Battle of the BB Creams!

 

 Hey y'all! Today, I felt like jumping on the BB bandwagon and doing a bit of a review/ comparison on two of what the high street has to offer to this new phenomenon. As I'm sure most of you all know, the BB cream is the slightly less high maintenance sister of the foundation, but the slightly more substantial sister of the tinted moisturiser, if that makes any sense!

 

BB stands for 'Blemish Balm', or 'Beauty Balm', or so states the 'BB Creams for Dummies' handbook (I jest...). This stuff supposedly offers similar coverage to a heavier duty product, such as foundation, but without all the nasties that foundations contain. BB Creams are said to target uneven skin tone, scarring, discolouration, etc to leave your skin looking naturally glowy and clear. Its difference from tinted moisturisers, I hear you ask. The jury is still out on that one, but, for now, lets get right into reviewing two BB Creams that I have acquired over the last couple of months and see which one wins the battle of the BB Creams.....

 

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB

 

 

 

This product boasts 8 in 1 skin benefits including its ability to blur imperfections, hydrate all day and compliment skin tone. It apparently provides an 'instant fresh face glow' and comes in four shades, Light, Medium, Dark and Universal Glow.

 

Pros

•  SPF 30 - extra high protection for a cosmetic product
•  Natural, glowy finish
•  Fairly long-lasting
•  Medium coverage
•  Easily available to world market

Cons

• Shading is problematic - 'light' being slightly darker than I expected
• Unbalanced in terms of tone - very pink toned
• Feels slightly greasy on the skin
• Caused BREAKOUTS!!
• Price - a little overpriced for what you're getting

I picked up Maybelline's attempt at the BB Cream in July, before my holiday abroad. I wanted something light that I could wear in sweltering heat and the high SPF of this product is what initially drew me to it. I did my research, and this was the highest SPF available in a high street BB Cream at that time and so it ticked all the boxes for me. It was priced at around €12, which I though was a little expensive for the 30mls you get, but hey, I was desperate.

I began using this when I arrived in Spain and was pleasantly surprised at the natural and glowly finish it gave me. It was buildable, which meant I could apply slightly more product in the areas I needed it. At the time, my skin was in one of its moods, which I didn't attribute to the product at all. But things were soon to change....

After I arrived home, I took a break from the BB Cream and went back to my usual routine, which I have in fact written a blog post about, if you're interested. My skin was on the mend, thanks be to God, so, on a lazy Sunday a couple of weeks ago, I decided to ditch the foundation and break out the BB Cream once more. It was great letting my skin breath again, but things that I hadn't really picked up on in Spain, being in the holiday mood that I was, came to the fore. First and foremost, the product looked too pink toned and didn't blend in with the rest of my skin very well. It felt slightly heavy and looked a little greasy on the skin. Most alarming, however, was waking up for college on Monday morning with a sprinkling of whiteheads across my forehead and chin. I was devastated, having been so elated to have cleared my skin for the first time in months the previous week. This really made me turn my back on this product and, to this day, I vow never again to use it.

                                                                                  

This product is really handy if its a quick holiday fix you're after, giving a natural finish and extremely high sun protection. But for a day-to-day basis, I would not recommend this product, unless you feel like dabbling with acne for a fortnight....

Sleek 'Be Beautiful' Blemish Balm

 

 

This product apparently provides a full coverage formulation and conceals, repairs and protects the skin. Coming in three shades, Light, Medium and Dark, it contains red algae extract, which assists in the prevention of wrinkles and Vitamin C, a potent anti-oxidant.

 

 

Pros

 

•  SPF 15 - suitable for everyday protection in temperate climate
•  Natural, glowy finish
•  Conceals imperfections and redness very well
•  Medium, buildable coverage
•  Price - good value for what you get

Cons

•  Not very long lasting
•  Hard to get a hold of outside the UK
•  Shading - Light is darker than I expected it to be

I was desperate to try this BB Cream, both after my debacle with the Maybelline one and upon hearing 'Gossmakeupartist' on YT claiming that it's one of the best high street make-up products. I took the chance to pick this up when I was in the UK last week, with Sleek being very hard to get a hold of anywhere else. The Cream was £8.99, so about €12 which is very good value for the 50mls you get.

I started using Sleek's attempt at the skin craze last week and I am very impressed. The product offers an incredibly natural finish with a medium coverage and when I wear it, I feel as though I'm not wearing any make-up, but I still have the confidence of having my imperfections concealed. I quite like Sleek's claim of using wrinkle prevention based ingredients, which is something that make-up isn't usually concerned with. This product is definitely a lot darker than I would have expected, but unlike the Maybelline one, it just sinks into the skin without looking streaky or orange. Unfortunately, this product is not extremely long lasting, but with a bit of powder, you can't really go wrong.

