THE BEST OF: MAYBELLINE

Whilst having a look around my makeup drawers the other day, I seemed to notice I had a wide collection of Maybelline products; some that I use daily and some that I tend to push to the back. So, I thought it'd be a wise idea to do my take on a 'brand focus' esque post, and share what I think are the best bits of the brand.

LIPS: I have quite my fair share of lip products, but for when I'm on the go, I always seem to throw a Colorsensational lippy in my bag. I think it's because I can slap them on without a mirror and they just seem to work well. To show just how much I like them, I even had Coffee Craze as my prom lipstick shade.

EYES: I think everyone knows of the Colour Tattoos, and I have 6 of them myself. On and On Bronze is the classic shade, and mine has near enough completely run out (and I will definitely be buying another ASAP), and is the best option for when you want a look that seems as though you have put the effort in, but really it was a one sweep wonder. Maybelline also do pretty well with mascaras. the Lash Sensational is my personal favourite and I've repurchased this countless times, but the Collossal Go Extreme and the Rocket and pretty good options too. I love how waterproof Maybelline mascaras can be and I'm always safe from smudging.

BROWS: The Brow Drama is one of the best budget brow gels I have found, and also one of the only ones to actually sit on the aisles of the drugstore. I go for the transparent, but I have tried the tinted ones too and they do a pretty good job aswell - something a little extra for the brows. I also actually use the Colour Tattoo in Permanent Taupe for my brows, something I've now been doing for months and don't think I will actually move away from. Like a Dipbrow alternative, this pot of wonder costs just under a fiver and gives me the perfect shade of ashy brown for brows that could last for days.

NAILS: Maybelline nail polishes also aren't a bad option. The Super Stay options really wowed me when I first used them - they genuinely were ''super stay''. For something a little quicker, the Colour Show 60 Seconds polishes are quick drying, but also rather pigmented and some of them can actually work with a single coat.

So, pretty impressive overall. Although I don't tend to go for Maybelline for base products (I prefer Bourjois, Rimmel and L'Oreal), their product range is pretty solid with quite a few gems in there. Definitely one I wander towards each time I go into Boots...

CONCEALING FAVOURITES

Concealers can work wonders for the face, and I tend to rely on them pretty much every day for ensuring a (near) flawless looking complexion. Concealers have the ability to hide the worst of blemishes; if you know how to apply them properly. So, in a collaboration with my friends at Into the Gloss and checking out their Best Concealers post, I am here to share my favourites, tips and tricks.

I know most people seem to prefer high end concealers, but in my opinion if you know where to look you can find some gems among the high street instead (particularly good if you are a student and have a part time wage which is the opposite of generous). Usually, I go for the Collection Lasting Perfection for the skin, and heavy duty concealing. Using your fingers is probably the best option because it can look a bit more caked on with a brush. For quick touching up in the day I wouldn't go for this, I would probably pick the Bourjois Healthy Mix because I don't feel the need to powder this when I reapply.

There's always the old trick of buying a shade lighter for under your eyes, but I don't tend to do this. For me it seems to look a bit odd, but I think nowadays there are far better brightening options. The Rimmel Wake Me Up and the L'Oreal Lumi Magique seem to be pretty luminous and do a better job of brightening than a lighter shade probably will. The best way for me to do this is to apply a triangle sort of shape and use something like the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion makes it smooth to apply and tends to work the product into the skin far better. The key for under the eyes is to set it (very lightly) to avoid creasing, as well as avoiding a whole lot of layers - a  h u g e  mistake I used to make with stick concealers in my early teens and ended up looking like I had reptilian skin under my eyes.

Once you know how to start with concealing, it's pretty self explanatory and you'll find a routine good for you. There's plenty of posts over at Into the Gloss about concealers if you want to broaden your knowledge even further.

WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST IN A CALVIN KLEIN BRA

I'm pretty sure we have all seen the endless pictures of Kendall Jenner accompanied by #mycalvins and either openly or secretly wished we owned a pair to flaunt in the way she does. I was lucky enough to get a white Calvin Klein bra 'crop top' for my birthday and 2 weeks later I'm here to persuade you all to buy one for yourselves.

1. The comfort
Because this is kind of like a sports bra cut, forget the underwire, overly tight straps and hook and eye closures that cannot be undone with one hand, it is potentially the most comfortable thing I have worn. Of course it doesn't give as much support as a regular bra, but just don't wear this for the days you are marching round town doing Christmas shopping.

2. You can wear it literally anywhere
I have never been a person to wear a bra while sleeping (I know there is argument about whether you should, or shouldn't and what is best for you, but I just cannot be dealing with that discomfort when I'm trying to sleep), but this is one that is somewhat acceptable to wear in bed because of the comfort. I won't lie, it is pretty liberating to be wearing this and a pair of shorts in bed. I will wear this around the house aswell, and the days it is in the wash are sad ones.

