Becks Beauty Buzz: My make-up bag must haves!

Becks Beauty Buzz: My make-up bag must haves!: I am constantly trying new products and as a consequence my make-up bag is filled to overflowing, but there are certain items that I couldn&...

My make-up bag must haves!

I am constantly trying new products and as a consequence my make-up bag is filled to overflowing, but there are certain items that I couldn't live without regardless of how many brands I try!
My everyday make-up is very natural and fuss-free and I rarely spend more than 5 minutes on it!  I like a sheer base, liner, mascara and a hint of colour on my cheeks & lips.
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB cream gives me natural coverage whilst still disguising imperfections. I have tried lots of different brands (see previous post) but still return to this every time!
To reduce any shine I turn to Collection 2000 Sheer translucent loose powder.  I buff it over my face with a large powder brush and it provides me with a velvety feel and look instantly, plus at only £2.99 it doesn't break the bank.
For my eyes I put a thin line of Avon Glimmerstick for eyes in cosmic brown (£6.00) as close to my upper lashes as I can get.  This liner goes on smoothly without dragging my skin and the colour lasts all day without smudging.
I like to use a swipe of Rimmel Scandaleyes Kohl Liner in nude (£3.99) along my lower waterline to reduce redness and give me a wide-awake look.
I have tried many mascaras but the one I rely on is No7 Exquisite Curl Mascara (£11.00) in brown/black.  A quick wiggle at the base of my lashes & then a sweep of the specially curved wand through to the tips and I have done away with the need for eyelash curlers, and opened up my eyes in a flash.
To finish I simply rub a little Vaseline Lip Therapy in rosy (£1.99) onto the apples of my cheeks and and lips for a natural, healthy flush of colour and smooth lips into the bargain!
I like to experiment with my evening look and therefore don't really have favourites but there is one product definitely worth a mention and that is MUA Pro Palettes for eyes - at only £4.00 and with 12 complimentary colours per set they are a real bargain so you can afford to play with your look!  Plus the colours are buildable and blend brilliantly so you can create loads of individual looks from a single palette!
What are your make-up bag heroes?  Let me know, and if you try any of the products mentioned let me know what you think.
xx

THE RISE OF THE BB CREAM

Readers of my earlier posts will know that one of my must have products is Garnier Miracle Skin Protector BB Cream – it moisturises, has SPF15 protection, covers imperfections & blemishes, provides natural looking coverage, smells gorgeous and makes my skin glow....all for a very purse friendly £9.99 (avg RRP) – whats not to love?

But what exactly is a BB Cream and are they different to a tinted moisturiser?

According to Wikipedia, a BB (Blemish/Beauty Balm) Cream is promoted as one facial cosmetic product to replace serum, moisturiser, primer, foundation and sunscreen.

Originally created in the 1960s by German dermatologist Dr Christine Schrammek to apply to patients skin after peel treatments, but they soon became popular in Korea and other eastern markets as the original formulations suited the skintone of asian women but were often deemed to pale for the western population.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BB_cream

The western market has since exploded and now virtually every cosmetic company has it’s own selection of BB creams offering a massive choice of formulations and shades to suit every different skin type.

All these new offerings made me wonder if Garnier was still the best one out there for me so I decided to trial a few of the other brands and here’s what I discovered...

First up was Maybelleine Dream Fresh BB cream (£7.99) which comes in 4 shades and promises 8-1 skin benefits including SPF30 protection, all day hydration and perfect looking skin in an instant.  I really liked the gel-like texture of this cream snd it left my skin velvety smooth but it didn’t really provide the coverage it promised although my skin did look healthier and the SPF 30 is definitely a bonus, so overall I would score this one 8/10.

Secondly it was the turn of L’Oreal Nude Magique which comes in 2 shades and contains smart pigments which break on application and self adjust to the skintone to leave flawless looking skin.  Personally I didn’t really find much to like with this one – it had a really runny consistency which made it very messy to apply, and when on it left my skin looking chalky and patchy with nowhere near enough moisturising properties so unfortunately I would only score this 4/10! 

