Christmas Gift Guide: Maybelline

Possibly my favourite affordable brand, and by affordable I mean products that are actually affordable, Maybelline offer a number of great gifting ideas. 

Nail varnishes make for great stocking fillers and Colour Show offer some lovely colours at reasonable prices (just £2.99 a bottle). I've yet to find a nail varnish that is durable against my lifestyle but this one is a true contender. Pop a couple of these in your loved ones stocking and there will be no disappointments, just make sure you pick her favourite colours and not ones she has 10,000 of already. 

Another great stocking filler is the Baby Lips lip balms. There's a number of colours as well as their new 'electro' range so there really is something for everyone. I've read a couple of reviews that say these dry your lips but I didn't find that. Although I didn't find them overly moisturising, I was buying them more for the colour. They are better than lipsticks when it comes to hydration and still give you a nice colour that isn't over-powering - plus the packaging makes them a cute addition to anyone's makeup bag. 

Available at Boots for £2.99 each. 

As previously mentioned in my last post, the Baby Skin primer is my favourite, bargain primer. It's heavily silicone-based and leaves your skin feeling extremely smooth. It helps my foundation blend, especially in areas that can become dry and make foundation appear clogged up, for example around the eyes and in the corners of your nose. I will sometimes apply it over these areas on top of my foundation for maximum blending. 

I promise I don't work for Boots, but this product is only £7.99 and is regularly on offer. If you're lucky enough to find a 3 for 2 offer, why not pick up this and a couple of nail varnishes and kick off that Christmas shopping? 

Christmas Gift Guide: Rimmel

If you are reading this in hope of finding some stocking fillers, or main gift ideas for the more expensive brands, then my personal opinion would be to steer clear of Rimmel. Although it may seem a cheap way to bulk out the stocking, the products feel just that; cheap. 

So not to spread complete negativity, I'll start with the Stay Blushed! cream as it is my favourite of all Rimmel products. A pea-size amount spread over both cheek bones will boost your rosiness and help define your features. 

In two colours, Pop of Pink (pictured) and Sunkissed Cherry, you can choose between brighter or more blushed cheeks. 

When applying, I tend to put it on in-between my foundation and powder as it is a cream so will wear away at pressed foundations and powders. If it's just a little boost of colour I'm after, I'll put it on in-between primer and foundation. So it's worth a practise-run to find your preference. 

This is a lovely product and would come in use to any lovely lady with an interest in makeup. Available in Boots for £4.49. 

The Fix and Perfect Primer and Hide the Blemish concealer aren't really worth a try in my opinion. The primer is useless and makes no difference to my skin/foundation/general makeup application. If you're looking for a primer that won't break the bank, I'd head towards the Maybelline counter and give Baby Lips a go. Review to come shortly. 

The concealer reminds me of the one I had when I was going through that greasy-skinned teenage phase, used purely to cover spots, with no other makeup on my face. It's thick and the lipstick style, solid applicator will actually hurt if you brush it over a sore spot. It doesn't last and, because of how heavy it is, it doesn't blend all that well either. 

I've been using my Touché Éclat as a concealer for the time being but it's a costly habit I'm going to have to try and avoid. 

I rarely like to bad-mouth brands as they all have their good and bad qualities but from personal experience, I'd rather an honest review than someone who is simply trying to sell the product. Over the years I've tried a number of Rimmel mascaras and foundations but have yet to find any that are worthy of a good review. So watch this space.