3. It still looks good no matter how, or where you wear it (plus you feel bloody brilliant in it)
For me, this stands as my favourite bra now, forget the fancy lace numbers with all the enhancements - this is bra I feel the best in by a mile. For my age, and petite size I have quite large boobs, and I don't really enjoy the way they look most the time (of course those with a smaller pair will say the opposite and wish for them), but in this bra that isn't the case. This white one is a little on the sheer side in certain lighting (something to bear in mind if you are wearing it out), but it doesn't stop me rocking it on the daily.

If I haven't sold you these enough, take the fact that I am putting aside a chunk of my next paycheck to treat myself to both the grey and the black versions as your final hint...

THE BEST OF BENEFIT?

THE BEST OF BENEFIT SET

I got this Benefit set for Christmas 2014 from my grandparents and it claimed to have 'the best of' the brand featured inside, and I thought I'd give you the run down on the best from 'the best' seeing as I've had more than enough time to trial these minis. 

The PoreFessional Primer - When I first tried this I was a little skeptical, as it was a very silicone based primer, and on the first few uses my skin seemed a little unsure, but as I got into it I began to actually love how it made my makeup apply and appear, and I am now making my way through a full size and I can't bear the thought of a day without it. 

High Beam - This is another favourite, a liquid pink pearl highlight which gives the most amazing glow. With a light hand this is gorgeous on top of the cheekbones, brow bones (pretty much anywhere you would highlight), or use it mixed in with a less glowy foundation. I even mixed this in with my moisturiser a few times for a subtle hydrating glow. 

Benetint - One that I didn't know how to use without looking like a clown with dark pink circles on the cheeks, but now I seem to have managed the art of Benetint, you could say. A little patted into the fingertips then lightly pressed into the cheeks and lips gives a subtle tint - that literally stays all day.

Hoola Bronzer - The cult classic; the one everyone raves about. This is great - a warm matte bronzer that when applied with a light duofibre brush gives a natural looking bronzed glow. I have to remind myself to use this as I often just reach for Nars Laguna, but this mini compact is a firm high flyer in my bronzer stash nonetheless. 

They're Real Mascara - A word of warning; do not poke yourself in the eye with this wand. The plastic bristles and odd ball shaped end to the wand really does make you cry a little, but I guess it can be excused by the wonders it does to the lashes. Although perhaps a little to wet when I first got it, after being left to dry out for a while it was the perfect formula for my lashes - but this one gets quite a few mixed opinions in the blogging world. 

They're Real Gel Liner - Gel liner in a pen excited me, and it was alright while it lasted. This stuff ran out fast - mainly because I would twist the bottom for ages then a huge blob would appear. This was super black, and gave the most dramatic line I think I've ever worn - and I even got a few compliments from it. My only complaint is that if I rubbed my eye at all (not advised with liner anyway, but I was going for it), it would begin to flake off. I think this one is about preference to be honest, but the new coloured versions do excite me. 

Boi-ing Concealer - I liked that you got 2 colours of this, because with a tan I could mix the two and then when I was paler I could just reach for the top one. This is pretty brightening, so under the eye use was the best for me, although it didn't beat my love for the liquid formulas across my concealer stash. Admittedly, with a hydrating primer or eye cream underneath it sat better, but apply too much and you have a cakey situation. 

So, there you go. The best and the 'try for yourself because I'm not quite sure''s, but all in all I will admit that nothing was a mega disappointment, so I was pretty impressed by this set and would definitely buy this for someone who hadn't tried any Benefit products if it comes out again this year. 

RECENT WARDROBE ADDITIONS

First thing first, sorry for the lack of posts, I have been swamped with coursework and revision and so needed to prioritise. But, I have picked up a few fashion items recently and thought they would be worth a share considering I have been preferring fashion over beauty recently *gasps*

In Topshop (quite a fair while back) I found this slightly cropped blue checked light slouchy top. It was £10 in the sale I believe, and I have got so much wear out of it that I probably would have paid full price. Another sale item was this monochrome jersey gingham pencil midi skirt from New Look which I paid a mere £3 for. This is from the teen/kids section but it fits me so all is good.

Also from New Look came the chunky 'cleated sole' sandals that have featured in almost all of my outfit posts recently. They were £24.99 which isn't bad for this type of shoe, and the price is justified with how versatile they are anyways. As well as the shoes, I finally got my mitts on some 'Mom Shorts' after seeing Megan style them so well, and these cost me £19.99
In H&M I came across this light boxy mint green polka dot shirt for only £12.99 and practically threw it onto the till. I know they did have a pastel pink gingham version so I may have to go back and get myself that one too. Also from H&M came the necklace and the neon yellow 'aviator' style sunglasses, each totalling £1-£2 in the clearance.

More recently I went to London and had a spare half an hour nearby Westfield and so I had a quick look in Forever 21, and came out with 3 accessories items. I got another pair of sunglasses, these are all over black with two gold details and are fairly oversized. These were only £4.90 and I am hoping the sun arrives soon so I can wear them. I also got this star necklace for £2 and the pack of earrings for £2.50 - Forever 21 accessories are so affordable.

A bit of a rambly one today, but expect to be seeing a bit more of that in the upcoming week or two as I am going to do some major shopping with friends at the weekend, not that I need anything else...