Thursday 29 March 2018

MAKEUP COLLECTION SERIES | FOUNDATIONS



Well hello there!
This the next part of my Makeup Collection Series, I have already shown you my primers but if you have not seen that yet then you can here. I am basically going to show you all of the foundations that I own, which is good for people like me who are nosey and like to see what  makeup people have in their collections. 


Primark Perfect Finish










 Rimmel Breathable Lasting Finish

As you can see I have a lot of foundations, all kinds of formulas and consistency's. My skin is so confusing it can be really dry one day then oily the next so I sort of have to play it by ear  when picking what foundation to wear. The Rimmel red lid foundation was probably one of, if not the first one I ever bought and I have bought so many of them since and it is still one of my favourite formulas even now. The Urban Decay All Nighter and L'Oreal Total Infallible stand out to me the most when it comes to coverage, I can rely on these 100%. I do love the majority of these foundations obviously that's why I have them, but I do have too many, I know I do considering at the moment I'm not wearing it everyday so I feel like I'm wasting them. 90% of these are drugstore because sometimes you don't always need to spend an arm and a leg to get a good result, however I can't fault the Urban Decay All Nighter I wear this when I need my foundation to last a long time.

So those are all the foundations I have in my collection, next I will be showing you my concealers!
Thank you so much for reading,


Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

Monday 26 March 2018

TESTING 4 BENEFIT MASCARAS



Well hello there!
I love drugstore makeup but sometimes the quality is better in high end products, I have some how accumulated 4 travel sized Benefit Cosmetics Mascara's including the new Bag Gal Bang which is the most recent. In this post I am going to test these all out and let you know my thoughts on them.

Bad Gal Lash 
I'm not too sure when this mascara come out but I'm pretty sure its the oldest out of these 4 as I have never heard of it. I do like the packaging of this mascara it is black and silver, and the wand is huge with big bristles. This is most definitely a mascara that is more 'natural', it does not really do much to my eyelashes apart from make them look really black and gives them a tiny bit of volume. I will say it does last all day which is good, nothing worse than when it transfers everywhere and looks a hot mess. It's not my favourite but if you like mascaras like this then you should give it a go. 

They're Real
This was the first mascara that I heard of from Benefit but obviously never tried it as it is high end brand. Again I like the packaging (I like all of Benefit's packaging), it is dark grey and silver. The wand is very different, it is more of a plastic wand with the spikes coming out everywhere. This mascara does give me some volume which I love, it is a tiny bit clumpy but I like that so it does not bother me. Again makes my lashes really black - I'm not a massive fan of the wand just because it looks really aggressive (haha) but apart from that I do actually like this mascara and will wear it again. It does also last all day which is a bonus.

Roller Lash
I have been using this mascara a lot recently so the others have a lot to live up to. This mascara has probably my favourite packaging purely because its half pink, and this has a smaller curved wand with tiny bristles. This mascara does an amazing job at separating my eyelashes and it properly curls them. Like the other ones it makes my lashes really black which I like as my natural lashes are really fair, and it is very easy to remove as well. The wand is my favourite as it is really good for getting to the root of my lashes and really coating them, it also lasts on my lashes all day long. This is probably my favourite mascara so far! 

Bad Gal Bang
This the brand new mascara which I am very excited to try because I have heard really good things. The packaging is all black and the full sized mascara has a studded lid which is pretty cool. The wand is quite interesting, it is a long triangle shape with really tiny bristles and it is also very bendy which could be good we shall see. I have tested this mascara a few times now and I do have mixed feelings about it. I do like clumpy mascaras so if you do then you will definitely like it as well, it thickens them, it is easy to apply, it makes them super black and also feels like there's nothing on my lashes. The bendy wand does help it wiggle a little bit more when getting to the roots of my lashes as well. On the other hand, on both occasions it has transferred which confuses me as it is supposed to last 36 hours. It might be because my eyelids can get quite oily but none of my other mascaras do that. 

