MUA Review Series #4 Eye Primer

I'm really enjoying writing this mini series reviewing MUA products and if judged purely on views and comments people seem to be happy to read the posts, which is lovely – so on I go!

MUA fit in with my belief that make-up of a decent quality needn't cost the earth, and every budget product that I genuinely like feels like a proverbial slap in the face for the more expensive brands and their slick marketing teams who stick their label on a mediocre product and we all baa our way down to Boots to buy it - of which I have been frequently guilty.
That's not to say that I've loved every MUA product I've tried, however.

This week I thought I'd talk about a product I use most days: Pro Base Eye Primer. Since starting to wear eyeshadow pretty much every day, within the last year or so, I frequently experienced the nasty creasing and uneven wear that comes with the application of make up at 6.30am and my return home around 12 hours later. So I decided it was time for a primer. Because my morning routine didn't have enough stages already..!



I was quite surprised to have this one recommended to me by my high-end-makeup-loving colleague, as I've never seen her use anything lower on the food chain than Clinique. She in turn had had it recommended to her by the make-up artist she frequently uses for weddings and events, so the signs were promising.


As with most MUA products the packaging is no-frills, but it's functional and after around 4 months it still looks the same as the day of purchase. The primer has a doe-foot applicator, which needs to be wiped before use because it's a bit keen-bean with the amount of product it brings out, especially as a little goes a long way. It doesn't look dissimilar to liquid concealer; beige with perhaps a slightly more pink-tone. Unlike other primers this doesn't dry clear, or soak in - it leaves a subtle creamy colour on the eyelid. I know some people prefer primer to be undetectable but I like that it corrects the colour of my eyelids because I have quite obvious veins on them (or arteries.. I should have listened in GCSE science), and they are quite red, so I like the coverage it gives as it shows the colour of the eyeshadow more accurately. 


I pat the primer in using my ring finger, and give it around 30 seconds before applying eyeshadow. Happily it isn't sticky or tacky once dry and I feel like it gives a smoother base for my eyeshadow, which stops it sitting in lines. Without this primer I'm conscious that most eyeshadows  just don’t have the longevity for a full day at work, whereas when I pop some primer underneath it does last until 5pm-ish without too much difficulty. My eyeshadow certainly doesn't wear any worse than my foundation, which I can live with. This primer also performed remarkably well during the ridiculous heatwave in June/July, which was disastrous for the rest of my make up. Argh the memories...foundation dripping away..!



I don't doubt that there are several superior primers out there, and the Urban Decay Primer Potion is extremely popular, but at £15 for something that isn't a 'star' of your make up, it’s a pretty big purchase – although one I intend to make at some point. If you have a limited budget then i'd rather be spending more on mascara and foundation than on eye primer. MUA Pro Base Eye Primer is £2.50 from MUA or Superdrug, which is quite a bargain really.

 

I’ll be repurchasing this when it eventually runs out and if you’re on the hunt for a budget eye primer I’d definitely recommend it.

 

Which is your favourite primer? Is primer something you’re happy to spend a lot on?

 

Suzy

xx

 

Birchbox September 2013

This was my first ever Birchbox. I've been umming and ahhing for over a year whether it was really worth it but I had a sudden rush of blood to the head one day a couple of weeks ago and just ordered it.

It's only £10 (plus p&p) but having been an avid reader and YouTube viewer of Birchbox/Glossybox monthly reviews I know how hit and miss they can be. And frankly both companies seem to use a hefty chunk of artistic license with their approach to what can be deemed a 'high end' product.

I was unashamedly excited about my Birchbox arriving yesterday and tore into it within 2 seconds flat. In fact when our apartment buzzer went I did a little SQUEEEE because I knew what it'd be. 

This month is London Fashion Week, so Birchbox have gone with the theme 'backstage to real life', with 5 products + 1 extra.

These are the products I got in my box:

 Reverence de Bastien Nail Lacquer (£16)
I received shade No 2, which is a vibrant scarlet red shade.  I love the colour and I've had it on my nails since yesterday with no chipping so far! It's super glossy and aside from the nasty cheap plastic lid to the polish, it does feel really luxurious.  £16 seems a tad excessive for nail polish and it isn't something I'd have bought so it's really nice to get it in a beauty box!

