Maybelline Matte Maker Mattifying Powder Review

After my last powder ran out, i started to look for a new powder that would help tame my oily skin whilst giving me a natural finish with reasonable coverage. I saw this powder and decided to give it a try as I've used Maybelline powders in the past and they've been pretty good. I use a base of liquid foundation mixed with equal parts face cream. This gives me a protective and moisturizing layer for my skin whilst offering a small amount of coverage. I then proceeded to apply my powder foundation using a large powder brush ( Barbara Daly- from Tesco, and it's pretty good). I was surprised by the coverage offered as it was more than i'd expected. The colour pigment was good and the powder felt light on my skin and not cakey. It also was consistent across my face and didn't cling to dry or oily patches. I would definitely recommend this powder as a top foundation layer for a dainty and natural look, offering  reasonable coverage and good quality colour. I would also recommend applying with a powder brush to achieve an even finish but this powder can also be used to touch up around eyes or lips after make up has been applied. This makes it versatile and it's also very affordable at only £3.99 at superdrug or boots. Definitely recommend and i will be buying this product again.

                                 

Schwarzkopf LIVE COLOR XXL Purple Punk review

So over Christmas i decided to colour my hair an unnatural colour. After plenty of deliberation in the shops i decided to try out the live color xxl. I have dyed my hair purple, pink and blue before and decided this time to try a different brand of dye. I was skeptical about this product as the vibrant colour on the box looks as though its faked and i expected to end up with dull, uneven hair colour.

I was pleasantly surprised, after using only one box (i have mid length hair- usually recommends 2

boxes) my hair had been transformed and i had deep purple hair. I think you would be able to wear this colour in a variety of tones from lavender to deep purple however, depending on your starting colour and how diluted you make the dye. I had some bleach in my hair but it was mostly faded and i used 1/4 conditioner to 3/4 hair dye whilst applying. This worked well but if you like pastel colours you'd definitely have to pre-bleach your hair and dilute the dye. 

It says it lasts 14 washes however after 20 washes my hair was still just as vibrant and i ended up having to bleach over it in order to fully remove the colour. To do this i used the live color xxl bleach in max blonde. This took all of the purple from my hair and left me with a good base to start again. I decided to keep my hair natural and coloured it a dark blonde. 

I am pleased with how well having the colour in worked and how easy it was to get my hair back to normal. My hair didn't get very dry either, as i did two deep conditions on my hair whilst bleaching/ dying my hair brown. 

I would definitely recommend this brand over others such as bleach London, which I've used before and they've barely lasted 5 days. It is also better than most dyes that you can buy online and if you can get it on offer it's inexpensive too. I look forward to using this dye again and trying out a range of colours on my hair :)

AVON mega effects mascara review

After toying with the idea to trial this product, i finally took the plunge and decided to test it out. I brought it whilst on sale and it arrived just in time for Christmas. I was skeptical at first, but it was packaged nicely and was alot smaller than i expected. Surprisingly the small size didn't make it hard to hold and i found this size quite easy to maneuver.

You open it by rocking the brush side to side in order to ease it out, this was unusual compared to normal mascaras but mean that the brush wasn't overflowing with product and that the brush had the perfect amount of mascara on it for use. I applied it to my lashes without altering the angle of the brush and found that it instantly uplifted my lashes.

If you apply to much and repeatedly brush over the lashes this product does start to become clumpy and gives the lashes a very false look, however with minimal strokes you can achieve a natural, lengthened lash. This mascara is great to finish off party looks and makes your eyes bold and bright without the need for eyeliner. It can also be used as an everyday mascara to give your eyes a boost.

This is a good value for money product, its quirky design makes it an enjoyable product to use and its unique brush is effective at its job. Over all i'd say that this product is a good one and i would recommend it for beauty lovers who are on a budget but like to try new make up with a little twist.