes. It is a perfect palette for brunettes but not only!

Picture taken from sleek.com

Here is the picture of the palette inside. Nothing is different about the packaging, it's sturdy and sleek. I always loved Sleek eye palettes for their huge mirror! I just wish they would have a little label at the back of the palette with names of colours because I already have lost the little clear plastic lid with all the shadow names.

This palette has a lovely selection of browns and greens but also some pinky/ mauvy colours. I was really drawn to the green shades as I don't have a lot of them in my collection even though they are so flattering on brown eyes!

The palette has 7 shimmery shades, 2 with gold speckles and 3 matt ones. All the shimmery shadows here have been swatched only once. The matt shades are nicely pigmented except light green one called Adam's Apple, which is so sheer it looks more like a little bruise than a swatch! I might try putting it over a white base to make it more visible! The biggest disappointment are two eyeshadows with gold sparkles in them, they are called Forbidden and Entwined. They are nice colours, but not only not very well pigmented the speckles of gold don't show up on the swatch.

All in all the palette has a fantastic range of shades. I love most of them! And the quality of the eyeshadows is great considering you are only spending £7.99. It makes a nice addition to my Sleek eye palette collection so I would definitely recommend it:)

Do you have one? I would love to hear what you think about it!

xxx

MUA Luxe Velvet Lips Lacquer review, swatches and a great dupe!

Hello lovlies! Today I will be writing a quick review about something that the beauty world has been waiting for! And it is the MUA luxe velvet lip lacquers!

I like MUA, especially their eyeshadows and the undress highlighter, but what they came up with surprised me so much and made me super excited! Everyone knows MUA is a cheap UK drugstore brand, but the velvet lip lacquers deserve to be on the same shelf as the more high end products!

I managed to snap mine up at my local Superdrug, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on all the colours! So there are 5 colours in the collection and they are all very bold. I would love to see MUA come up with some more neutral colours that could be more wearable during the day.

This is lip lacquer in Atomic, a gorgeous bright red verging on an orange, it is so bright I haven't had enough courage to wear it out yet!

This one is in the colour Reckless and it's the most gorgeous deep sexy red, that will be perfect to create any Christmas worthy look! I will definitely wear it to my husbands work Christmas party. I would wear it on daily basis with a nice nude eye as well.

This hot pink beauty is called Criminal. It is a beautiful bright pink lacquer that really suits my complexion. I think it will be perfect for spring/summer time as for this time of year I think the winner is the next one on the list...

Funk is by far my favourite for autumn/winter. It is darker than Criminal and in my opinion much better suited for this time of year. I have been wearing it every day since I got them all, I seriously can't put it down. It is bright but toned at the same time. I love it!

Last one is Kooky. What can I say? It is a gorgeous and true purple lip lacquer. I haven't put it on my lips yet as the colour scares me a little bit. I think it will look good with a grungey look. It is a blue based purple I think I would prefer a much warmer tone. 

They come in a simple but pretty packaging. I like the fact that you can see the actual tubes through it, however it was quite hard finding names of each velvet lacquer at the back of the box.

Here are the swatches taken in natural light. 

Overall I can't praise MUA enough for producing such high quality product. Starting from the packaging, the sleek frosted acrylic tubes look very high end. The outer packaging is simple yet elegant.

The formula is amazing! It applies like butter, it doesn't produce any streaks when applied and it gives you a couple of minutes before it dries to correct any mistakes or potentially apply another coat. The pigmentation is fantastic, I don't find a need to reapply to strengthen the colour. 

The lip lacquer stays on for a long time, and unless you eat very greasy foods it will definitely stay put. Even drinking doesn't budge it. It doesn't transfer as well so an alert for all the boys! Get your girls one of these and you won't have a problem of a smudged red lipstick all over your faces! I've noticed slight wear from the inside of the lips when I was eating, but don't get me wrong it certainly isn't a deal breaker! If anything I was surprised it wasn't as much as I expected initially.

It may feel drying on your lips initially after application, but I think it's mainly the sensation of the product drying on your lips as I haven't noticed my lips being dryer this past week after using lip lacquers. 

The only downside is the removal of the product. You need some hardcore make up remover to take these bad boys off. I use oil based make up remover and then you're laughing. But seriously, if this is the only flaw I can find with this product in my opinion it does't even count!

So... what are you waiting for??! Get down to Superdrug and grab as many as you can! Because at £3 per item it's a steal! Also I haven't had a pleasure to try them myself but I've heard lots of people saying that MUA Luxe Velvet Lip formula is a dupe for Lime Crime's Velvetines that retail at much higher price!

Also check out my You Tube video talking about these gems! 

Thank you so much for tuning in and hopefully it won't be long until my next post:) 

xxx