Review: Boots Tinted Lipsalve... Not bad for 97p!

I don't know if I've mentioned this before but I have serious, SERIOUS lipbalm addiction. I'm one of those girls who cannot imagine life or even an hour without my lipbalm. Asa result I have multiple, keep them everywhere, bring one with me everywhere (watching telly, loo, whatever).

So you can imagine my distraught when I realized that I had to go 2 hours without it. I had lost my blistex daily conditioner in a tub (not a real pity- the stuff is pretty rubbish), my carmex cherry was at home, and, in my panic, rushed into boots.

I didn't want to spend too much money on lipbalm and settled for a cheap and chic Boots Essential Lip Salve. I had been intrigued by this previously but this time I took the plunge and splashed out the grand total of 97p for this stuff (using my boots points as well!).

Of course, I read the claims and instructions (non existent, really) of it. There are ingredients but they mean nothing to me.

Claims: enhances your natural lip colour, protects and moisturises lips, dermatologically tested

(with a long list of ingredients which i don't understand and thus have neglected to type out- doing chemistry next year, though, so maybe I'll know more then). That being said, I do recognize a couple of pretty terrible things to look out for being: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, a foaming agent but also a chemical irritant that causes ulcers especially when in toothpaste. And, obviously, talc- for all sorts of reasons.

So, what would I rate it? I would say kind of... a 5. With 9 being Carmex Original (taking points off here for lack of SPF) and 1 being one of those shitty shiseido water lip things that have too runny a consistency to be of any use.

Why? Well, it has a cute packaging. It's in a baby pink tube, it's cheap (compared to alternatives). I like that it's in a stick form. Easier to apply, fits better in your handbag, doesn't melt like vaseline and change shape... Doesn't melt in your pocket and leak... Can apply even when fingers are all grimy, etc.

BUT! It's not great. The moisture does not seem to last. There's no SPF. Nor is there any scent whatseover- which is great, actually. I hate it when they put really overpowering scents in to a lipbalm that just ruins the effect of the smell of your body gel and perfume and lotion.... It's too much. (As a matter of fact I think everything should smell neutral except for perfume)

So, if you want decent moisture for roughly the same price I would really opt Vaseline (though this isn't as shiny and oily and gives your lips a barely-there tint of purply pink which surprisingly looks nice). I would also opt vaseline in the winter when there was little to no chance of it melting and going weird. In the meantime, this will do.

Bourjois Mineral Radiance - a Mac Mineralize Natural Skinfinish dupe?

Very interesting stuff- I have been lusting over this powder ever since I read the review on Make up to make out and quite frankly it sounds perfect.



Hang on, here's an image:





Why?

Firstly it is -CHEAP - arguably, at a mere 8 pounds in comparison to - any- decent powder, really, it is more than reasonable. Especially compared to the MAC which was the one I had been considering before.



It is furthermore- MINERAL. Or at least claims to contain 'some' minerals. Better than none, I would say. I know I shouldn't buy into this mineral rubbish but I feel so much better about applying the stuff liberally onto my face when I think it's allegedly 'good' for my skin.

What's more- its PRESSED! After more or less 2 years of practiced exhaling through my nose while applying my Erth Minerals Moth Veil and still snorting some of that rubbish (as well as limitiations with touching up) I have decided that I never want to use loose powder again. Load of bollocks- that's what 'one' might say.

Though I can't find this on makeupalley, and certainly I've only found one proper user review- so... basically it would be, ahem, cool. If anybody would just clue me in as to the quality of this stuff.

Blacklisted: L'Oreal Double Extension Mascara... DOUBLE DISASTER!

Before I purchased this, I scoured high and low for reviews-- to no avail!

I came, hence, to the conclusion that it was unpopular- and rightly so. This mascara is absolute rubbish.

RATING: 2/10

AVAILABILTY: availabe at Boots, etc. for approximately 7/8 pounds

PACKAGING: gold on one side and white the other (unlike the image included mine is non-waterproof). It has been a 'new formula' for as long as it has been available... (a while...). The white side is apparently 'Fortifying Base Coat with Ceramide R'- whatever Ceramide R is... while the Gold side is 'Ultra- Lengthening Mascara'

WHAT IT SHOULD DO: As with all good mascaras, what I am looking for is something that:
1)holds a curl
2)stays- doesn't smudge or flake
3)doesn't clump
4)doesn't cause my lashes to fall out
5)lengthens my lashes OR volumising- i won't even ask for separation

DOES IT DELIVER? In a word: no.
Though it does seem to make your lashes visibly longer and thicker, it also clumps like a maniac. I don't think I've ever, as a matter of fact, used a mascara this clumpy- as well as one that is so heavy your lashes come dragging down and - okay- doesn't smudge in the current climate, but if it was sunny and humid, definitely would.

Admittedly, I do realise that I don't have the patience to wait for the first coat to dry before applying the second coat and so I get grey lashes when I use this- but today I took the time. And it was not worth it. Equal clumping.

Also, this stuff irritates my eyes (in or out of contact lenses) to no end! And my eyes aren't even easily irritated.

FINAL VERDICT: don't get this! It's a load of sh*t. Instead, spend your mula on worthier mascaras such as the Max Factor Masterpiece (which costs, like, 9 quid)