Ok so as you can probably tell I do like my bargains when it comes to makeup! Especially quality bargains. I brought this lipstick as I have heard many different reviews which were all raving about it, some even comparing it to the quality of mac!
I have always wanted to try a red but didn't want to splurge on something that a) I might not wear that often and b) might not even suit me! Therefore when I saw these, I went for it. I brought this lipstick in shade 1, which is a deep red. (I feel that darker reds tend to suit paler skin and darker hair?)
Firstly the packaging. It looks quite nice I think, but when you actually get it, it does seem a bit cheap. You get 3.8g of product, which for £1 is very good! At the bottom it also has a primer/lipgloss (I've heard different people say different things about what it is) which is the same colour as the actual lipstick. I thought that this was a really good idea, however when I got mine it is impossible to get off! If you plan to use this I would recommend leaving yourself about 5 or 10 minutes just to get to it! I was a bit dissapointed in that, but maybe I just have a faulty one? It is still handy to see the colour though I guess...
Then, I tried it on. I was really really impressed with how pigmented it came out! Now I understand why people were comparing these to mac products which are way over triple the price! I really like the colour if what you are looking for is a deep red. It also went on really nice and smoothly and didn't take too long to apply. So far I was really impressed :)
However, this is quite drying on your lips (unlike the mac lipsticks) and I think that you would probably need to keep applying lipbalm if you can't handle having dry lips (I know I can't!) Maybe this is what the primer at the bottom is for...I wouldn't know as I can't get to it...:|
Staying Power; I think shade 1 is a shade that is really meant for night time, so when I got it I wore it on a night out! (PS this shade is VERY nice on a night out :) ) Suprisingly it stay on really well, it did come off a little bit on the glass and I had to reapply once or twice but come on, it's £1 I expected that!
I am so impressed with this lipstick! It is definetely comparable to the mac lipsticks (except it doesn't have that gorgeous smell that mac does). I shall be stocking up on more colours! :)
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| only one swipe! |
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| I managed to get lid the lid off! yay ! :) |
Panoxyl 2.5 Aquagel
Panoxyl 2.5 aquagel is a treatment for acne containing Benzoyl Peroxide. I was skeptical at first because I read reviews about how it was so drying on their skin, and it costs just £3.19 for 40g of product and lets be honest it is not often that such a cheap product works. However I then got an amazon voucher and I decided to get this as it was quite cheap.
I'm SO glad i did this! After applying it at night I woke up the next morning and although my smaller spots and scars hadn't been affected my biggest spots had been reduced by a lot! At this point my skin wasn't dry so I wasn't sure I should believe the reviews that I had read. Although I have heard that this gel works by drying out the spots and therefore the areas around them where you have applied the gel, so perhaps the gel just hadn't been that effective for the first few days?
I continued to use it and now after two weeks I have had no breakouts and my spots are barely visible, although I do think it will take another few weeks for the small stubborn spots to go. Very impressed! What was even more impressive is my many small blackheads on my nose are now starting to go! Something i have never been able to achieve before! :)
HOWEVER this gel does have its bad points. As I said at the beginning I had read this gel was supposed to be very drying. After two weeks, yes my T-zone is a lot drier now! (I only use it on my T-zone as everywhere else is quite sensitive and dry, and I don't get many spots there anyway.) The skin at the top of nose just in between my eyebrows is also peeling which makes foundation application a little rougher there. Also one day I woke up and my forehead was red, looking like I had a sunburn!
Despite all this I definetely think it is worth it, and I have now started using jojoba oil for my dry skin which I really think is working to combat my now very dry skin.
I wouldn't recommend putting this all over your skin unless you have severe acne everywhere as it just isn't worth it, just put a small amount on the affected areas.
On the box it says "This gel should be carefully applied once daily to the areas affected by aacne. Washing with soap and water prior to application enhances the efficacy of the preparation."
It also says that this product may bleach dyed fabrics. I personally have not had a problem with this but just to be safe I would recommend that you wash your hands after applying, and make sure it has dried on your skin before you put your clothes on as I have heard that some people have had an issue with this.
You can also get panoxyl 5 and panoxyl 10. I haven't tried these but I have heard that these are even more drying on your skin so I'm not sure I want to! Perhaps these would be good if you have very oily skin? I think it is better to try out the lowest percentage first and then work up if you want to though because your skin might be too sensitive to high percentages.
This product is available on amazon for £3.19 for 40g or £9.49 for a triple pack of 40g. Very cheap compared to the high end brands that don't even work as well in my opinion! You only need a small amount so this lasts for a long time therefore making this product even better value for money!
Let me know if any of you have used it and if anything worked for you to combat the dry skin!
Makeup Academy (MUA) Liquid Liner
I really needed a new liquid liner, so I went into superdrug and saw this one going for £1. For £1 I thought why not?! I immediately went home to test it out, and to be honest it isn't that bad!
I have only tried it in black (shade 5) and the colour is really quite pigmented and it is easy to apply. I was really impressed with how it came out, especially as it is only £1!! My only complaint would be that i wish the brush was a little bit stiffer as this would make it easier to apply, but it wasn't too difficult once you get the hang of it!
So far so good...
Next test; how long will it stay on for?
Considering the cost I took a big risk in deciding to wear this all day to school, but I had to test it out properly.
It stays on quite well, but it doesn't stay on completely. I wouldn't rely on it to have perfect eyeliner all day as gradually it just comes off (not smudges, just literally disappears..). But it isn't bad (it even stayed on quite well on a night out!)
Conclusion?
Well obviously there are a lot better ones out there, which would stay on for a lot longer, but if you were on a budget or needed a spare then I would definetely recommend this!
