MUA Luxe Shimmer Sheets - Review and Swatches

MUA Luxe Shimmer Sheets

Since I've been adding to my make up collection my make up bag has been getting bigger and bigger with more products I want to try out through every day use making my bag bulky and heavy. Surprisingly the biggest out of all of them in my highlighter which is normally is four pan palette size or a larger compact on its own so seeing these shimmer sheets I have been excited to try them out to see if I can slim down my make up bag for every day use or on the go use. So far they only have two shades; rose gold and white gold but hopefully they will bring out more ready for summer to test out.

To start off with I tried the rose gold shimmer sheets as this is the one I was most looking forward to using as I love rose gold highlighters. It is really weird to open the book and tear a page out to rub it on my hand for a swatch, the paper itself is like blotting paper with a almost silky texture. I rubbed it for about a minute to get maximum pigmentation and it really paid off, they are like a glitter glow than a pearl look but I expected that from the name of it. It is a really pretty shade but I will have to use a lot less when I actually use it on my face as it is highly pigmented and as I have such pale skin it will really stick out but will look really good with a bronzer in summer.

The white gold is completely different from the rose gold, not only did I rub for the same amount of time for a swatch but I used it in the exact same way. Unfortunately I didn't get any pigmentation, it did get some glitter but more like a little bit of glitter spilt on my hand. I was really looking forward to this as the other shade was a little too dark for me, but I could still use it for below the brow when I am going for a more natural look.

Overall I love the idea of these, the rose gold one is high in pigment and as there is 30 sheets this would be really good for going away on holiday to save on weight in the make up bag area or for on the go in general use. I would definitely recommend the rose gold but I wouldn't personally recommend the white gold as the pay off isn't as good but for $3 per booklet it is worth trying it out!.

http://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Face/Concealer/MUA-Luxe-Shimmer-Sheet-Rose-Gold/p/727450

http://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up/Face/Concealer/MUA-Luxe-Shimmer-Sheet-White-Gold/p/727452

MUA Pro-Base Prime & Conceal

Colour Correcting

Since I have started blogging I've slowly been getting used to trying new things and since I started using make up all I have been doing is putting my foundation on without correcting the redness or covering the dark circles I always have under my eyes, normally using concealer as my go to. Doing some research I found the colour are used for different things like:

The green and yellow corrects redness, the purple corrects yellow, orange corrects blue and the middle is a perfect concealer colour. Picking MUA as I have used and liked their products before I chose the Pro-Base Prime & Conceal palette as it has the colours I need to hide the redness and the blue tinge to the circles under my eyes and it was only $4 so is a good starting kit to try colour correcting. It is buttery to the touch and easily melts away any colour on the face and stays there. I went over it with a damp beauty blender just to make sure it has gone into the skin properly before using my L'Oreal Infallible foundation in the shade Porcelain as it is the perfect shade for my skin. I have never seen my skin look so flawless before and I love using this! It does take a bit of time but it is worth it especially for a night out!. If you have any tips for using colour correcting then please let me know in the comments down below! I am going to find some other colour correcting palettes with more of a range when I get the hang of using colour correctors. 

You can find this palette at any Superdrug store or on:

http://www.superdrug.com/Make-Up-Offers/MUA-Pro-Base-Prime-%26-Conceal-Palette/p/245503

UK Drug Store Brands - Which I Recommend and Little Reviews

UK Drug Store Brands

MUA

As you might of read I discovered this brand when I started doing the full face of make up for $20 and since then I use most products at least once a week if not every other day. Prices for this brand range from $1 to $15 from Superdrug and they have everything from liners to lipsticks, foundation to eyeshadow and nail polish to highlighter all for a very affordable price. My top recommendations from this brand; the Lift & Curl Mascara as it perfectly separates and coats lashes from root to tip giving a defined long look which stays on all day. If you do get the mascara I would recommend buying some good make up remover as it is hard to get it all off with a baby wipe or in the shower. Personally I love the highlighting powders they have as one swipe over the pan picks up a very glowing colour which stays on all day. I can't count the amount of compliments I have got on the glow I get from this brands highlighter - I even find it better than some more expensive brands I own and for only $3!. A recent favourite is the Pro Base Prime & Conceal Palette which the first colour correcting palette I have brought, I find it really easy to work with especially for beginners as the formula is so creamy and easy to build with, I highly recommend this if you want to try colour correcting as it is only $4 and feels amazing on the skin. 

