Cheap and cheering, spendy and splendid Monthly round up.

Monthly Shineys Total £51.79 * (41.79 I had a Space NK reward of £10)

 So as promised I have put myself on a budget of £100 for all things fashion/skincare and make up earlier this month.   I was doing pretty well until I stumbled across a Nars Blush on an idle Tuesday afternoon.  (I cannot resist Nars blushes they are my kryptonite)

Ren Clear and Calm 3 Clarifying cleanser -£18 from Space NK, Amazon, Marks and Spencer.
Probably one of the best high end value for money face washes out there.  For £18 you get a whooping 150ml of clay cleanser perfection.   This cleanser is perfect for the people who have combination skin and who have forgotten to put on the clay mask that week.  The formula of this is a clay creamy cleanser which does calm down spotty greasy skin in a quick one wash, instead of a 15mins mask.  It works well as a second cleanser, and as a single morning cleanser.   Within this particular Ren range ‘clear and calm 3’ there is a clay mask which I like, but has been superseded by Parsley seed mask from Aesop.  Another bonus about this cleanser it is bona fide by the queen of skincare herself Caroline Hirons.  Her review of this is here.
http://www.carolinehirons.com/2012/06/ren-clearcalm-3-clarifying-clay.html
Ren is a brand that I love and have used since about 2007 purely due to their transparency about their ingredients.  Also their range is enormous something that Madam Hirons does not like but, something I think is useful if you are just starting to discover skincare.  

Nars Blush Doucer £21.50 from Space NK, most major Department stores Selfridges John Lewis et al.

Argh, so this purchased happened because I was reading the archives of Essie button’s blog post on Nars Blushes.  I saw this an decided that I couldn’t live without this in my life.
http://www.essiebutton.com/2012/02/10/my-nars-blush-collection-swatches/
This is a beautiful barely there blusher.  In the pictures it does come up in two different shades but this is a cool blue, based brown pink.   This unlike most Nars blushes, is not very pigmented, and on me I do have to re-apply several swipes before I begin to see anything.   However the look is a beautiful natural subtle flush that can be paired with a strong eye, or strong lip.  Or as I have been wearing it with as little make up as possible for a ‘no make-up’, make up look.  

 

Kohl and Contour 16 hrs Bourjois -£4.30 Boots and Superdrug
So I have had a massive urge the past 6 weeks to go to the Charlotte Tilbury counter and whip out the credit card and buy a total of £260 make up, brushes at the moment.  I have been studiously AVOIDING Selfridges like an ex-boyfriend simply so I don’t cave and splurge.  One of the main items on the list is another ‘Rock n Kohl’ in black.  I have it in brown and  is totally luscious that I feel I need it in black.   A £19 black eyeliner is not something I really need right now so I cast about for a cheaper alternative.  After watching a Amelia liana video with Becky from talkbeckytalk, one of the eyeliners she recommended was this one.  I figure for that price I would give it a go and I am glad I did.   Applying this liner can be a bit messy as it does tend to smudge and do a double liner further up your eyelid area.  However once it sets, it really sets and does not budge for about 5-6 hours with an eyelid primer.  I am currently wearing it this morning without to see its lasting power and 2.5 hours in its seems okay.  It is also pretty good as a under eye liner which with my greasy skin I really struggle to find.
You can view the video via this link.
http://liana-beauty.com/2014/01/top-10-under-10-2/

Rocket waterproof Mascara Maybelliene £7.99
On the never ending quest to find a replacement for my beloved Telescopic waterproof mascara,  I had heard good things about this Rocket mascara.   What drew me initially was the wand, which is plastic and made of small bristles.  I prefer plastic wands and the smaller the bristles the better I find.  With the wand I could apply precisely down the root, to the hard to reach lashes at the corners of my eyes.  The width of the brush is pretty wide which allows you to sweep up to elongate and spread all the hairs out.   This is a nice mascara and I really like it.  My only negative comments would be I didn’t really find it to be thickening or volumizing.   However for me I want my lashes to be longer and keep a curl which are two more important points to me than volumizing.  I have only had this mascara for about two weeks and I think that once this dries out a bit it’s going to be an even better formula.

What is new and shiney in your make up stash and wardrobe?  Anything cheap and cheerful that you are loving recently?  Or anything spendy, splurgy and splendid that you has recently bought.

Thank you for reading.

 

Carrie x