September Haul

I have convinced myself that since I'm going back to uni soon, and (ahem) won't have time to spend money, I should spend my summer earnings now. Anyway, I need lots of new outfits for going back. I'll go to any lengths to justify spending.  Jeans are always a tricky item to buy. Usually either they don't get past my thighs or they are massive at the waist so when I find a style I like, I always buy multiple pairs. I've always wanted a pair of Topshop jeans but when I tried on a pair of Jonis a few years ago they were disastrous. I hadn't even considered that other styles would be a totally different story. I'm now in love with the Leigh and Jamie jeans. I struggle to get my size in store or online so when I seen 2 pairs I just went ahead and bought them both (with a slight tear in my eye at the till). I also really love the Zara basic range. For simple tshirts, you don't pay much more than Primark and you get better material, fit and quality. 
I saw the Barry M lipliners recommended on a Youtube video a couple of weeks ago and since I'm pretty obsessed with brown lip products at the moment, I picked one up for £2.99. While I was in Superdrug, I stocked up on my favourite Simple skincare products as they were on special offer and came with a free Vaseline. I also bought MUA's Pixel Perfect bronzer. I've used their Mosaic Bronzer for years and love it but it seems to have been discontinued (cry) so I've decided to embrace its replacement. Finally, I had a voucher for a No7 Match Made lipstick from the bonus-time summer box. The woman at the counter done a skin tone analysis and gave me a little information card with the shades that best suit me. I've already mentioned my love for brown lipsticks at the moment so I used my voucher to get 'Spiced Latte' worth £9.95! 
All in all, it was actually a pretty sensible shopping trip as I see myself getting plenty of use out of all of this.
What have you bought lately? 

MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder Review

Hey Everyone!
For a good while I was absolutely obsessed with MUA and would buy pretty much every product they launched. From the affordability to the quality, I was sold. Lately, a combination of their plentiful new products and my building makeup collection means that I havem't been picking up their newest releases quite so religiously, but I am still very much enjoying trying out what I have.
The MUA Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder initially appealed to me because of the surge of hype it received in the blogging community and because, lets face it, it looks great- its so swirly, frosty and shiny. It was actually sold out in a lot of stores upon its launch and the fact that I couldn't get my hands on it made it even more attractive. I was pretty impressed when I eventually bought it.
Pros: The actual product is actually a very creamy powder and I find that it is applied best with the Real Techniques Contour Brush. The colour is a cool, silvery white pink which is a nice alternative to the usual warm, rosy highlighters/ blushes. This highlighter, depending on how much you apply, adds a subtle glow to the cheeks without being disco-ball-like. 
Cons: The powder tends to sit on foundation rather than blend in with it, and by the end of the day the two can completely separate. I don't know if this is maybe just my skin type, it may not do the same for other people.   My MAC Mineralize Skinfinish  is still my HG highlighter, but to be fair, for the £19 price difference- it should be.
Overall: There isn't a huge selection of drugstore highlighters out there, so this is definitely worth a go at £3 a pop even just to give it a go and see if you like it or if you are new to highlighting and don't want to splurge on a high end one straight away.
Have you tried this?

My Nail Polish Collection Part 2

Hey Everyone!

As promised, here is the second instalment of my nail polish collection. 

Read My Nail Polish Collection Part 1 first.

NB: Shades are written from left to right

MUA Nail Polish in shades black "2", blue "9", red "8" , green "13", pink "16", nude "19"and purple "Plum Noir"

Nail Quake Nail Varnish in "Shattered Ice", Love Hearts Nail Varnish in shades "Love U 24/7", "I WANT YOU" and "U ROK"

I absolutely love the MUA basic range because they are such good value, apply really easily and have a good selection of colours. Of course MUA have changed their basic nail polish range up and these are no longer available and I've yet to try the new, essie-esque bottles. My favourites were the red and the nude, both of these bottles are repurchases.

The shatter polish was a good way to try the trend while it was around without wasting money. I got the first two Love Hearts nail polishes free with an order I placed online with MUA but I never really wear them. The third is a lovely lilac colour that I really like.

OPI Nail Lacquer in shades "Make Love" and "?" - sorry I've lost the sticker!

I like how much product you get in these bottles but I personally don't get all the hype around OPI. I don't think nail polish is worth paying a lot for as in my opinion there aren't huge differences regarding quality. These are nice enough though and I will use them- especially the purple which is very pretty.

