NYX haul

When an email telling me NYX was hitting my local Boots landed in my inbox, I almost did an excited wee. For months I've been lusting over Instagram feeds and blogs waiting for this very moment.

The stand itself was a dream. Rows and rows full to burst with products begging to be bought. I swatched so much my hand looked like a contender for the Turner prize. Half an hour and a very bored boyfriend later, I'd whittled it down to just six products... I still want it all.

Perhaps my most eagerly anticipated purchase was the Lip Lingerie liquid lipstick. I bought two fairly 'everyday' shades; Lace Detail (a pinky 'your-lips-but-better shade) and Corset (a grey/brown toned beige nude). 

The HD concealer pops up on every 'My Top Five.. ' concealer post I've ever read so my hand was practically forced. Right?! I got this in the shade Fair to highlight my under eyes however I think this product has such a full coverage that I won't need to conceal beforehand! 

As we get into warmer weather I like to switch the dark smoky eyes for a contoured and defined look. It's so hard to find a completely matte shadow from an affordable range so imagine my delight when I found an entire matte range. Better still, I found my perfect contour shade - Get Naked. 

Highlight that could blind someone? Hello NYX Illuminator in Ritualistic. The highlighter looks pearly in the pan but when applied it's leaves a  beautiful champagne toned glow.

Finally, something to keep my beautifully blended eyeshadows in place in our ridiculously hot English summer (optimistic, I know), the Proof It waterproof eye primer. I hope this can battle the oil slick that seems to occur in warmer weather!

Even though I only completed my first purchase around 48 hours ago I'm so impressed I'm scouring reviews to create a shopping list for my next visit! I'd love to read some recommendations if you have any...

L'Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist

Even as I sit here writing this, I can't quite fathom how I've never been drawn in the direction of a setting spray. As the owner of a particularly greasy visage, surely a simple spray that would fix the 40 minutes of hard graft in place indefinitely is the answer to every girls prayers, right?

Alas no. Up until very recently I've been burying my head in the sand; reassuring myself that caking myself in layers of powder would fix my makeup meltdowns.  Cue L'Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist...

As always with L'Oreal, you get a generous amount of product for your money. I also like the fact you can see the amount left in the bottle.

I could hear there was a ball bearing in the bottle; this is to mix the solution so remember to give it a good shake before applying.

The dispenser is smooth so you get a fine, even spray. As of yet I haven't been left with 'droplets' on my makeup after use. I like how fast it dries and the smell is quite pleasant  (if a little hairspray like).

Anti Melt. Anti Crack. Anti Fade.

Big promises but I think the spray delivers. I wanted to be sure the spray was setting my make up and not just melding it, so I braved the day without powder. To my total and utter surprise my make up looked fresh and glowy at the end of the day, without patches or shininess. In fact, I prefer using this in place of powder. Being able to achieve a dewy, radiant finish is almost impossible for me but L'Oreal's Fixing Mist has helped me to achieve just that!! 

Top tip : After applying, wait a few seconds before moving your face to avoid setting any expression lines!

Garnier Moisture Bomb Range Part 2

I recently posted my thoughts on the Moisture Bomb day cream, which is here should you want to take a little peek. Spoiler... Loved it! 

Today's is the turn of it's partner in crime, the Super Recharging Antioxidant Gel-Cream, hereon to be referred to as Night Cream. 

Now, my desire to adopt a grown up skincare was what actually led me to search out a night use cream. Being such a fan of Garnier, I was instantly drawn to this! 

Like the day cream, the packaging isn't chic but it is clean, simple and it's a good size.

The product is a super lightweight gel consistency that almost melts into the skin when applying. It absorbed super quick and left my skin feeling refreshed soft with no greasiness. 

When I woke up my skin still felt moisturised, soft and clean. A definite and permanent addition to my bedtime routine! 

Garnier Moisture Bomb Range Part 1

As I reach the 25 year milestone, I am more aware of the need to take care of my skin. I'm not saying I have 'wrinkles' but my skin gets duller by the day alongside the fine lines appearing around my lips and eyes. Even if they're only visible to me, I feel like it's a prompt to take action.

Prevention is better than reaction so I'm taking the proverbial bull by the horns and starting my skin journey with Garnier's Moisture Bomb range.

I use Hibiscrub to control my acne prone skin and if I'm honest it is extremely drying, which is only exacerbating the problem. I wanted a product that promised radiance and fine line reduction as well as an intensive moisturiser. This duo ticked all the boxes, were from a brand I trust and were on offer; it was fate!

First up, the 3in1 day cream. Packaging wise, it's not the most chic but does it really matter so long as it does the job? Besides, it's in the bathroom cabinet for all but 10 minutes a day... The product is dispensed with a pump, which I am particularly pleased about, as it is much more hygienic!

The 'cream' is actually more of a lotion, and a little goes a long way. One and a bit pumps is all you will need unless you've got a larger bonce like moi; in which case I'd play safe and go for two.

My skin literally drinks this! Once applied, my skin felt beautifully hydrated. The moisturiser left my face looking smooth and glowy; I've actually been favouring this alone instead of moisturiser and primer together. Although this range is for dry/dehydrated skin it controls my oily skin like nothing I've used before...

One last note, this smells like suncream so it invokes that summer holiday feeling for me... *sigh* If only I was on my jollies!

Part 2 || Night Cream coming soon!

Facial Cleansing Pad

I wasn't going to share anything on this curious little device. Mainly because I expected not to like it, bought as a novelty and shoved to the back of a cupboard never to see the light of day again. Didn't I just get a surprise? 

This tear shaped silicone contraption is Primark's Facial Cleansing Pad. Simply slip it on your finger, apply your favourite face wash and move around your face in small circular movements. The little bristles help give the skin a deeper clean and actually feel rather pleasant. Much like a beauty blender, it's tapered to a point, so you'll be able to reach around the eye area and any other nooks on your visage!

The result? Smoother, massaged, slightly plumper skin. When you're done, rinse under warm water and use the sucker on the back to attach it to the tile! 

For a bargainous £1.50, I've been able to up my skincare game. Now, off to stock up... 

Garnier Pure Active Micellar Cleansing Water

I'm a massive fan of Garnier's Micellar range so when I spied an oily formulation I literally almost died with excitement! 

Firstly, it's an absolute bargain! I think it retails at about  £4.99 but I always pick it up when the Boots skincare events are on so I paid £3.32 for this mahussive bottle. #winning.

So... this promises to remove makeup, dirt and excess sebum without rubbing, leaving the skin clean and purified. A pretty big promise to live up to but it delivers! I use two cotton pads to clean all the make up from my face and that's pretty impressive considering I wear alot of makeup. 

After removal, my face feels refreshed and soft as well as really clean; I've tried other micellar waters and I always feel some sort of residue after use but there is nothing like that with the Garnier range. 

I like to swipe this over my face in the morning's just to revive my skin after sleep. 

This is an absolute staple of my skincare and head over heels for this new formulation.