Jumping On The Bandwagon: Rimmel Apocalips Lip Laquers

Hi guys and welcome to my new blog feature 'Jumping On The Bandwagon'. Like most beauty addicts I get drawn in to the hype surrounding new products, and whilst sometimes I totally understand the popularity, sometimes I can't help feeling a little disappointed. I have decided to start posting regular 'Jumping On The Bandwagon' posts where I will review some of the most popular, hyped up products on the market and I'll let you guys know if I really think they're worth spending your hard earned cash on.

(Top-Bottom: Luna, Big Bang, Nova, Apocaliptic)

As you have probably guessed, the first hyped product I am going to be putting to the test are the massively raved about Rimmel 'Apocolips'. The Rimmel website describes them as 'The end of colour as you know it. Invincibly smooth shine. Intense earth shattering shades.' But is this the case?

The short answer is yes. I have 4 colours in the drugstore lip laquers; 'Luna' a dusky Orange/Peach which reminds me a lot of my favourite Revlon Matte Lipstick in 'Smoked Peach', 'Big Bang' which is a bright true Hollywood Red shade, 'Nova' a bright Rose/Pink with blue undertones and 'Apocaliptic' which is a deep Raspberry/Fushcia and they are all insanely beautiful.

The texture of these lip laquers is like no other I have ever tried before. They are incredibly opaque in just one coat like a lipstick, but creamy and moisturising, more like a gloss. I honestly don't think I've ever tried anything, be that high end or drugstore, quite as impressive as these. 

(500 Luna)

(400 Big Bang)

(102 Nova)

(303 Apocaliptic)

All the swatches above are just with one layer of the lip laquers, I know incredible or what?! There are 8 shades in the collection and I am 100% going to be buying the rest of them, I have never been so excited about a new lip product. As someone with naturally dry lips these are just outstanding and have every quality I personally look for in a lip product; Opacity, longevity and a creamy, moisturising texture. And the best bit? They are currently on 3 for 2 at Superdrug, so that's 3 for just over a tenner, a bargain for such a high quality product if you ask me!

VERDICT: Worth the hype.

I hope you all like this new feature, let me know if there are any hyped products you would like me to review and I will happily do a bit of investigation, all in the name of research of course! 

Becca.x

Review - L'oreal Caresse Lipsticks

Today I am sharing with you some of my new favourite drugstore finds; The L'oreal Caresse lipsticks. Now I know they're old news, I remember people were going crazy for them around the same time as the Revlon Lip Butters blew up but for some reason I just never fancied dipping my toe in the water. Whilst I love moisturising lipsticks, I'm also a big fan of bold colour so I thought these tints might be a little wishy washy for me. How wrong I was.

(L-R: Cheeky Magenta, Dating Coral, Tempting Lilac)

The three colours I picked up were 'Cheeky Magenta' a suprisingly intense blue toned pink, 'Dating Coral' a natural looking every day coral and 'Tempting Lilac' a really wearable pinky-lilac. The packaging of these lipsticks is chic, sleek and expensive looking and the colour payoff is buildable to that of a regular lipstick, but with a more glossy, balmy finish. Dating Coral is by far my favourite, it is subtle enough to be worn every day but really helps brighten the complexion and make you look awake on those chilly mornings.

(Top-Bottom: Tempting Lilac, Dating Coral, Cheeky Magenta)

I am super impressed with these lipsticks. The formula, packaging and colour pay off is seriously admirable and I definitely prefer these to their drugstore rivals, the Revlon Lip Butters. These are the perfect lipsticks for work, keeping your lips nicely moisturised whilst maintaining a bright pop of colour. I've definitely got my eye on a few more of these bad boys.

Becca.x

OOTN - Saturday Night Dance I Like The Way You Move

Hi guys! Just a quick little post here to show you what I wore on Saturday night when I went out with some of my friends from work. I had my hair done on Friday, darker on the roots and my ombre freshened up but I also had a big chop, losing about 4 inches in length! It feels so short now but it was long overdue and my hair was feeling so damaged and was even breaking off on the ends. I just asked for a very blunt, mid length cut with a few subtle layers in for shape; It is taking me a while to get used to it but I certainly have a lot more volume now it's shorter!

Cream Blazer - ASOS

Polo Neck Dress - ASOS

Chain Necklace - Topshop

Studded Clutch - Mango

Lipstick - Sleek 'OMG'

Nails - Revlon 'Craving Coral

Ignore the lack of shoes; I wore my Office 'Debatable Lace' heels which you've seen many times before and they are so comfy and easy to walk in. I have been on the look out for the perfect reddy/orange lipstick and was almost coughing up the £18.50 for Nars 'Heatwave' when I stumbled across 'OMG' by Sleek in Superdrug. It is the perfect balance between red and orange and has the most beautiful creamy texture for less than a third of the price, I cannot recommend highly enough trying out this lipstick of you're a bright lip fan like me!

Becca.