Avon nailwear pro in shade "viva pink", nail experts french manicure duo, nailwear in shade "cotton" and nailwear pro in shade "vintage blue"

I really like the nailwear pro from Avon as they are good value (2 for £5 I think) and have a nice consistency. I'm not so keen on the others as they apply quite streaky. 

Topshop Nails in shades "eclipse" and "ice crush"

I absolutely love Topshop nail polish. Although they're more expensive than other drugstrore brands, they are my favourite because of the packaging, consistency (so opaque after 2 coats) and they dry very quickly. I've been wearing "eclipse" non stop recently as its the only polish I don't peel off. It stays on for ages and is such a pretty olive green/ vibrant blue colour.

LA Colors in shades "treasure island", "infrared", "jewel tone" and "electric charge"

Although the LA Colors range is very affordable, I don't rate them too highly. The glitters especially are really not up to scratch- not opaque at all.

Claire's Nail Polish - sorry I peeled the sticker with shade names off- my bad!

I absolutely love the glitters from Claire's- they're by far the most opaque I've tried and I would definitely recommend them.

Finger Paints Nail Color in shades "art you kidding me?" and "drawn to this shade"

I actually won these in the lovely Melanie's giveaway this time last year and love the names, packaging and colours.

Evie Mai Nail Polish - no shades names

I really like these polishes! The mini brush makes application really easy and they build up well. I especially like the middle shade which is a just-off-white-light-pink. They're very pearly and pretty.

LA Colors Nail Art Pen, Elegant Touch Nail Art Pens

I absolutely loved this LA Colors nail art pen until I dropped it and it smashed all over my floor (what a mess!) so I'll need to buy another. The others are quite sticky and I don't like them as much.

MUA Nail Polish in shade "17"- I added my own glitter- another failed DIY! BHS Nail Polish, Sally Hansen Nail Nutrition

I like the BHS polish as it proves a really pretty, shimmery top coat. I use the Sally Hansen during my many failed attempts to grow my nails but I don't notice a whole lot of difference with it.

So, finally, there we have it. My entire nail polish collection! Do let me know if you have tried any of these and how you got on with them. I'm currently, and have been for the last few months, on a nail polish buying ban because I have so many and I just peel it off my nails when its on (except Topshop eclipse!).

200th Post & FOTD

Hey Everyone!

I'm back! For those of you who don't know- I was in Africa for just over two weeks and it was amazing. I feel like I have been away for ages though and I'm totally out of the loop. 

But I have returned to quite an important milestone- my 200th post! Fist pump fist pump :) I'd just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has commented and tweeted and supported me!

Cheesiness over: onto the post. This is my current FOTD. I have switched up products quite a bit lately- so thought you might like to have a look at what I'm wearing- I know I love these kinds of posts on other blogs.

Base:

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB in Light

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 

MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle

Avon Translucent Powder

Eyes:

MUA Single Eyeshadow in Shades 1 and 19

MUA Eye Shadow Palette in Glamour Days

L'Oreal Super Liner in Black Crystals

Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara

Lips:

Avon Glazewear Sparkle Lip Gloss

Let me know if you'd like to see individual reviews of any of these products. And in the comments tell me the best thing you've done so far this summer.

MUA Neutral Palettes - Swatches & Reviews

Hey Everyone!

I have to admit, no matter how adventurous I'm feeling- I'm a true neutral eye shadow gal at heart and 9 times out of 10 I'll be wearing one of these three MUA palettes. At only £4 a pop they're well worth a try. 

 

First up is Heaven and Earth- my first MUA palette! I've had a lot of use out of this- I used it everyday for the first few months after I bought it. It consists of 12 shimmery neutrals- creams, muted golds and browns. You can create anything from a bit of subtle depth to a full on, sultry, smokey eye. Its weird to say this about powder shadows but they're actually almost creamy in texture because they're so highly pigmented and soft so they blend very easily and there isn't a whole lot of fall out. I regret that I don't actually use this palette as much as I should- it will be perfect in the coming weeks with bronzed cheeks and a tan. The only disappointing thing about this is that the packaging broke- though this could just be down to how often its been used.