E.L.F

E.L.F is another brand I found through doing the full face for $20 blog posts, they don't have a stand in the UK that I know of so far so I did have to order it online but I am going to add it in as I heard rumours of them being added to Superdrug soon. Prices range from less than $1 to $70 (normally sets) but everything is really good quality. My favourite items from this brand are the Flawless Finish Foundation which is similar to L'Oreal 24H Infallible Foundation for half the price! then of course the eye shadow set I brought is perfect make up bag size, having three smaller ones split in two is a great way to save space then the make up brush is soft and easy to use for packing on the colour. I really hope they do get a stand in Superdrug to make it easier to buy and then you'll be able to test out shades etc instead of guessing.

Make Up Revolution

Make Up Revolution was the first brand I brought a highlighter from and since then I have been hooked, the products are very reasonably priced around $2 to $15 from Superdrug, the eyeshadow palette formula is buttery with only a little fall out but it's not enough to notice really and they have lots of different styles of palettes (even a neon one!) so they are good to experiment with or just get some base colours like I did with my palette. The highlighters are amazing but you do have to get a lot of product on the brush to get any pigment pay out and it is more of a glitter highlighter than a natural look. The newest products I brought from them were the Retro Luxe Lip Kits what I did a review on and loved them! The metallic ones are really pigmented and perfect for festivals and the mattes are long lasting easily passing my eat and drink test. This is an amazing brand with really nice products which are as good as the higher end brands! 

Maybelline

Maybelline was one of the first brands I started with what I still use today, they are easy to find in most stores but I mostly buy from Superdrug like I buy most of my make up from. The Better Skin foundation has helped clear up any break outs and clear my skin, the Master Ink stays on without smudging so I use it pretty much every time I wear it. The Fit Me concealer is my favourite, but they don't have many shades unfortunately same with the Matte Maker powder. If you're looking for a long lasting lipstick with a moisturising balm as the setter then you'll love the Super Stay 24 Hour Colour lipsticks they do as it lasts a whole night out with only a little smudging and doesn't dry your lips out at all. The Colosossal Volume Express Waterproof Mascara is perfect for hot days or days to the beach, perfect for holidays and is on deals most of the time in summer. 

Rimmel London

Rimmel London really is a brand you can buy from anywhere from Tesco to Savers to Superdrug. Over the years I have tried pretty much all their mascaras, lipsticks and foundations but these are the products I have been using recently or have been using for a long time and haven't finished yet. Since summer is pretty much here it's time to bring out the BB cream and my personal favourite I use whenever the sun starts to come out is Rimmel Londons BB cream in Very Light as I haven't had any problems with it apart from a little orange tinge if I've put more on. The two mascaras I have I have had a few tubes of before these; the Scandal Eyes Mascara by Kate Moss and The normal Scandal Eyes Rockin' Curves as the applicator catches every lash with ease. Lipstick wise I have tried most shades but my favourites are Sugar Plum for summer season and Drop Of Sherry for winter. Nail polish wise I do like the formula but it does chip so I use it for a night out but not for if I want the colour to stay for over a week without chipping. 