All of these mascaras retail between £19.50-£21.50 which is pricey but you do pay for the brand as well as the quality of the product. My favourites are the Roller Lash and Bag Gal Bang despite the transferring I do really like it because it gives me the most results in terms of the colour, thickness, volume and weight etc. Roller Lash is a really good mascara for every day wear and one you can rely on to last all day and still look good. Bag Gal Bang is really good if you want a more dramatic look, so I think I will be changing it up between these 2. The other ones were good but I saw better results in the 2 newest mascaras. 

So those were my thoughts on the 4 Benefit Cosmetics Mascara's.
Thank you so much for reading,



Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixkateblog
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

Thursday 22 March 2018

A £5 FOUNDATION STICK?! | IS IT ANY GOOD?



 Well hello there!
I am finally getting to post this today, I would have posted this last week but I had a delay with the delivery but hey ho we are here now. Makeup Revolution are absolutely KILLING IT at the moment, the amount of new products they have released lately is insane. So first they released the conceal & define concealer which blew up everywhere and everyone and their mum knows about it. Now they have released a foundation stick that is only £1 more expensive then the concealer??? Sorry what! That is so cheap for a foundation. It is an easy-to-apply stick formula melts into skin, blending seamlessly to leave a fresh and dewy finish. I got mine in the shade F1 which is the lightest shade (standard procedure), and the foundations come in 18 shades just like the concealer.

Packaging
They are really bringing out this nude matte packaging that I really like, then the text and once you open the lid it is a shiny copper colour which is really pretty. This foundation stick is super travel friendly, as it is smaller than my hand so you would be able to take this anywhere without it taking up too much space. It is very lightweight as well so you can tell it is a cheaper product but that does not matter and doesn't affect the quality of the product. I have shown in the picture how much product you get, there is 0.218 oz which I think is just below the average amount you get in a standard foundation.

Application
It is incredibly creamy which I love, and it is very easy to apply. It blends out like a dream and gives a beautiful dewy finish. It feels very lightweight on my skin, and you don't need as much product as you think because it distributes evenly across your skin. As my skin can get oily I did have to matte it down with some powder, and after I did that it still looked nice on my skin.

Longevity
Just to let you know if you don't already know that I have a combination skin type - my t-zone is super oily but the rest of my face especially under my eyes is really dry. This lasted around 6 hours on me and then my redness started to poke through, which is not too bad considering the formula of this foundation. The one thing I will say as well is that by the end of the day my face was fully dewy again.

Opinion
The main things I love about this foundation is how easy and quick it is to apply and the fact that it is only a fiver. I don't think I would wear this to work again, purely because I have not got the time to touch up with a matte powder a couple of times in the day. However, if I had a day event or just wanted to put on make up for a bit I would definitely wear this again, on a day where I know I can touch up. The formula of this foundation is definitely the easiest I have ever tried, it takes minimal effort and hardly any time whatsoever. This shade F1 is perfect for my skin tone so if you are more on the pale side, as always the lightest shade will be best for you. 

So that was my review on the new Makeup Revolution Foundation Stick.
Thank you  so much for reading,



Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixholdenx
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

Monday 19 March 2018

GLOSSY BOX OPENING MARCH 2018



Well hello there!
Apologies for this post going up late, I think there was a problem with deliveries because of the weather. The theme for this month's box is spring - for your skin to feel refreshed and revived. I am only going to be talking about 4 of the products as unfortunately they had problems with the suppliers (weather), so I did receive a product I have already spoken about.

Make Up Drop Silicone Sponge - I do already own a silicone sponge but I've never actually used it, I think I'm too scared to try it in case it ruins my makeup application. I do feel like the trend has now passed but if anyone does use a silicone sponge then at least now you can have another one. This sponge retails for £14.50 which I think is a bit pricey, you can pick the same thing up cheaper in Primark.

Figs & Rouge Soft Focus Pore Perfect Serum - This is something I was excited about, it is a weightless and matte serum that is supposed to reduce the appearance of pores. I do have big pores so I am looking forward to seeing if this works. It also has a action anti-blemish formula in it to reduce skin impurities and combat breakouts. It sounds really promising to me so I hope it works, this is a full size product and it retails for £35! Wowee.