All in all, I'm very satisfied with this product and would highly recommend it to fellow beauty junkies. If its the natural look you're after, but without the dreaded imperfections peeking through, then this is the one you want. (Oh and please don't be put off by my dodgy photograph, I squirted out way too much product.)

Thanks for reading guys, and hopefully this has helped anyone out there who feels like joining me on the BB Cream bandwagon.

xx

 



My Biggest YouTube Fashion Inspirations

Hi guys! I thought I'd write a post today on my biggest YT fashion inspirations. In my opinion, YT is the dark horse of trend setting in the fashion industry. Forget Alexa Chung or Vogue, YT is home to some seriously talented individuals in terms of fashion. For as long as I've been old enough to understand the power of fashion, YT fashion vloggers have inspired me in a massive way, setting trends months before the retailers can catch on and offer them to the masses. You know those striped black and white Beetlejuice style jeans that everyone seems to be wearing to death these days? Well, I remember one of my favourite YT Gurus premiering those babies to her viewers back in the realms of 2011. I tried to keep this to my Top 5, but found it absolutely impossible to break it down from my Top 7 So, if you're looking to inject some style credits into your wardrobe, then check out these darlings . . . .

BeautyCrush

BeautyCrush, ie 23 year old Londoner Samantha, has been the longest standing style inspiration in my life and I'm sure anyone reading will probably have to agree. This girl is incredible, so watchable and a real girl next door with a not so girl next door sense of style. Sammi sticks to a palette of blacks and neutrals with her fashion choices which certainly appeals to my own personal style. She jazzes her outfits up with unique accessories of usually luxuriously gold hardware and has seriously increased my lust for Michael Kors arm candy. If there's anyone out there that hasn't heard of this beauty already (which I seriously doubt) then follow this link pronto:

http://www.youtube.com/user/beautycrush

Blog: http://www.beautycrush.co.uk/

 

LeanneWoodfull

Next up is a Dublin girl who I could easily spend hours watching and listening to, due to her down-to-earth personality and brilliant sense of humour, not to mention her stunningly unique sense of style. At 19, Leanne has achieved what most fashion savvy individuals could only dream of and today, is one of Ireland's most successful fashion and beauty bloggers and YT Gurus. Leanne mixes goth glam with her interest in Old Hollywood, which I absolutely love and take heavy inspiration from. Please, for the love of Ireland, check out this girl:

http://www.youtube.com/user/leannewoodfull
Blog: http://thunderandthreads.blogspot.ie/

 

NiaSays

Nia, who is of Indian heritage, grew up in Hong Kong and now studies in London and with this cultural melting pot, a truly unique fashion eye was born. This girl is stunningly beautiful and I still can't over her incredible looks each time I open my YT subscription box. Nia is probably my favourite YT girl to watch, as I adore the manner in which she puts pieces together to create perfectly eclectic looks. On top of all that, she has the most wonderful voice, so even when she uploads a 'talky' video, I can't help but become engrossed. If you're looking for a truly lovely girl with a great sense of personal style, then I urge you to follow this link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/NiaSays
Blog: http://niasays.blogspot.com/

 

SoTotallyVlog

Alexia is another YT fashion vlogger with a fantastically sick sense of style. This girl has a body to die for and would look stunning in a bin bag, but, thankfully, decks herself out in much nicer clobber than a bin bag! I'm ridiculously jealosus of Lexi's considerable Chanel bag collection, bag envy to say the very least. . . STV encompasses a combination of classic pieces with edgy and unique items and is an inspiration unto herself.  Lexi is my most recent find in the world of YT Gurus and boy, am I glad I found her. If you to would like to discover this YT gem, then just follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sototallyvlog
Blog: http://www.fashionfilth.com/

 

Sunbeamjess

If its one of a kind style you're after, then 18 year old Jessica is worth a look. This girl has the most risk-taking and boundary-puhing sense of style of all the girls on my list. The way Jess styles pieces is revolutionary and completley unlike anybody else I've seen on YT. This girl takes risks, but never seems to put a toe out of line in terms of her outfit choices. Her Jeffrey Campbell collection is to die for and I particularly love her dip dyed green hair, which adds a final edge to any ootd. Here's her link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/sunbeamsjess
Blog: http://sunbeamsjess.blogspot.ie/

 

thefashioncitizen

The only US entry on my list is reserved for Arizonian sisters Stephanie and Melanie. Personally, I don't seem to come across very many US fashion vloggers who have the edge that attracts me, but these girls definitely do. What I really love about the girls is their fierce perchant for Goodwill buying and making an ancient item look right on trend for only a couple of dollars. Melanie has a sweet and feminine sense of style, waering florals and chiffon shirts mostly. I particularly love Stephanie's personal style which is pretty much summed up in her mantra, "All black, everything"! If you'd like to earn your stripes stateside then just follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/thefashioncitizen
Blog: http://thefashioncitizen.com/