Boots Beauty Haul

I went into Boots the other day to buy a new conditioner and as is always the case with these pesky little 'drug store' trips I came out with a lot more than intended. My skin has been really suffering with all these temperature changes, my usually oily skin has become incredibly dry and patches of Eczema have flared up on parts of my face (mmm). Couple that with my Mascara and Primer both running out at the same time and a genuine addiction to lipsticks, things obviously got a little out of hand.

Aveeno Skin Relief Lotion with Shea Butter - I always use Aveeno products when my Eczema flares up and as it's really bad at the moment I decided to invest in a new lotion. I can normally tell pretty instantaneously if it is going to work for me and unfortunately this one isn't. I thought the added Shea Butter would make it extra moisturising but it just hasn't felt any better and it leaves a residue on the skin that I'm not keen on. I think if you were just looking for a good moisturising body lotion you may like this, but for Eczema it's just not up to the standards I generally expect from Aveeno products.

Dr.Jart Pore Refine Recover Primer - As I already mentioned, my Collection 2000 'Primed and Ready' Primer has just finished and I have been on the look out for a new one. I did think the Collection one was good value for money but it was too thick and silliconey for my liking and I do feel like it highlighted any dry patches rather than smoothing over them. Previously I have also tried the Benefit 'Porefessional', Clarins 'Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch' and L'oreal 'Lumi Magique Primer' and whilst I liked all 3, with the Clarins one being a definite front runner, I decided to try something new and plumped for the Dr.Jart one after hearing so many rave reviews about other products such as the BB creams. So far I have only tried this primer once but the initial impressions are good, not overwhelming, but good. It is a gel that leaves you with a slightly dewy finish which is quite unusual for a primer. I will do a full review when I have fully made up my mind about it but so far so good. 

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo - After hearing so much hype about this product I just couldn't resist picking it up when I saw it for 1/3 off in Boots. It is essentially a treatment for oily/blemish prone skin, and whilst my skin has been feeling more dry lately, I have been breaking out all over the place and I know now the weather is warming up slightly I will be back to my usual oily self in no time. I tried this last night and this morning and I just love the way it sinks into the skin. Obviously I can't say much on it until I have tested it further but first impressions are very promising and I have high hopes for this massively hyped product.

Organix Macademia Oil Conditioner - My hair is super dry after dip dying it and using heat on it so I was in desperate need of a good conditioner to put some moisture back into it. I haven't heard much about this range on any blogs I read but I thought I would give it a try anyway as I know Macademia Oil is meant to be amazing.

Maybelline 'The Falsies' Mascara - For some reason I never buy anything from Maybelline, apart from the Colour Tattoos I don't think I've actually tried any of their products. I don't know what it is about them but their products just never appeal to me and I always find myself getting more drawn in by other highstreet brands such as Revlon and Rimmel. I've heard a lot of people go on about The Falsies Mascara though and decided to give it a go while Maybelline were on buy one get one half price at Boots. The wand has a curved brush with plenty of bristles but the Mascara is quite wet which I'm not a big fan of. I think I'll be sticking with my favourite Clarins 'Wonder Perfect' Mascara in the future.

Maybelline Colour Sensational Lipstick in 'Electric Orange' - I just love orange lipstick so couldn't wait to get my hands on this shade when I heard about from the Vivid Collection. This is the first and only time I have ever felt excited by any Maybelline products and I am pleased to say the pigmentation and formula is excellent. Electric Orange is a true, neon orange unlike my other favourite orange, Topshop's 'Infrared' which has a lot more red in it. I will definitely be picking up more of these shades, Neon Red is next on my list!

I'm really enjoying seeing all the new products highstreet beauty brands are bringing out for Spring/Summer. I am desperate to get my hands on a few of the Rimmel 'Apocalips' lip laquers that everyone is raving on about at the moment but all the colours I've had my eye on were sold out with them being on 3 for 2. What are your favourite drug store beauty buys?

Becca.

OOTN - Rebel Rebel

Good evening all! I have spent tonight in a lovely little local restaurant with a couple of my close friends and thought I'd just quickly show you what I wore. It's a fairly casual low-key eatery so I didn't go for anything too dressy or over the top but I couldn't resist throwing on this gorgeous little dress I got in the Urban Outfitters sale.

Dress - Urban Outfitters

Leather Jacket - Zara

Fur Stole - H&M

Studded Bag - Mango

'Upperhand' Boots - Office

Lipstick - Mac 'Rebel'

I love this dress so much! It was actually my friend who picked it out in Urban Outfitters and was like 'This is so you, it's like Taylor Swift going on a date with Harry Styles!' and frankly that sold it to me. It's a smock-style dress and I do feel ever so slightly like a pregnant lady in it but I'm down with that, it is super comfy and will take me right through to Summer.

The lipstick is another new addition, oops. I've loved wearing a dark berry lip shade all through winter but I really wanted something a little brighter but still with that vampy vibe so 'Rebel' seemed like the perfect option. It is a satin finish so not too matte but not too shiny and translates on the lips as a really vivid berry colour.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend, I'm working so won't be doing anything too exciting but I won the Christmas incentive at work so I have a £50 Topshop voucher waiting for me yay!

Becca.