Mudmusky Nourishing Mask - This is an overnight mask that claims to hydrate, soothe and smooth your skin. It is scented with natural rose water which is supposed to help enduce a more restful sleep. This is only the travel size but the full size retails for £61.

Oryza Lipstick - Another product I am excited about purely because it is makeup related, it is a warm nude lipstick. The finish is satin and it claims to be lightweight so I will definitely be testing this out. I have swatched it and the colour looks beautiful and it is very pigmented. This is another full size product and it retails for £15.95. 

If you are thinking about signing up for Glossy Box, I would highly recommend because this box is only £10 a month! You can sign up here
So that is the Glossy Box Opening for March.
Thank you so much for reading,


Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixholdenx
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

Thursday 15 March 2018

AVON MATTE LIPSTICKS REVIEW



Well hello there!
My mum is an Avon representative so she is always bringing a new catalogue home for me to look at. Avon is one of those brands that are not really spoken about on YouTube/Blogs, so I thought I would test out their matte lipsticks as they are fairly cheap. I picked up a set of 4 Matte Lipsticks which was on sale and only cost me £8 (not available anymore) but the individual matte lipsticks cost £8. The 4 shades in this set are: Au Naturale, Red Supreme, Pure Pink and Superb Wine. This lipstick claims to be: a 100% Matte look for a sculpted defined lip, lasting colour and comfort in just 1 sweep, colour stays true hour after hour, lightweight, hydrating formula, defines lips for a sculpted look, no drying, no cracking, no caking and guaranteed comfort.

Packaging
The packaging is pretty basic, they are matte black and has the silver inside. It is matte which matches the formula of the lipstick (I love the little things). The lipsticks feel pretty light so you know this is a cheaper product and not that it matters but I love the smell of Avon lipsticks.

Swatches

Application
Omg I am just going to start off by saying how creamy this formula is! It glides on your lips so you don't need to put any effort into applying these and they are very pigmented. The only thing about these is that they don't try down completely matte, and they aren't transfer proof. I was waiting a good 8 minutes and they still hadn't tried down. Once I did remove the first layer of this thought it did look a lot more matte, so I would maybe blot the first layer off with some tissue for it to look matte.

Longevity
I applied this lipstick at around 8am before work and to be fair it was completely gone at 14:00pm. That is quite a long time (6 hours) in my opinion and considering the formula of these, and I had been eating and drinking at lunch. If you blot this lipstick down it does become matte and transfer proof, which did make it last longer.

Opinion
After going over what this lipstick claims I do actually think it is true to the majority of what Avon have said. The formula is very lightweight and creamy which I love, these are indeed hydrating they do not dry my lips out whatsoever, they are extremely comfortable on my lips and they are very pigmented. However there are a couple of claims that I don't agree with: it does crack a little bit but that is the longer you wear it and that they say the colour stays true hour after hour, it does begin to fade after a couple of hours. Overall, there are more pro's than con's with this lipstick formula. In regards to the price they aren't the cheapest matte lipsticks, but if you like the sound of this formula then I definitely recommend them especially if you have really dry lips. You can buy these here. If you are looking for a lipstick that is matte from the beginning then I would check out the Makeup Revolution Lipsticks because they are only £3 and the formula is a lot more matte, you can buy these here.
So that was my review on the Avon Matte Lipsticks.
Thank you so much for reading,




Want to see more from me?

Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixholdenx
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

Monday 12 March 2018

MY BEAUTY BAY WISH LIST



Well hello there!
As you all know I am obsessed with buying makeup and I try to stay up to date with the latest releases as much as I can. With drugstore it's easy for me to pick up as they're cheaper, but when it comes to high end makeup it is not as easy as I can't always afford it. Today I thought I would share with you my Beauty Bay wish list. If you don't know what Beauty Bay is, it is a website that sells a lot of different brands of skin care/ brushes and make up etc. 

