Review | NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream Amsterdam

So I put an NYX order in last week and have had a chance to play with some of the goodies...I was most excited about trying the Matte lip creams as from the reviews they sounded amazing. Plus i think the fact we can't get it over here makes you want it more!

Now you can get similar products from collection in the form of there cream puff lip stick formula but the colours are very nuteral and I prefer a bright lip.

So here is Amsterdam...

It is a beautiful pure red. The texture is lovely, it goes on with a slight gloss but dries to a matte finish.

My lips are the driest they have ever been right now and this stuff didn't dry them out. I found applying a lip balm (i used Elizabeth Arden eight hour balm) first them this over it made it perfect for the harsh winter weather.

It lasted a lot better than I thought it would, around 5-6 hours. But lip colours wear off me really fast.

I love this, its pigmented, long wearing and cheap!

I paid £5.00 which is a bargain for such a great lip stick. I also picked up a pink colour which i am trialing now!

Have you tried any of the colours?

Rach xx

Skincare | La Roche Posay

Just a quick post that I will do a follow up on when ever it works...if it works!

I have managed to stalk some Effeclar Duo to test out on my blemish prone skin.

Effeclar astringent micro exfoliant lotion and Effeclar Duo. 

I have breakouts and also scaring from past break outs. 

Let see how this goes...fingers crossed the next picture I post will show clear none scared skin!! haha...

Rach xx

London calling to the faraway town | Rimmel apocalips

Drugstore lip products in 2012 were some of the best we have seen...2013 looks to be another amazing year if the new Rimmel Apocalips are to go by.

Galaxy, Nova, Stella, Big Bang, Apocalips.

They are beautifully packaged and its great you can see the product  and see the actual colour.

These are a mixture of lip cream, lip stick and a gloss. They are SO highly pigmented it is Crazy!!

apocolips, nova, galaxy, stella, big bang.
on the bottom is YSL glossy stain in 13.

You can see the Rimmel are much more pigmented than YSL glossy stains! also the colour of 13 and Apocolips are so similar! 

I have only swatched them on my lips so far and not worn them for a long period of time but they feel  none drying and like they would last a good 6 hours on lips. 

They are currently 3 for 2 in boots...I wasn't planning on buying all of these shades but i could not resist!! 

These are the pink/red/coral shades there are also some nudes which were sold out! 

Have you tried these yet?? what do you think?

Rach xx

Purchase | NYX

Just a quick one but I have totally gone n brought some NYX products... Why did no one tell me they had a UK site now! Picked out some Lil gems... Hopefully! It should arrive in the next couple of days... So excited! Hoping the snow stops so our postman comes!!

Rach xx

That happiness I seek When we're out together Swinging cheek to cheek | MAC pure sculpture

I could simply do this review in one sentence....How did I live without this???
But i shall elaborate...

I cannot imagine what my life was like before this product! Its A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

It is a creamy brown shade for using as a contour, I usually use a powder but i found this product makes the job 10 times easier and more natural. So if your no pro and new to contouring i think this will work so well for you.

It blends incredibly, you can make is super super natural or add a bit more for Kim k cheeks! You can add it more as a bronzer to warm up your face too.

I have not loved a MAC product like this for a long time and am so pleased I picked this Gem up!

Go now and run to your nearest store, i promise this will make contouring a breeze!

Swatch and then blended. 

Weird facial expression wearing the wonder product. 

Rach xx 

On my bedside table | Night time routine

I am so nosy...I would love to wonder around someones house and snoop in drawer's so these posts appeal to me!

You can be the nosy one and see what I am currently using.

My skin is a bit sickly looking at this current time. I have a few breakouts, a cold sore and some weird spots that I'm not sure what they are yet but they are big lumps that may be an allergic reaction to something I am using. So I have really broken down my skincare to basic products made for break out prone skin.

• La Roche Posay eye make up remover. I have very sensitive eye area but this eye make up remover is gentle and gets every bit of make up off. 

I have already cleansed when I get into bed to do this bit of my routine. 

i can never get all my eye makeup off with just cleanser so this is to get the last bit of eye make up off. 

• La Roche Posay Effeclar K. This is a serum for breakout prone skin. I can't say it works miracles but I don't want to irritate my skin further with products that are not for breakouts. I really want the Effeclar duo as it sounds amazing! My nearest boots never has it in stock though.

• Alpha H eye complex. This is a gel based eye cream/gel. It feels really refreshing on my eyes and is great to use in the morning. typically I don't use an eye cream on days i am at work as i just don't have the time so i use this at night and find i wake up looking refreshed and bright eyed. 

• Blistex Relief Cream. This is a cream that is for use on very dry lips. I find it keeps lips moisturized and in the morning they feel plump and ready for the harsh winter weather. 

• Boots own cold-sore treatment. This is obviously not glamorous or fun to use but I unfortunately suffer with cold-sores. I get them when I am run down or have a cold. And find they usually go away by using a treatment cream like this. They sell them in pound-land but I didn't have chance to grab one so had to pay £5.00 for this one! 

• Pearl Drops over night Beauty Serum. This is something new to me, its a serum you rub onto your teeth after you have brushed them and you leave it on over night. It is supposed to whiten your teeth while you sleep. You can't feel it and it just tastes minty and fresh. I can't comment if its made my teeth whiter as i am currently using a couple of whitening 'treatments' but its half price at boots so around £1.50 I would say it was worth a go for that!  

So that is what I am currently using. I change up my routine depending on how my skin is acting at the time. 

Rach xx

fingernails are pretty fingernails are good seems that all they ever wanted was a marking | my 'manicure' routine

I am no nail expert so forgive me if im not doing this right...but this is how i do my nails...when i can be bothered! haha!

Sally Hansen nail polish remover, Body shop cuticle oil, sally Hansen Nail Growth, OPI Nail Envy, Nail Buffer. 

I use any old nail varnish remover usually but the last one i brought was from super-drug's own brand and it was awful...i Don't know how you get a nail varnish remover wrong...it has one use...but they did so i got a sally Hansen one and its amazing, it removes the hardest to remove polish and even manages to get glitter varnish off!!

So i remove any old polish i have on my nails, and then use a buffer to smooth my nails. I don't use this all the time just when my nails look as though they need a good buff.
I have brought ones that are more expensive than this (these were 3 for £1 from good ol' pound-land ) and found they are no different.

I like to use a nail strengthener or something along those lines...my favorite is the sally Hansen nail growth miracle which is just a clear polish which i find makes my nails grow long and strong.

I also use OPI nail envy which I haven't noticed this does a lot but I am giving it another go and applied it today.

I use any old nail file to file my nails as long as its thick and durable.

My hands at the moment are dry and look horrible but I am taking more care of them getting ready for spring!!

Before bare naked nails. 

After shiny shiny nails. 

EDIT: Nail Envy is working well. Will do update in couple weeks...as i can feel my nails improving. 

Rach xx