Bioderma Sensibio H20 (£9.99)
This is only a 20ml bottle of Bioderma, which i'll probably save for when I'm next away for the weekend. I have a big bottle of Bioderma which I use from time to time, but it's never been something that's wheedled its way into everyday usage because I'm not convinced it's the most effective thing at removing eye make up.  It's ok though and it doesn't irritate my skin so I'll definitely use it.  I'd have liked a slightly bigger sample though, 20ml is a wee bit stingy!

ModelCo Party Proof Lipstick (£15.50 for set of 3)
I love lip products so this was probably the product I was most excited to see in this box. It's a perfect nude pink shade and it's really moisturising - really like it so far!

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Body Gel (£31)
This is a gel to even out skin, tone and improve circulation.  Again at £31 for the full size there's no way I would ever have acquired this otherwise, but I will give it a good test! It smells amazing, too.

Molton Brown Ylang-Ylang Nourishing Body Lotion (£18)
I love a mooch around Molton Brown but I never end up buying anything.  I'd actually be tempted to buy this now because it smells wonderful and it soaks into my skin so quickly leaving a scent for ages. The sample is 30ml, and I think I'll save the rest for my toiletry bag.

Random Lifestyle Extra:
Green & Black's White Chocolate (£2.29)
Presumably this was there in relation to needing to keep your energy up during fashion week?  It was yummy and was gratefully consumed immediately.

What do you think of this month's box? 


Suzy
xx
 

Aussie Miracle Hair Insurance Leave In Conditioner

I posted earlier in the week about how my hair has needed a little extra help lately as its been all sad and dry. I've desperately been trying to bombard it with moisture and its starting to look a little bit happier.  This is in part due to Aussie's Miracle Hair Insurance.

I bought it on a whim, as the 3rd item in a 3 for £10 offer. My 3rd purchases seem to fare better than my actual planned purchases so maybe I should buy on a whim more often!  It's Priced at £4.49 but it's quite often on 3 for 2.

I've never been overly enamoured with leave in conditioners as they made my hair feel weird; gloopy and almost sticky.

This is completely different. It doesn't leave any residue and once the hair is dry its undetectable apart from it's scent. It smells amazing. After washing my hair previously it was really tangled and difficult to brush, but once I've used this I can actually get a brush through my hair without pulling at it - it just glides through! Yippee!

I can leave my hair to dry of its own accord on my way to work too, without ending up with a head full of frizz! [Aussie Leave in conditioner =10 extra minutes in bed]

I still shampoo and condition as normal as this isn't a super heavy conditioner. It doesn't make my hair greasy at all - it's a liquid spray rather than a creamy conditioner so it doesn't weigh the hair down.

I'm not far from the end of the bottle now and ill definitely be purchasing it again. For £4.49 it's definitely worth it to drag a brush through my unruly hair with ease!

Do you use a leave-in conditioner?

Suzy

Xx

MUA Review Series #3 1D Lipstick - Niall, 'Moments'

I mentioned in my Little Treats post that I'd acquired a 1D lipstick, and I've been using it for about a week now so I thought I'd let you know what I think of it.    I have no strong feelings either way about One Direction, and I'm 25 so definitely not the target market, but I absolutely love this little gem!

I picked 'Moments', which is Niall's shade, because out of the 5 I thought it would be the most flattering to my pale skin tone and because it is the easiest to wear for every day.  For work I want something I don't have to worry about bleeding or smudging and something I can quickly reapply without having to get a mirror out.

I have used this 6 out of 7 days this week and I love it. The neutral rosy shade is perfect for daytime and it lasts an amazingly long time. I'd say it stays put for 3 hours on me without needing to be touched up, which is better than my more expensive lipsticks. What I like best, aside from the pretty colour, is that it isn't drying on the lips at all.  The formula is really creamy and comfortable to wear and I'd say it does feel a tad more luxurious than the MUA £1 range.
Some cheap lipsticks taste and smell as though you're ingesting dangerous chemicals, or they smell like an elderly relative, but this doesn't have a strong scent at all.
The embossed 1D on the bullet is a nice touch, although it didn't last long. Considering it's a £3 product aimed at teenagers the packaging is okay.  It's not going to win any style awards but that's fine because the product itself is reeeeally good!  I'm definitely more enthusiastic about this lipstick than 1D themselves... i'm not sure that's what they were going for, but good work on the lipstick anyhow!

Have you tried the MUA 1D collection yet?

Suzy
xx