 

This is my favourite palette of the three! Undressed is made up of a mixture of mattes and shimmers, each very well pigmented, though the mattes aren't just as pigmented as the shimmers. Undressed is slightly more colourful than the Heaven and Earth palette, but the shades are so wearable and never get boring. The dusky pinks, golds, khaki, deep blue and taupes seem like a random selection, but they compliment each other amazingly. Never would I have thought of creating a smokey eye of rose blending into muted blue, but by golly it looks fab! Again a slight disappointment with the packaging though- the applicator fell apart just a few days after I got it. But the price and quality make this a HG item in my book. 

The Undress Me Too is a cooler version of Heaven and Earth- with more grey tones than gold. The packaging has changed to white which I think looks cleaner for longer, and is more sturdy. I can't say a whole lot about this as I haven't given it as much of a test run as the others- but from what I can tell it is another A* product. You can see from the swatches how highly pigmented the shades are.

Do you have any of these palettes? Which is your favourite?

Current MUA Wishlist

Hey Everyone!

As you all know, I am a huge fan of MUA- it is definitely my favourite drugstore brand- from the price to the quality- they get it right pretty much every time. They are constantly launching new products which results in me having a wishlist the length of my arm. 

1. Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Blossom 

2. Intense Glosses in Kiss and Tell

3. Matte Perfect Primer 

4. E3 Blending and Shadow Brush

5. Power Pout in Broken Hearted

6. Mega Volume Mascara

7. Shimmer Kiss Bronzer- Bronzed Shimer Kisses

8. Undress Your Skin Highlighting Powder

9. F2 Stippling Brush

I got the Cream Blush in Dolly for Christmas and I absolutely love it so I really want to try more shades. I'm not usually a big fan of glosses, but the pigment of the Intense Glosses looks amazing- especially the red. I don't wear primer on a day to day basis, but after reading a rave review of the Matte Perfect Primer I feel a huge urge to get it! I always seem to find myself lacking when it comes to makeup brushes and since MUA's are so affordable I think they would be great to try even though they are strikingly similar to my elf ones. The Power Pout looks like a dupe for the Clinique Chubby Sticks and a cheaper version of the Revlon Kissable Balm Stains so for £3 they look like they're worth a go. With the MUA mascaras I've tried, I've not had a great experience, but I am a glutton for punishment and want to try this new one. I thought the quad bronzer looks nice too. Finally, I have been hunting for this Highlighting Powder for weeks and its sold out everywhere- it looks so pretty- I need it!

What are your MUA must haves?

MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher in Dolly Review

Hey Everyone!

How are you? As this post is published (oh yeh, I worked out how to schedule :P), I will be at Olly Murs' concert! Oooh how fancy! I'm not a super/ mega/ crazy fan of him, but I think he's pretty good and I am très excited.  

On to the actual post, and this evening I want to tell you about my favourite product of the moment: MUA's Cream Blusher in shade Dolly (first off- what a cute name!) 

I actually got this blush, along with a whole load of other MUA products, for Christmas, and for some crazy reason I put it in my 'makeup I'll use later' box and it was neglected until the last week or two. I am kicking myself for not using it sooner! This bad boy has quickly become a staple in my everyday makeup: its well pigmented and has a smooth, silky texture. I apply a dot or two and blend with my fingers and follow up with my stippling brush. Unlike my usual rose pink blushers, this is quite coral/ peachy which I actually think suits me better. What I love most about this product is the way it sits and looks on the skin. I find myself disbelieving this slightly as I've never found the quality in a blusher but it actually almost airbrushes your cheeks- making them flawless as well as adding colour. Another fab thing about this is that is is super buildable- as you can see from the two swatches above, you can create a really full on, bold colour or blend it for a more subtle look. The only, very slight, problem I have is that it is quite tricky to get even on both cheeks so is a nono if you are in a hurry.

All in all, this is an absolutely fantastic product and has fast become my favourite blusher.

MUA Blush Perfection Cream Blusher is available for only £2.00!

Have you tried this? Do you love it as much as I do?

Guest Post: Hayley Loves Favourite Products For Under £10

Hello! I'm Hayley from Hayley Loves at lastyearsheroxo.blogspot.co.uk and when Julz gave me an idea of what kind of post she wanted, I jumped at the chance of doing this - my favourite products for under £10. I've been quite naughty lately, and have neglected high street brands and gone more for high end, so this has definitely given me the incentive to head on to my local Boots and appreciate the beauty that is affordable make up products.