Next came GOSH BB Cream (£9.99) which comes in 5 shades and claims to provide natural coverage that adapts to skintone and leaves skin soft & smooth.  This one has quite a thick consistency and felt comforting and moisturising when applying it but unfortunately the effects wore off quite quickly and my skin began to look patchy.  It did offer good coverage though aswell as offering the widest range of shades of the products i tried, it would maybe be more suited to someone with combination or oily skin and I would score this 7/10.

Lastly I tried Olay Total Effects Touch of Foundation (9.99) which comes in 2 shades both of which contain a combination of their Total Effects moisturiser and Max Factor foundation, offering 7-1 skin & anti-ageing benefits and a perfectly even skintone.  I really liked this one although the cream felt a bit heavy when I first applied it and it takes a while to blend evenly but it definitely offered the best coverage and moisturisation of those I tried, although it is best suited for mature skin.  I would score this at 8/10.

So after trialling some of the other brands on the market I have discovered that formulations have much improved since these wonder products first appeared on the scene and it is definitely worth trying more than one to get the best one for your skin type.

But for me I will still be sticking to my Garnier Miracle Skin Protector (Superdrug offer now £7.49) which now comes in 4 different formulations for including sensitive, oil-free, anti-ageing and the original each in 2 shades so there really is now one for everyone.  Although I will still be trying others when the chance arises so if I change my mind you will be the first to know!

So there you have it, my guide to BB Creams, I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you find a BB cream that is perfect for you let me know which one and why you like it....here’s to peachy looking skin in 2013!

Speak to you all again very soon

xx

I'M BACK!!

A massive apology to my readers for being off radar for so long!  To cut a long story short I kicked a drink over my laptop a while back and I have only just got it fixed (thankyou to bankofdad.com!), so I haven't had internet access long enough to post but i'm back now and have got a backlog of stuff to put up so keep checking back in the next week or so.

I haven't been sitting around idle all this time though, I put my time to good use by enrolling at college and I have now qualified as a make-up artist (with distinction too!), plus I loved it that much,  i'm now on a course for fashion and photographic make-up so I will keep you updated on how it's going and post some pics of work i'm doing so you can let me know what you think (be kind please!).

I have also been trying lots of products in my quest to bring you the best beauty buys around...it's a tough job but hey someone has to do it!  I will be letting you know what I have discovered in the next few posts so stay tuned.

And finally, check out my Facebook page....becksbeautybuzz, where I will be putting daily news, tips and reviews to entertain you all!
https://www.facebook.com/BecksBeautyBuzz?ref=hl

Speak to you very soon ta ta for now xx

HAPPY HAIR

Around 18 months ago, I made a huge mistake with my hair!  I had been blonde all my life when I made the disastrous decision to dye it cherry red and I hated it!  Don't get me wrong, the colour looked ok but it just wasn't me - suddenly my make-up and clothes looked wrong and I didn't know what colours suited me anymore, all resulting in an identity crisis.

I spoke to several hairdresser acquaintances I know and they all told me the same thing - trying to remove red  and return to blonde is a very tricky business best left to the professionals if I didn't want to end up with pink hair!  But funds being low I couldn't afford to go and spend all that money at the salon so to start with I toned down the red into a slightly better brunette and then slowly but surely I have made my way back down the home dye colour spectrum towards my goal.

All this colouring though had left me with dry coarse hair that seriously lacked shine if left unattended, so I began a search for a solution within my budget, trying range upon range all promising healthy looking, shiny hair - but none seemed to work and my hair remained stubbornly lacklustre.

Countless hair washes later I discovered the Pantene Repair & Protect range and finally I had found The One!  Just two weeks after trying the products and my hair was shinier, glossier and altogether happier.