L'Oreal

L'Oreal are an amazing brand for all products they do, I love their foundations and mascaras most of all. The first mascara I brought from them is the Mega Volume Miss Manga Waterproof as I wanted it since I was in school and I loved it! 3 tubes later I still have at least one in my make up collection! The False Lash Sculpt mascara is good for night outs but I find the applicator wand hard to use as it has one side with bristles while the other is just hard plastic. It took me ages to get used to it but when you do it is worth it! Foundation wise this has got to be my forth bottle maybe, the Infallible 24H Stay Fresh Foundation in Poreceliane is the perfect shade for my skin, the formula is full coverage, I haven't broke out at all since I have been using it what is surprising as when I use fuller coverage then I normally battle with the break outs I get from it. As I have oily skin I find this does stop the 'meltdown' like it says on the bottle! That's why I love this brand, they do exactly what they say on the bottle and they're in the middle of budget and high end products but have a great formula like the high end  products do and you can easily find them in Boots or Superdrug. 

Revlon

Revlon I found in Superdrug when I was struggling to find a foundation which suits my skin type and is the correct shade for me then I found the Colour Stay foundation for normal/dry as at the time I didn't realise I have Oily skin, I brought the shade Ivory after swatching all in store then finding a store with the shade in stock. I love the formula as you can't even feel it on your skin at all, it is lightweight yet gives full coverage and for $15 I found it to be a bargain! In the same day I thought I would try a new lipstick so I brought one of the Matte Balms in the shade Sultry and since the first time I used it I loved it, the formula is creamy, the smell is like Peppermint and the tingle on the lips made me feel more confident like it is plumping my lips slightly. The colour made my teeth look whiter and I used it every day for at least 2 months and I still have more than half a tube left as it is so pigmented so a little goes a long way. If you're getting bored of regular lipsticks or want to take some time away from liquid lipsticks then I would highly recommend using one of these, plus they have a lot of different colours to try out as well so there will be a shade for you in there!

Max Factor

I don't have a lot from Max Factor but I can say that the first eye shadow palette I brought when I wanted to try a smokey eye for the first time is the Masterpiece Nude Palette in Golden Nudes which I love! It has two mattes with the rest being shimmer which makes for a really nice going out look. I did get that while I was in Spain at their version of Superdrug, but I have seen it in Superdrug back in the UK so it is still in the list. The Creme Puff is one of the nicest powders I have but it is from the original formula which does smell like perfume which some people don't like but I find it nice smelling. I've got it in the shade 'Light N Gay' which is perfect for my skin tone but you only need a light dusting else you can go slightly orange but that might just be my skin tone or the foundation I was using at the time. 

If there is any brands or products you like then drop them in the comments! I hope this has helped you finding drug store products or brands which you can easily walk down the road and buy.

Full Face Of Make Up For $20 - MUA

Full Face Of Make Up For $20

I know I don't use much drug store make up as by the time I've come to writing a beauty blog I have been using more high end make up for a few months so I review what I have. Now I find a few people asking about drug store or more budget make up so I thought I would do a blog on a full face of make up for $20 to see how much I can actually get for my money. There are tons of brands I could use for this as I walked through Superdrug I saw how many brands I have been missing as I've been so focused on the higher end products! If buying the Sleek Box Of Tricks has taught me anything it is that the drug store brands are defiantly worth another shot and can be 100% as good as high end brands if not better. If I get comments underneath telling me brands you would like me to do this challenge with as well then let me know and I'll try to make it a monthly thing! 'Full face of make up' to me means; foundation, highlighter, mascara, liquid eyeliner, eye shadow palette and liquid lipstick as this is what I would class as a full face on me. I was going to add contour but as most palettes are at least $10 it would cut my budget in half.


To kick start this challenge I have wrote a list of brands I originally thought I would be able to get my full face for $20 but was quick to add up and realise some were over $40! I came to find three brands I could find everything and one I didn't realise doesn't actually do mascara and eyeliner. To kit start I decided to go for a brand I haven't used before as I thought it would be interesting to try something new and I have heard good things about them! MUA. I have heard loads of things about their Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer and I am a huge fan of liquid lipsticks so I decided to buy an extra one with the money I had change from the $20 budget. On their site it says 'We know that looking good is important and so is saving you money, which is why our products are of the highest standard but at a super low cost' which is exactly how I think it should be.


