Top 10 Lipsticks: Rimmel, L'Oreal, MAC, Kate Moss, Topshop and Calvin Klein

Hey,

So today I'm bringing you my top ten lipsticks, some are cheap high street ones and others are higher end - best of both worlds.When it comes to make-up splurges, lipstick is the produce I'm more than willing to pay extra for or just buy many of. Lipstick, for me, creates and complete a look and I'm a sucker for bold lips on a daily basis: they're not just for special occasions!

The first product, technically, isn't a lipstick as it's more of a lipgloss. However, its staying power and its pigmentation is similar to a lipstick. Tanya Burr's lipgloss in the shade Vampire Kiss, is a dark red gloss and its fantastic for a daytime red which suggests that you're not trying too hard - more casual. 

 Tanya Burr, Vampire Kiss

Available at Superdrug and Feel Unique

£6.99

I already have a blog post on this collection, check it out here:

http://gemsbeautybits.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/tanya-burr-lip-gloss-and-nail-varnish.html

The next lipstick is a bit more expensive, similarly priced to MAC Lipsticks. It is the Calvin Klein One Pure Color Lipstick. Its a brilliant nude for pale skin tones. Nude lipsticks are a hit and miss for pale skin tones as they can sometimes make me look ill, ghostly and generally not good. This peachy nude however, is an exception and I love it! Its especially good with a pale pink/peachy lipgloss over the top!

Calvin Klein One Pure Color, Brainiac

£13.00, Debenhams

For the up and coming summer, which will come in England at some point, I wanted a bold orange lipstick. This was a challenge and one I had to contemplate over for a while but this next lipsticks is definitely up there in my top 5 and one of my most worn.

 Rimmel London Moisture Renew, In Love With Ginger

£6.49, Boots and Superdrug

The colour is pretty self explanatory and the camera has done it justice. It is a very bright orange but you could tone it down by using a small amount patted into the lips or applying a thin layer with a lip brush. For the photo I used it straight from the tube and applied one thin coat. The product is very buildable.

I have always been sceptical about make-up products produces by high street clothing shops. However, Topshop went above and beyond with their beauty products. Although their clothes quality is amazing, I wasn't sure that the make-up range would be. But they sure proved me wrong! Which leads to my next product..

Topshop Sheer Lip, Applause

£8.00

As stated by the name, this particular range from Topshop is very sheer and glossy and Applause is a lovely pink. I'm normally a red kind of girl but this has been an amazing alternative to change things up a bit. Its not too sticky or heavy on the lips as some glossy lipsticks which is great but the lasting power of the lipstick isn't as good as some others that I own.

Another Topshop product which I snapped up as soon as I saw it was this lip creme. Once again, its not a lipstick and therefore is a bit of a cheating again but once again, its the pigment and how long it lasts which puts it more in a lipstick category than a lipgloss category. I would also sat its a stain too.

 Topshop Lip Cream, Pout

£7.00

This formula is quite drying so applying a good lip balm before will optimise its wear, I use carmex - both in the tub and in the squeeze tube, they're both amazing.

 

This next lipstick is my most recent purchase. On our way to Ibiza, we had a while to browse around duty free before our flight. I set my mind on buying a pink lipstick as I had only owned two pink lipsticks before as they're not normally my thing. 

L'Oreal Paris Color Riche Made for Me Lipstick, Pink Fever

I got this at Duty Free, Gatwich Airport for £6.49

Feel Unique, £8.16

This beautiful lipstick has the perfect balance of pigment, sheer/light cover and gloss. However, I'm not too keen on the smell, its over-perfumed for me but I think I can deal with that, its worth it.

With the next lipstick, pictures do not do it justice, not mine anyway - if only my camera battery didn't die and downgrade for the last few, I may have been able to snap some better shots. However, I suggest you google this shade or try it in store, it's AMAZING! Once again, it's more than £10 so you may class it as a higher end lipstick but oh my, so worth it!

MAC, Girl About Town

£15.00, MAC, Debenhams

Amplified Formula

I'm so gutted that the pictures do it no justice! MAC are well known for their lipsticks and it's beauties like this that explain why. They're so flawless, pigmented, moisturising and they last HOURS. I wore this throughout the morning, had lunch and drinks and it was only after dinner at 7pm when it was fading - craziness.