OOTN & New Years Resolutions

Happy new year everyone! 2012 has just flown by, there have been ups and downs but overall I cannot believe how much has changed in the space of only a year. There has been babies, new houses, weddings and graduations; Everyone is growing up and it was lovely to spend last night with all of my closest friends. Here is a couple of snaps of what I wore last night, me and Andrew held a NYE party at our house but we still insisted on everyone getting dressed up as we don't really get to do it very often any more and it's nice to see everyone all scrubbed up!

Dress - Topshop

Chain Necklace - Topshop

Shoes - Office

'Sartorial' Lipstick - Topshop

New Years Resolutions

1) Get Healthy - Normally I go for 'Lose 6 stone' or 'Cut out cheese' which are obviously never going to happen so this year I have gone for something a little more realistic. I am going to eat a bit healthier, exercise a bit more but generally not restrict myself.

2) Have Fun - Me and Andrew have agreed this as a sort of mutual resolution; We need to have more fun, go out more, see our friends, not worry about the little things so much. 

3) Be Positive - I am probably the most negative person you will ever meet. I always assume the worst, I look on the downside of every situation and always prepare myself for bad outcomes before they even happen. I am going to try and be more upbeat and hopefully it will encourage a little luck to be sent my way. 

4) Get My Finances In Order - I am absolutely horrendous when it comes to money. I need to control my incomings and outgoings a lot more efficiently and start saving so I can afford to do things I want to do.

5) Get Away - Me and Andrew have been together 6 and a half years now and never been on a proper holiday. This year I want us to go and visit somewhere we've always wanted to visit and be able to enjoy ourselves without worrying about money.

What are YOUR new years resolutions?

Becca.

A Very Festive OOTD

Long time no see blog friends! If any of you work in retail I'm sure you know just how crazy it gets over the Christmas period but come January I should have a lot more free time to post more regularly. I spent Christmas day at my Aunty's house with my mum and my cousins and it was a lovely day, mainly spent cooing over baby Lily! I thought I'd show you what I wore to Christmas dinner, and throw in a few family photos for good measure!

Sequin Jumper - Topshop

Disco Pants - American Apparel

Boots - Pop (Independent shop in Leeds)

'Holloway' Bag - Radley

Lipstick - Revlon 'Spiced Brandy'

My mum bought me the American Apparel Disco Pants for Christmas so this was my first outing in them. I've been debating them for a while but I've tried them on a few times before and seemed to be between sizes and after my bad experience with the Topshop dupes I resigned myself to the fact that those super shiny leggings just weren't for me. I finally settled on a size and I now couldn't be happier, they are so comfy, they really do suck you in and they are such amazing quality! If you are between sizes, definately go for the smaller size as I find these have stretched loads already.

This jumper was another Christmas present from my mum (Isn't she lovely) and I love how long and slouchy it is! I'm not confident enough for the whole 'top tucked into disco pants' ensemble so I love that this gave me suitable bum and thigh coverage! I bought it from the tall section in Topshop as I do with most tops/jumpers so it is nice and long.

And now for a few family snaps...

Me and Mama Sav

Beautiful Baby Lily

Myself and the yummy mummy

Christmas cuddles with Lily

I hope you all had a very merry Christmas. I've been working none stop but I'm off for new year so can't wait to relax and catch up with friends over a tipple or two thousand! How did you all celebrate the festive period?

PS this is my last Christmas post I promise!

Becca.

100 Followers Giveaway!

I'm so happy! I finally reached 100 GFC followers today and I can't believe how far my little blog has come! I just want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has followed/supported/read my blog as it brings me so much happiness knowing someone enjoys reading what I ramble on about. I've decided to hold a little giveaway to celebrate and give something back to you guys so be sure to enter, good luck everyone!

Good luck everyone and thanks again!

Becca.x

OOTD - Leopard & (Fake) Litas

Hi guys, just another little outfit post for you today featuring my new Lita rip-offs from Office! I just cannot get over how comfy they are, I'm usually the girl who takes her shoes off after about 5 minutes on a night out and forgets one of them in the taxi on the way home but I think these may just change that! Not that I actually go out anymore...

Shirt - River Island

Skirt - Topshop

Coat - Label Lab @ House of Fraser

Fur Stole - H&M

Boots - Office

Lipstick - Chantecaille 'Aurora' 

Apologies for featuring this skirt AGAIN. I know its been in my last 3 outfit posts but I honestly cannot stop wearing it, it literally goes with everything, I just love it! I bought this leopard print shirt from River Island a couple of months ago and I love the black contrasting sleeves and little studs on the collar,it's perfect for this time of year.

I have a few days off work at the moment so I'm trying to post as often as possible, I'm really enjoying blogging and can't believe it's nearly 6 months since I started, I feel like I've come such a long way. I'm nearly at 100 GFC followers now and looking forward to doing a little give away to thank you all for your support so keep your eyes peeled for that over the next couple of weeks! In terms of the prize I'm unsure whether to go for one high end item or whether to get a few different drugstore bits so let me know what you guys would prefer, it's one of you who will be receiving it afterall!

Becca.x