To start off with I brought the Skin Define Hydro Foundation in Natural Ivory (the lightest shade they offer) which cost $3.00 (on sale originally $4.00). Then I chose my mascara picking the Curl Mascara as I liked the look of the wand as the shape looked like it would be able to cover root to tip of my lashes which cost $2.00. It was hard to choose an eye shadow palette as they have so many but eventually I chose the Hall Of Fame as it has build-able shades and a couple of blues to make it more of a striking look which only costs $4.00. I only really use liquid eyeliner and I don't like the felt applicators when I'm doing my eyeliner so I chose the Matte Liquid Eyeliner in black which only costs $2.00. They have several shades of highlighter sold singularly but I brought the shade 'Iridescent' as I prefer a glow with not much colour which only costs $3.00. To finish off the look I brought the Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer as I have been dying to try them! the shade I got for the look is 'Symphonic' (blue with a purple undertone) as it will go with the eye shadow palette perfectly then as I had $3.00 extra I also brought the shade 'Lacquer Poise' (a purple grey) then a Luxe Whipped Velvet Lip Lacquer in the shade 'Majestic' (a deep red) as it was on sale for $1.50 instead of the usual $3.00.
In total without the two extra lipsticks it all cost $17.00 in total which is really good considering how much you get! Now to review the products and show a finishing look...


The first item I'll be reviewing is the Skin Define Hydro Foundation in the shade 'Natural Ivory' (the palest shade they have in this foundation). Squeezing a bit onto the back of my hand it looks a bit dark for my skin tone but I should be able to blend it out to make it look like my shade. As this has Vitamin E and Jojoba in it I expect it will be like Maybelline Better Skin but more light weight than the Maybelline one. It feels more like a tinted moisteriser than a light weight foundation and has a very nice natural glowing finish. It is like a very nice BB cream as it makes the skin feel very moisterised and soft, the skin feels breathable without having too much on but like a BB cream it doesn't give the best coverage so using a concealer would be a good idea. In the summer this will be perfect! or on holiday where you don't want to wear much heavy make up more natural. I do find that even though this is the lightest shade they offer in foundation it is a little orange (I struggle with this quite a lot) but adding a little of my usual moisteriser it does seem to work a little better with the orange tinge. Next time I will definitely be buying the other foundation they have, Skin Define Matte Perfection Foundation as it offers a lot better coverage so I won't have to use concealer over the top and it will be a lot more like the foundations I usually use every day.


Next products I used is the Hall Of Fame palette making a really simple eyeshadow look as the foundation isn't that heavy and I was only going out shopping that day. In the swatches, starting from the top, the first shade is 'Shy' (a matte shades the same as my skin tone) then 'Rose Ash' (A rose tone shimmer) , 'Bare' (a champagne shimmer colour), 'Catacomb' (a nude with pink under tone shimmer shade), 'Lion' (a gold shimmering shade), 'Chino' (a dusty purple shade with blue undertone), 'Reveal' (silver shimmer shade), 'Hustle' (a plum shimmer shade), 'Tectonite' (a grey purple shimmer shade), 'Cool Grey' (a dark blue with green undertone shimmer shade), 'Hydra' (a almost pastel blue shimmering shade) then last of all 'Titan' (a blue, black shimmering shade). Out of all of them my favourites have got to be the shades 'Rose Ash' for the inner corner of my eye and a dash under my eyebrow then 'Chino' for the crease, a dash of 'Hustle' in the outer corner of my to really make it pop then move into the centre of my eye where I blend with the Rose Ash shade. The formula is really rich and creamy! considering it costs $4 for the palette it is a total bargain! There is a little bit of fall out, but I used some loose powder under my eyes so it won't effect the foundation I've already put on.