When I saw the leaked picture of this eye shadow palette I knew I was going to want this, I did not like the colour scheme of any of their eye shadow palettes since the Modern Renaissance. This colour scheme is a bit of me and I have decided I'm going to treat myself on pay day to this, it costs £43.

I have been wanting this for ages because I have heard so much rave about it, it just seems so perfect for getting rid of spots over night. It is quite expensive for a skin care product, it's £16 but I can see that it will be totally worth it I just need to actually make the purchase.

Another palette I have been wanting to get my hands on is this, I love how versatile it is with the pops of colour. I still haven't experimented with colour but I do really want to give it a try. This palette offers 'wearable' and 'non-wearable' shades which I love. This is a more expensive Morphe palette which is why I haven't got it because it is £37.
NikkieTutorials is a makeup queen and I love her makeup skills so much. This collab collection with Ofra is something else and this shade of one of the highlighters is everrryythinggggg. This costs £25.

These lashes are beautiful and fluffy, they aren't actually that expensive they're only £10 but again I just have not got round to purchasing them as I have loads of eyelashes in my collection I haven't used yet.

All of the American beauty YouTuber's I have watched has raved about this setting spray, mainly because of the mist and how well it distributes the product. So I have always been intrigued to try this out and it costs £15.


I love full coverage foundations especially for when I am going out clubbing or have a speical event. This is supposed to be one of the most full coverage foundations out there so I really want to give it a go but it is £34 for only 20ml which is very expensive.

So that is my current Beauty Bay wish list, I hope you enjoyed.
Thank you so much for reading,


Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixholdenx
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!

Thursday 8 March 2018

MY TOP 5 HIGH END NUDE LIPSTICKS



Well hello there!
I love a good nude lipstick and who doesn't? I have too many lipsticks and the majority of them are pretty much nude shades, so for today's post I thought I could share with you my favourite high end nude lipsticks.

Obvious one as everyone is obsessed with this lipstick but I do really love this shade. Not only the shade but also the formula, Mac matte lipsticks are so creamy and not drying at all. This is the only normal lipstick out of my favourite nudes and I will keep re-purchasing when I run out. I love the smell of Mac lipsticks also which I know has nothing to do with the shade but thought I would mention it. These lipsticks retail for £17.50, I think they have increased the price as I swear they used to be £16.50 which is annoying.

I have had this for quite a while in my collection and admittedly haven't used it for some time, but I did used to wear this all the time on nights out as it is very long lasting! This colour is so beautiful, as you'll begin to notice I love my browny rose shades. The only thing I don't like about these is that they can be quite drying which is probably why I haven't used it lately. These liquid lipsticks retail for £16 which is pretty standard for a high end lipstick.

For starters I love the packaging for this liquid lipstick so it's a winner to me already. I do also love how pigmented this is, I only need 1 dip of the product and I cover both my lipsticks. This shade is a pale browny nude which I love and these last such a long time! This retails for £16 which I think is such a good price for the quality of these lipsticks. 

Bare Minerals - XYZ
This has been in one of my monthly favourites before so I have spoken about it but it is still one of my favourite nude lipsticks. These lipsticks are very lightweight and comfortable on my lips and the colour is a more darker brown nude. As mentioned before it is the tiniest bit drying but I can live with it as I love everything else about it. This must be a limited edition shade as I can't find it anywhere, so I have linked the trio set it is included in which is currently on sale.

Jouer Cosmetics - Tawny Rose
This is another lightweight formula that I love, and they feel super comfortable. I have written a whole post on these nude shades from Jouer and if you have read that then you will know that I was a big fan of them and I still am. They are very pigmented, they stay pigmented for about 4 hours or so then they start to fade but you can easily top them up. These retail for £15 which is such a good price and is the cheapest out of all of my favourites.

Swatches
(apologies for the terrible swatching)

So those are My Top 5 High End Nude Lipsticks, if you would like to see a drugstore version of this then please comment and let me know!
Thank you so much for reading,



Want to see more from me?
Twitter: alixholdenx
Instagram: alixholdenx
Bloglovin': alixkate
Don't forget to subscribe to my blog to be notified every time I post!