Oh Rimmel, how your lipsticks always end up denting my bank account I do not know. Well I do, they're amazing.. But I can never say no. Rimmel have so many formula's and ranges and not one are disappointing, there are so many shades to chose from. It was a hard call, I knew one had to be included, and this is my favourite. In the tube its a dark reddish-brown colour but the colour on the lips is indescribable. There's a slight shimmer in it but you can't feel it on your lips, it is also a buildable colour.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick, Drop of Sherry

£4.99 from Superdrug

I purchased this lipstick from tesco, so you can get it in the supermarkets also (unsure of the price)

My favourite! Kate Moss outdone herself with her lipstick collection, I love them all so much. But as a red girl, I love both 111 and 107. I'm not one for matte lipsticks as my lips are quite dry and matte lipsticks only make them worse - I can rarely pull of matte MAC lipsticks and they're quite moisturising. But this lipstick is an exception, matte and moisturising - HEAVEN!

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick, 111 Kiss of life

£5.49, Boots, Superdrug

(on sale for £3.99 at the moment!!)

Every girl needs her holy grail lipstick, including the perfect red, and this is mine! If you haven't discovered this range yet, I highly recommend it.

Last but by no means least is another red and another show from Topshop. And no surprise, I'm cheating, this product is more of a glossy stain but there was no way I could leave it out! When you first apply this product it does feel a bit sticky but I reassure you, it dries and it remains shiny once it dries - and it does not budge or smudge.

Topshop Gloss Ink, Relentless

£8.00

I don't think this picture gives the gloss justice as I think my lips were rebelling to any more lip products as I got to my tenth favourite. The gloss is much more postbox red than this and definitely more even! 

I'd love to hear what your favourite lipsticks/lip glosses/lip products are or what you would love to try or buy! Thank you for reading, Gemma xxxx

Bucket List #1 Travel somewhere hot: Ibiza 2014

Hola!

I feel like my bucket list is going well. I posted my bucket list 3 months ago and I'm already checking off a second wish which I find amazing and I hope I can keep it up.

So just yesterday, I flew in to London Gatwick after an amazing and hot 8 days in Es Canar, Ibiza. It was a well deserved surprise treat for my mum and we had the best time. We both haven't been abroad in about 16 years due to finances: my mum is a single parent with no supported income and a Teaching Assistant so we can only travel during school holidays which are extortionately priced!

On our first day, we woke up eager to explore and it didn't take long to find the beauty of Ibiza on our doorstep. We stayed at the Azuline Coral Beach hotel which is located in East of the island which never disappoints on its rural, mountain scenery and breathtaking beaches.
These two photos were taken after walking for about 3 minutes from our
hotel which completely surprised me. The surrounding area was so
tranquil, relaxing and quiet which made it the perfect retreat. 

Seeing more of the island was certainly on our agenda. I'm a history and sightseeing buff so having the opportunity to relax and have optional excursions available is essential in a holiday.
The first excursion we decided to do was the Glass Bottom Boat which is perfect for families, couples, adults and children.  

Not only were we able to see the corals under the sea, there were many fish and the occasional jelly fish! The bottom photo is actually a ship wreck and the lovely men explain to you what happened and where you are at each point of the tour. I highly recommend this trip!

The second excursion we embarked upon was the 10:30 am Tourist Train from Es Canar port which provides you the opportunity to visit four different beaches in the three hours you're aboard the train. As well as the beaches, travelling between the four means that you can watch the local scenery pass on by like the red, iron rich earth, mountains and many, many cacti. 

This first beach was much more rocky than the others in Ibiza.
This however, does not distract you from its astonishing views and clear blue sea.
This day was the cloudiest of our time in Ibiza but it was  hot!

This is another rocky beach but the clear water and beating sun makes no difference to its beauty.

This beach was probably my favourite. It was a TINY beach and very tucked away and private.
It can easily fool you and make you feel like you're not in Ibiza.
Its tropical theme makes you feel exotic and like you are in paradise!

The most interesting of the four is certainly this one.
It may look like just wet sand but, no.
This beach is the only beach with dark sand in Ibiza and it certainly looks magical!

We had an extremely early flight Sunday morning (5am) but we had to check out midday on Saturday so we treated ourselves to a goodbye dinner on the beach - with cocktails of course!

Restaurante Brisamar may not look like anything special from the outside but their interior, food and cocktails are out of this world! Not to mention the view.

The sun didn't set directly on this section of the beach but the distant island was certainly glowing, like something you see in films.

Here is a selection of some more pictures of the Island and our trip:

I highly recommend this part of Ibiza if you're looking for a cheap, cheerful, relaxing and beautiful holiday.

Thanks for reading, Gemma xxx 

Bucket List #4 See Ed Sheeran in concert - COMPLETE!

Hello,

So, I have some exciting news. I CROSSED OFF ED SHEERAN ON MY BUCKET LIST, WOOHOO!

I was sooo lucky and was able to get some tickets for his secret Multiply Gig on Monday 5th May 2014; the tickets were limited and I was stoked to nab two.

I am seeing him in October but at £6 each and in my home city of London, I could not let the chance pass me by. It isn't the same as meeting him in the flesh which I wish was possible, but it was close enough and we had a great view on the balcony.

