Makeup Revolution 9 Piece Amazing Brush Collection

If there is one thing I cannot do without, it is my Makeup Brushes and I am in the process of throwing out the ones which are well past their sell-by date or have ceased to become any use and replace them with new ones. 

If I told you that you could buy an entire set of makeup brushes for £20 would you believe me? Well, it is true you can. The people over at Makeup Revolution (who never seem to run out of ideas) have put together this amazing 9 piece brush collection and as suggested, it costs just £20. Now before you wrinkle your nose and think £20 isn't a lot of money, so the brushes cannot be all that, remember it is Makeup Revolution and they have a habit of proving you just wrong!

So inside the box we have:

Pro F101 Foundation Brush - This helps to ensure that you have the perfect base. It can be used with cream or liquid foundation and, like all other Makeup Revolution brushes they are all made from the finest synthetic hair, super soft, and very animal-friendly. What I like about this brush is the handle as it is easy to grip and isn't too weighted. This brush can be bought separately for £3.99.

Pro F103 Stippling Brush - As you would expect, this Stippling Brush is a flat-topped, full circular brush and is to be used for lightweight application and blending of any foundations. Again super soft bristles and a nice sized handle to make it easy to hold and use. This brush can be bought separately for £3.49.

Pro F104 Powder Brush - I have been needing a new powder brush for a while now and this one is great at what it does. I use it for powder foundation and it works well with powder blush and bronzer too. It is a lovely big brush which is easy to grip on to and again, I find it easy to work with because the handle is so well made. This brush can be bought separately for just £3.99 which again is an absolute bargain.

Pro F105 Contour Brush - Designed to help create a natural or intense contour. The brush is shaped to fit the cheekbones and is perfect for use with bronzer, powder blushes, cream blushes and I have used it with my new Sleek Highlighter palette.

Pro F102 Concealer Brush - This brush is brilliant and is used for applying and blending your concealer to build and ensure perfect coverage. The bristles on the brush are incredibly soft and it sits under the eye with no irritation and it does an amazing job at helping to blend concealer. This brush can be bought separately for £1.99 which is such good value for money.

Pro E101 Eyeshadow Brush - This brush can be used with both powder and cream eyeshadows and you can use it when creating that smokey eye to apply colour to your lower lash line. A cute little brush with short, soft bristles and it retails for just £1.99 is bought on its own.

Pro E102 Eyeshadow Contour Brush - This brush is an angled flat-topped brush which makes it perfect for blending, contouring and smudging. Sleek design, easy to hold and costs just £1.99.

Pro E103 Eyeshadow Blending Brush - This is one brush I have never owned and I am now wondering why not. Designed to work with both powder and cream shadows, it makes blending an absolutely doddle to do and even more so if you get the powder shadows with a lot of fall out, it somehow manages to ensure it doesn't drop all over your outfit or freshly made face, but stays within the bristles of the brush. Priced at just £1.99.

Pro E104 Eyebrow Brush - This brush can be used with powder, liquid or cream eyebrow products to help define those brows. It has a nice long handle which I find makes sorting my brows much easier and the brush is small enough, that if you make a mistake, it is easy to correct with no fuss. Again it costs just £1.99 if bought separately.

Again, even if like me, you are not a Make-up Artist nor a pro at applying everything, these brushes are so worthy of investing in and really do take on some of the major high street brands.  There has been no hair shedding, they are easy to clean and quick to dry, in the photos in this review, I have used all of the brushes with make-up and have cleaned them, so you can see they are looking pretty amazing, more so when you consider the price they retail for.

Once again, Makeup Revolution as a brand manages to wow me and proves that yet again, you should never judge a brand by its pricing!

Kiehls Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque

There are a number of brands that I have wanted to try for ages now and when I was given the chance to try Kiehls, I jumped at the chance. In my entire lifetime, I have only ever used one Kiehl's products (here) and yet everyone raves about them. This time it was the turn of the Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque 75ml. Described by Kiehls as being an ‘instant facial’, the Turmeric and Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque works to brighten and energise the look of dull, fatigued skin whilst helping it to regain its natural, healthy appearance.

To look at, the mask is quite yellow looking and as Tumeric is one of the ingredients, this didn't surprise me at all. It is also quite a thick consistency, almost like a mud mask and one I find easier to apply with an old concealer brush than with my fingers, to ensure I get an equal covering on my face. Add to Tumeric, as the name suggests is Cranberry and it is this ingredient which adds the 'scrub' to the mask. Together, the cranberry and turmeric work to help visibly even the look of your skin tone whilst the crushed cranberry seeds gently exfoliate, giving that smoother, brighter, illuminated-looking skin.