ThePersianBabe

ThePersianBabe, aka, 19 year old Barbara has a personal style that totally appeals to me. She mixes high street trends with simple basics to create ultra sophisticated yet casual outfits that are super relatable for girls like me pottering around town, going in and out of college and the likes. I really admire how Barbara mixes and matches simple accessories from stores such as H&M and Zara to put her own individual twist on any otherwise plain OOTD. She totally inspires to jazz up my outfits on the days even when I'm feelingat my most lazy and if you think you'd like to get inspired yourself, then here's her link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ThePersianbabe

Well, that's all for today, folks. I'm always on the lookout for style inspiration so please comment below about your favourite fashion fiends, as I'd love to hear about them!

xx

 

My Everyday Make-up Routine

Hi blog readers! Since I'm feeling slightly virginal in the world of blogosphere, I thought I would begin this crazy and ever-so-daunting journey by sharing my 'Everyday Make-Up Routine'. It's something that I feel many girls and young women, myself included, gain benefit from, as its quite interesting to compare your own routine against other girls your age, as well as getting the dirt on exactly how amazing (or not so amazing) that new mascara really is.
In terms of my own routine, I am fairly low maintenance when it comes to my day-to-day make-up choices, preferring to concentrate on creating a perfect base and keeping it simple with the eyes and lips. If you're interested in seeing what I like to do, then read on......

Base

As I said before, I take the most pride, in terms of make-up, in creating a perfect base. Due to my acne-prone skin, faking good skin is a must for me and so foundation is a necessity. On good days, I love going for a lighter coverage but unfortunately, those days ain't a-plenty:

 1. I begin with moisturized skin. I know, d'uh, but I really can't stress how much better foundation glides across the skin when it has a tacky base to cling to. Over this, I apply the Natural Collection's Green Corrector Stick, which works absolute wonders in toning down red and angry skin. I know, it looks terrifying, but to anyone out there with acne scarring, it will change your life, no joke.

2. Over this, I apply Revlon Colorstay Foundation, for Combination/Oily skin in the shade 150 Buff.  This stuff is holy-grail material, giving a medium to full coverage with a semi-matte, semi-dewy finish. I know I couldn't live without this product as it gives me a wealth of confidence, even on my worst skin days.

3. Onto another much raved about, holy-grail product, in the form of Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection Concealer, in the shade 1 Fair. I cannot say enough about this product, and for about €6, you really can't go wrong. For a more concentrated coverage, I apply with my fingers directly onto problem areas or else smear onto my stippling brush for fuller coverage of a wider area. Guys, you need this in your life.

4. Once the basics have been covered, I move onto the extra tweaks that add a bit of pop. If I'm feeling oily, I powder with L'Oréal Bare Naturale Gentle Mineral Powder in the shade 408 Soft Ivory, along the forehead and around the chin. To add a bit of colour, I sometimes apply Bourjois Délíce de Poudre (or the Chocolate Bronzer to you and me) down the backs of the cheekbones and along the cheeks. I'm not huge on blusher, but sometimes drift towards Sleek's Blush in 933 Coral.

Eyes

I tend to be quite lazy when it comes to my eyes, sometimes only going for mascara, but this is what I usually do when I want to add a little something extra:

1. Of course, I begin with my brows, using Essence Eyebrow Designer in 04 Blonde. I can't say this is a revolutionary product, but it does the job when I need to fill in those pesky sparse areas.

2. When I feel like adding a bit of definition for whatever reason, I usually go in with Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in 40 Permanent Taupe along the crease. This is such an easy product to use either with a fluffy brush, or just with your fingers if you're running late. What I really like about it is, when it first goes on, it looks like a kind of cool toned slate grey, but after a few hours of wear, it warms up in this lovely warm brown, which always looks nice in the crease.

3. If I really feel like making an effort, I'll run the Miss Sporty Mini Me Eyeliner in 020 Grizzly along the tight-line and at the outer corners of the upper lid. I'll then take the Natural Collection Eye Lines in White along the water line, to enlarge my annoyingly small eyes, and on the tear-duct, to brighten them up.

4. Finally, I'll curl my eyelashes and liberally apply Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara. I'm not picky with mascara, as I feel that they all do the same job, but this one is pleasant enough to use.

Lips

Once again, lips are not my forte on a day-to-day basis but these are some of the products that I would drift towards:

1. I always, always, always apply Carmex. It's brilliant stuff, as I'm sure most of you are well aware of and if not, then definitely give it a whirl.

2. If I feel like adding a bit of colour, I'll go for either Bourjois's Lipstick in 06 Rose Balnéaire, which gives a lovely sheer pink sheen, or else I'll add a No7 Perfect Lips Pencil in 10 Blush, which adds nice matte pink dimension to the lips.

I hope this has given any readers out there a bit of an insight into the make-up routine of an Average Joe like myself. I'd love to hear anyone's opinion, good or bad, on any of the products mentioned and I hope to speak to you again soon!

xx