For those of you who don't know who Ed Sheeran is, 

a) where have you been? 

b) check him out here www.youtube.com/EdSheeran

Ed Sheeran is an amazing Singer Songwriter from England and his success with songs such as Lego House, The A Team from the album + (pronounced 'plus') has made him known and popular world wide. This gig was a promotion for his new album being released on 23rd June 2014, x (multiply) and ah it was perfect! He's such a talented guy, genius musician and a pro with a loop pedal!

Here are some photos from the gig and October couldn't come soon enough to see him again.

I shared this amazing moment with my boyfriend, who absolutely loved it in the end (he dreaded the waiting around). I'm so glad I've been able to experience - the atmosphere was amazing and his presence has the ability to have you screaming at the top of your lungs or make the room fall silent!

Thank you for reading, Gemma xxx

If you love Lush, you will love BOMB COSMETICS!

Hello again guys,
Today's post is a website I had stumbled across in March. As a Lush addict, I'm always on the hunt for similar products, if not better and this is where www.bombcosmetics.co.uk comes in. This company sells bath bombs, soaps, candles and other face and body goodies and in such beautiful and creative forms which is partly why I fell in love with them! They are reasonably priced as the total of this purchase was only £27.21 however, the package did take about 10 days to arrive so order in advance! 

Each product is handmade, natural ingredients and oils are used, the company are against animal testing and are cruelty free and they also use minimal packaging as well as being recycling hero's. 

So, here we go...

Candy Box Soap
£2.49

First of all, can we appreciate how cute this liquorice design is? It looks and smells good enough to eat.
This soap has wonderful Bergamot and Sweet Orange oils infused into its formula but one an instant smell, there is also hints of vanilla and caramel. 
This soap lathers brilliantly and smells divine.

Knickerbocker Glory Whoopie Blaster
£2.99

I was convinced that I needed this doughnut shaped bath item, my life depended on it haha! 
Whoopie Blasters fizz like crazy once placed into the bath. You can put the whole thing in or break it into pieces to last longer. This one smells fruity with tones of vanilla. Essential oils in this bad boy include amyris and thyme oils as well as cocoa butter.

Lime and Coconut Parfait Bath Blaster
£2.09

Another fizzy one! As the name states, this fizzy goodness smells like limes and coconuts. The essential oils include: coconut oil, pure amyris and lime oil.
This would be perfect for citrus lovers as it is very refreshing and clean.

Lemon Meringue Soap
£2.49

I think you'll be able to spot a trend here - citrus. I'm a big fan of the freshness, lemony, lime scents. And once again, the beautifulness of this soap is not disappointing.
May Chang and Ylang Ylang oils have been infused in these soaps to leave your skin smooth and soft and not dehydrating like most soaps. 

Orange Soda Soap
£2.49

I think this may be my favourite soap out of them all and its the simplest looking! The scent is to die for and strong which I love because it lingers on your skin.
Mandarin essential oils and a hint of green apples makes the soap so fresh and zingy. LOVE.

Jack the Rippler Soap
£2.49

This is where I put my hands up an admit that I'm an addict.. I purely bought this soap on the name, aaah!! As if I needed it, pure impulse. But, it does smell amazing - a bit like raspberry ripple ice-cream. This has a raspberry smell with a creamy vanilla inserted swirl in the middle with coconut and primrose essential oils. Not a bad impulse buy!

Coconut Mushrooms Tinned Candle
£7.99

This one wasn't for me - my mum LOVES the little coconut mushroom sweets so this was a perfect addition to her Mothers Day presents. 
Its a very, very sweet smell so I don't think it would be everyone's cup of tea, I love coconut but the sweetness kills it for me. My mum loved it though. The pink and blue inserts are probably my favourite part, presentation is everything, it sucks me in, it makes the candle look so beautiful.
Its approximate burning time is 45 minutes - according to the website. And they also state that pure Ylang Ylang and Clary Sage oils have been added to its ingredients. 




Pink Coconut and Lime On Bath Creamers
£2.09 each, sold separately

These tiny packages are like balls of melting creamy goodness for your skin!
Pink coconut: hello again coconut. This creamer is packed full of essential oils such as Lavender and Geranium and Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter for amazing skin.
Lime on: This happy looking soul (check it out on the website) is full of Cocoa butter as well as pure lemon and lime essential oils. Citrus - SHOCKER!


FREEBIE!
I think this product is the Miss Tangleberry Buttercup worth £2.20 but I'm not completely sure, sorry! This does smell very much like Cocoa and Shea Butter. 
According to the website, the Miss Tangleberry Buttercup includes pure Frankincense and Sandalwood for relaxation. 