The scent of this mask is what intrigued me the most, more so because Tumeric is an ingredient I associate with a good curry!  It doesn't smell like a Chicken Balti I am pleased to say, but there is a hint of spice with the cranberries that I find really quite pleasant.

As I apply the mask using an old concealer brush, I find it really easy to stand in front of the mirror and slap it on. You only need to apply a thin layer and remember that when doing so, be careful not too apply too much pressure because the cranberry seeds are there to exfoliate. Once on the face, the mask dries incredibly quickly and I like to leave it to work its magic for up to ten minutes, so again, perfect for use if you are a busy bee like me. After those ten minutes are up, you need a warm flannel/muslin cloth and then in circular movements, gently massage your face and let those cranberry seeds work their magic to gently buff the skin, removing surface dirt, grime and dead skin cells.

Once removed, the mask leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft and smooth as well as hydrated, moisturised and I am glad to say there is no hint or sign of irritation or redness. For me this mask is such an amazing treat and it is one that works as well on its own or as part of your multi-masking pampering.

If you find your skin looks a tad dull and lacklustre, dry in parts and in need of a good exfoliation and cleansing, then at £28 this is an absolute steal and is worth hunting down to give a try!  As a first face mask that I have used from Kiehls, I am eager to work my way right through the entire collection, that is how impressed I am.

Laura Geller Ballerina Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator

A few days ago I posted about the Laura Geller Sweetest Things box of products and today I have the  Laura Geller Ballerina Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator.

Now first things first, this illuminator is just stunning to look at, work with and wear. It is described as having a hybrid texture because it applies like a sheer powder but actually feels more like a cream and when swatched it does just that, as you swipe your finger across the swirls the powder like texture turns to a cream which makes it really easy to work with. The swirls are 3D and stand right out and is described as capturing the look of your favorite Italian dessert, and lasts until the very last application.

The shade, Ballerina, is just stunning and is best described as being a candlit rosy copper gold shade and once applied to the skin it gives a wash of colour. Lightweight in texture, the glow it gives is quite soft, but it is a product that is 
buildable depending on which look you are going for.

Priced at £21.50 from Lookfantastic, it is a worthy investment to have and is also available in shade Gilded Honey which is an effervescent caramel honey shade

Benefit Cosmetics Mini products

I am one of those people who loves a sample product, whether it is a perfume, sachet of a lotion or potion, a bath product or even make-up.  Why do I like them so much? Well they are incredibly easy to shove in your make up bag, your handbag or for taking away on a long weekend break or even on holiday, most sample sizes are more than generous and give you just enough to decide whether or not you like it.

One brand who does the best mini samples is Benefit and I have quite a collection it would seem. Many of them have been part of a beauty box, Magazine Freebie or have been given to me in store when I've gone to stock up on numerous products I cannot live without.  This is my sample collection

As you can see, I have quite a few and for me, many of these samples have led to the purchasing of the full sized product. In my stash I have:

• That Gal - A Brightening Face Primer which I use with my moisturiser to give it a bit of a kick.
• Erase Paste - Brightening Concealer which is one of the best concealers I have used in such a long time.  This little tub has almost come to the end of its life which is sad, but I intend to refill it using my full sized version.
• PoreFessional - Face Primer which is always in my handbag.  Whilst I do prefer the newer Porefessional Matte Primer, this one is great for on the go touch ups.

• Coralista - A Coral Blush
• Dandelion - A brightening face powder 

Both of these came from a Benefit Mini Set I have given but until a few weeks ago, I had forgotten all about them.  Both are brilliant for having in my handbag, especially Dandelion of which I am a huge fan.

• They're Real and Roller Lash - Now I adore both of these mascaras but I prefer to use the wand of Roller Lash with the formula of They're Real, I just find it works better for me. I love both these little sample sizes which are more than generous at 30g to give you an informed view as to whether or not they are the mascara for you.

• High Beam - satiny pink liquid highlighter accents cheek & brow bones for a dewy glow
• License to Blot - Instant Oil Blotting Stick, which is an absolute gem of a product and one that is definitely handbag, desk drawer and make up bag worthy.
• Lolli tint - Candy Orchid tint for lips and cheeks and it is a really cute shade of pink which works well with most lipsticks I own
• Puff Off - Instant Eye Gel to help smooth the look of puffy eyes

• Posietint - poppy-pink tinted stain for cheeks & lips and I find works well as a lip primer.
• Stay don't Stray - dual-action power primer works 360 degrees around the eyes to make concealers and eyeshadows stay put
• Benetint - The original rose-tinted stain for cheeks and lips
• Ooh La Lift - under-eye boost looks like an instant eyelift! Contains raspberry extracts and light-reflecting pigments to instantly perk up tired eyes

As you can see, I have just about everything I need to ensure my make up is primed, set and not going to budge an inch.  Do you have any Benefit Mini's?