Since my eyeshadow blended really well I moved onto using the Lift& Curl Mascara. The wand is a really nice shape to be able to cover all of my lashes completely from root to tip. You do have to wipe off the extra product from the top of the applicator where it collects but apart from that one dip is enough for both eyes to give a nice natural look. As I didn't want any getting on my lid I used one of my old college IDs to keep it from going on my lid until it dried. It looks nice and makes them look long and natural but doesn't really give a dramatic look unless you put on a few more layers that I only did a few hours after the final photo was taken. At the end of the day there was slight smudging on the bottom of my eye from the mascara but nothing really noticeable so it lasted the day really well. I do think it is really good as more of a every day mascara or the first step to building up lashes to almost fake looking ones as it separates the lashes really well only giving a thin coat.





I found the eyeliner quite hard to work with as I'm not used to how thick the tip of the felt liner applicator. I did practice on my hand before I did it on my eyes so I could get used to the applicator, but still found it hard when it came to getting it thinner towards the inner corner of my eye. I did find that it can smudge really easily so I went over it with a little bit of black eyeshadow just to try keep it in place before going over it again with the eyeliner again. The colour is very pigmented and dries really quickly (within five seconds) which does make it a little harder when it comes to messing up as you don't have time to correct it. Once it is on it is on though! It doesn't budge and is completely smudge proof! When it rains it does loose a little colour and you do get green lines from where the rain hits it. This would be a great summer eyeliner as it doesn't fade and doesn't smudge very easily.

The second to last step was of course my highlighter! This is almost a white shade but when you look in the light it has a really yellow and gold shimmer to it making you look sun kissed and your cheeks really pop. One swipe of the highlighter is enough to use on both cheeks and to give a really subtle look. It is build-able without looking like a chunk as blending it is easy with a nice fan brush (I use my Zoeva 129) and it even works really well in the inner corner of my eyes and under my eyebrows. For how cheap it is it is as good as the expensive ones! The Jeffree Star highlighters are only a little better than MUAs ones. They have other shades as well, but as I was looking for something subtle this is perfect and it blends really well with my skin tone which I have problems with some other shades. The picture doesn't do it justice with how much it shines in the light! It looks like you've got a mix of glitter and shimmer on you. This is defiantly something I will be buying again, I might try out the other shades as well as there is only around 6 shades mostly looking like shimmering blusher than highlighter in general.

To finish off my look I used the shade Poise (top swatch shade) as it is a really nice nude shade, but as it is quite dark for me it gives it a nice look with all the rest of the make up. Symphonic (middle swatch shade) is really good for a dramatic look, if I was to use it I would use the Jeffree Star Beauty Killers as there are some really nice purple tones which would look perfect with this shade or I would use the MUA palette with the purple and blue shades for a night out look. Majestic (the last swatch shade) isn't like the other two lipsticks as it isn't a matte shade, it doesn't dry down fully either so it is easy to smudge. Out of all three my favourite has to be Symphonic as it isn't like any other shade I already have which is rare for me as I have so many. It is nice to be able to have something to go for a more daring look with instead of always sticking to red lipsticks when I get ready to go out. As they are so inexpensive as well it is a really good brand to try different colours you wouldn't usually buy and they have so many as well so you have a good range to choose from. They passed the eating and drinking test, I do find that you have to top it up after eating something greasy as it degrades it in the middle and if you get the whipped velvet then I would recommend wearing a lip liner underneath just to help keep it in place for longer and remember as it doesn't dry down fully it will go on anything your lips touch.

The finished full face actually looked really nice and I was presently surprised. The eye shadow is really buttery and doesn't budge after you put it on. I didn't use any other products apart from the Kyliner in Black on my brows. The eyeliner was a little harder to use than when I tested it out before I did the entire face so they did go a little uneven but nothing a little make up remover on a cotton bud didn't fix. This was a much more simple look and if you want to see a full face going out look using this brand then let me know in the comments! I hope you liked the blog post and I'll let you know on my social medias when the next full face for $20 post will go up with the new brand!

http://www.superdrug.com/brandshop/mua