Along with the shampoo and conditioner, I use the 2min Deep Repair Mask at least once a week and I also used the Split End Serum on damp hair before I blow dry and I can really see the difference.  Even my hairdresser commented on the change in the condition when I went to get it trimmed - he could not believe it!

Now, many months later and after getting my shoulder length style cut into a jaw skimming bob to remove the last of the old colour, my hair is finally starting to look like it belongs to me and some of my old confidence is starting to show through again.

So thank you Pantene for making my hair and me happy again!

xx

My desert island must haves

To start I thought I would tell you about my ultimate high st buys.  These are the products that I would most want with me if I became stranded on a desert island (hey a girl can dream!).

Firstly, you should know that although not overly sensitive, I do have really dry skin.  Without daily care my skin becomes drier than the Sahara and flakier then my favourite crumbliest milk chocolate (I try to resist, I really do!).

 OK so my top 5 (in no particular order) are:

1. Garnier Hydralock Moisturising Milk

This is the ultimate body moisturiser for my very dry skin.  It feels thick and luxurious when you apply and it doesn't leave any stickiness behind so you can get dressed straight away.  Moreover, it really does last the promised 24hrs cutting down on time.
The best bit has to be the price tag!  At around £5 for a 400ml bottle, it doesn't break the bank and its results are every bit as good as some 4x the price.  Can sometimes be a little difficult to get hold of (even the bigger stores don't always stock it) but I usually find mine in Superdrug.

2. Vaseline Lip Therapy tin - Rosy tint (around £2 per tin)
I don't have much time for applying make-up in the morning so I adore this little multitasker.  I apply to both my lips and cheeks to give them a lovely rosy, healthy look, and it moisturises too!
Definitely a hit in my book!

3. Bio-oil (normally approx. £9 per 60ml, although other sizes available)

Ok, so this product isn't overly purse friendly but believe me when I say it is worth every penny!
I originally tried it to help reduce a scar on my cheekbone and I admit to being dubious especially when the info leaflet went on to tell me it could take up to 3 months to see any benefit!  However, the scar was embarrassing so I persevered, putting it on the scar in the morning and then using it as facial oil every evening.
After just 4 weeks, I could already see a difference and now 5 months on, it is almost invisible!  I still use it as facial oil every night as it really helps with my dry skin to.
Currently on offer at Feelunique.com for only £7.65 for 60ml, and also at Boots where the 200ml bottle is £19.99 and on BOGOF.

4. Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB cream (currently on sale in Superdrug for £7.49 - should be £9.99)

I love this cream!  Even after only 4 hours sleep a quick application of this stuff leaves me looking healthier than Kate Moss on a good day (no, really!).
It moisturises, it protects, it evens skin tone and it's cheap as chips!  It really is brilliant, try it, I dare you!

5. Tweezerman Slant Tweezers (around £20 for a standard set)

Definitely not the cheapest tweezers on the market but the difference they make to your brows is amazing.

Factor in the lifetime guarantee and you can get them sharpened free at many Tweezerman concessions (see www.tweezerman.co.uk for details); providing you don't lose them, you will have them forever making them well worth the initial splurge.
Your brows will be eternally grateful.

So there you have it - my ultimate 5!  I am always hunting for products to add to my list, so let me know your 'couldn't live without' products so I can try them! 

Similarly, if you try any of my favourites, let me know if you agree!

Welcome!

Hi everyone!
Welcome to my blog for all things beauty.
My name is Becks and I am a busy single mum to my two gorgeous kids Alex and Holly.  I am on a mission to find my best ever beauty products.  I love to get value for money, but more importantly the product have to work and work hard cause I don't have time to keep re-applying
I will be telling you about my favourite products, the ones that I always go back to no matter what new products come on the market. Plus all the new products I try will be getting a mention whether they are bad or good!
I will also be posting my hints and tips and asking for yours in return.
Mainly I will be covering high street brands but there might be the odd high end product thrown in when I can afford it!
So come back regularly for news, reviews and tips on haircare, body, nailcare, make-up and any other random things I find to tell you about!