FREEBIE!
Addictive Soap, I couldn't find this on the website being sold individually but it is featured in the Paradise Lost Gift pack. 
Its such an interesting looking soap - as always - and smells bizarre on a first sniff but I think its quite floral, a very subtle floral smell. I cant wait to open this and see what scents explode from this bar!

I really recommend this company if you love Lush or even just bath products in general, I'm certain that you will not be disappointed! The freebies were such an amazing surprise gift too, I couldn't say many more positive things about this website.

Thank you for taking your time to read this, 

Gemma xxxx

Bucket List!

Hey there guys! 
This post may be more for my benefit but I think bucket lists are great ideas for everyone. Everyone has hopes, dreams and wishes and bucket lists allow you to keep track of where you want to go in life and what you want to do.

Be successful, be happy, be adventurous, be spontaneous, 

be determined and most importantly.. BE YOURSELF.

1. Travel somewhere hot
2. Blog at least three times a week!
3. Go to Reading Festival
4. See Ed Sheeran in concert
5. Go Skydiving
6. Visit America
7. Have scuba diving lessons
8. Attend a masquerade ball
9. Learn how to surf
10. Bungee Jump
11. Pass my driving test
12. Get married OUTDOORS
13. Go whale watching
14. Visit Germany/Poland, specifically concentration camps

15. See the Northern Lights

16. Go to Thailand with my mum

17. Sleep under the stars

18. Own my own house

19. Live in the countryside

20. Have a spa break

21. Spend the night in an expensive hotel

22. Go glamping

23. Watch the sun set on a beach

24. See Green Day live

25. Ice skate fluently, without being scared or falling over

26. Own a pinball machine

27. Adopt a ginger cat

28. Visit Disneyland and Orlando Universal studios

29. Have children

30. Buy an expensive handbag worth regretting the money spent

31. Visit Ancient Egypt Sites: visit Valley of the Kings, see/have a boat trip on the Nile.

32. Gain the confidence to make more YouTube videos

33. Go fruit picking

34. Have a paint fight

35. Make ice-cream

36. Volunteer at a soup kitchen

37. Go sledging 

38. Go to an outside movie

39. Go to a water park

40. Go on two contiki trips

I think they're a great idea and I can't wait to do all this stuff!

Gemma

xxx

Tanya Burr: Lip Gloss and Nail Varnish Review

After a VERY long 3 week delivery wait, goddamn you Feel Unique, my Tanya Burr Lip Gloss and Nail Varnish finally asrrived- woo hoo! So here we go...

Vampire Kiss, £6.99

This colour is certainly darker than the camera captures, it's highly pigmented and not too sticky. The colour is a solid dark red which is buildable without getting thick and heavy, you can wear little for a hint of red or add a full coat for a very pigmented red colour. I wore the lip gloss alone, however, I think I might put a lip liner on underneath for a fuller colour and better lasting power (these do last a good hour or two on their own though, better than most!)

Who else hates sticky lipgloss? I know I'm not alone here. In England, our weather has been super windy and hairy lip gloss lips are not attractive! At first my hair did stick a bit but after, I had no problems and it was still glossy and shiny.

The second lip gloss colour I ordered was Aurora. This is a pale, nude pink with a sort of silver very fine glitter. Both glosses I ordered are cream lip glosses (there are shinier ones) and therefore, they are both similar in formula.

I'm not normally one for pink or glosses and I think that's due to never finding one that suits me. So, if you're in the same position, BRAVE IT! I did and I do no look back, I love these lip glosses so much and I will definitely be buying more colours.

 Next from the Tanya Burr collection I bought two nail polishes which you can buy from the same stores and are £5.99 each. This nail varnish is in the shade Penguin Chic and may I add, I love the name of her whole collection, its based on her favourite things and somehow, the match colours perfectly - such a clever idea.

Penguin Chic is a lovely grey/taupe colour but I think it's a bit like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. My mum hates it and I love it!

The formula is very creamy and easy to apply, it dries amazingly quickly but you do need two coats which is pretty normal anyway. The finish is extremely shiny and I love it. I have worn this nail varnish for a good week without it chipping. AMAZING.

The second colour I added to my large nail varnish collection is Midnight Sparkles which is a very dark purple with lighter purple flecks of glitter. In dim lighting it can look black but in daylight and good lighting, its very purple and sparkly. 

Even though they're from the same collection, the formula, to me, is different. It may be the glitter or maybe I got a dodgy nail varnish? But when applying, it seems too thick and almost gooey, ikkkk, and the first coat is always VERY uneven.. Also, it seems to chip quicker. But, the colour certainly makes it worth its flaws.

Here are a few more pictures of the packaging and the lip gloss applicator (which is also great too).

Thank you for reading and let me know your favourites! And if you haven't tried these products, I highly recommend them.

Gemma xxx