I didn't realise just how much I reached for my Colossal Volume Express Mascara until now. I use it nearly every day, it's perfect for creating effortless, separated, long lashes. Apply a couple more coats and you're set!

If I'm looking for more statement lashes, I nearly always reach for L'OrealVolumnious 4X Mascara.  I didn't expect much from quite a thin brush, but this never disappoints. It never clumps and it's really good to layer with, if I ever need to apply more later on.

Everyone loves a good MUA product, and their Flawless SkinPrimer has been a staple in my make up box recently. It creates a smooth, velvety base that isn't drying and really holds onto my foundation. 

On the subject of MUA, I adooooore the MatteFoundations that are like, £2! This is my go-to foundation when I just need some when I'm running a couple of errands, but don't need a full face. It's not really matte at all, it leaves me with a dewy finish, so I think maybe oily skinned people should look elsewhere. It's medium-full coverage is really thick, but easily blendable and covers all my blemishes. Definitely repurchasing. 

I needn't rave about the Brow Kit too much, as you're all aware of how incredible it is. I use it every day, a mixture of the dark and blonde powder and it rarely smudges. And that's all I'm gonna say about that!

A cult product, the Collection Lasting Perfection concealer will be a repurchase till the day they discontinue it. Okay so this shade is a little dark for me, but it blends so well it doesn't matter too much. It's perfect for under eyes and blemishes, you know, I don't know why I'm preaching to the choir!

Finally, most peoples go-to shade this Autumn/Winter, the Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107. This deep, wine shade flattered nearly every skin tone with it's blue undertones and was perfect day or night. I still wear this now. It's not drying, perfect for a statement lip, smells gorgeous and looks really, really nice... if I say so myself.

Thank you very much to the lovely Hayley for writing the first ever guest post on Julz' Obsessions! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did- I'm having trouble restraining myself from running to Superdrug right now and buying it all!

FOTD: Something Different

Hey Everyone!

After shopping my stash (Monday's post), I decided to get out of my daily makeup rut (can it be called a rut if you like what your using?) and switch up my FOTD on Saturday. I did something I never do and used products I have either given up on or forgotten about and tried to make them work.

Products:

Clinique Almost Makeup

This was the first foundation I ever got and wore it everyday for ages. I thought if I loved it then, maybe I can still love it? WRONG. First thing I didn't like- it didn't sink into my skin very well using a brush and I had to revert to my hands which I don't like doing. Another problem was the orange face white neck situation- eek. It has quite a nice smell but that's about the only think I liked.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer

10/10 as always- I don't use any other concealer.

MUA Cream Blush in Dolly

I got this for Christmas and can't believe how long its taken me to try it! I'm not going to say a lot as I'll do a full review soon but I really like the colour and it blends well. 

You may also notice a pearly eyeshadow- its from Accessorize and I used it as a highlighter. It didn't show up very well- I think it should stick to its day job.

Fearne Day Compact Eyeshadow

A kind of meh product. It will do if there's nothing else but its not very pigmented.

Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes

Using this had completely confirmed my hate for pencil eyeliners. In general they're just so much effort for a bland result.

MUA Extreme Felt Liner

This saved the day for this FOTD, but it isn't as 'juicy' or black as I'd like it to be- I think I'll just stick to my usual liquid liner.

Clinique High Lengths Mascara

The whole face was worth it for rediscovering this one product! I LOVE THIS! It apply's so easily- literally a few strokes gives luscious lashes. It gives great length as well as volume and the shape of the wand is so convenient. And it comes off so easily :) I think this is my second favourite mascara (first is still They're Real!)

MaxFactor Silk Gloss

I am really not a lip gloss fan, but this one is an exception. The smell makes it worth it. I am hopeless at describing smells but its just really sweet and yummy! It gives a slight pink tint and a whole lot of shine.

I'm overall really glad I done this mix-it-up FOTD. Its allowed me to discover products I forgot about: MUA Cream Blush, Clinique High Lengths Mascara and MaxFactor Silk Gloss as well as reminding me why I don't use some products like Clinique Almost Makeup and pencil eyeliners. Its also made me appreciate my everyday products and makes me think I've actually got a great selection at the moment.

I'm posting everyday at 6.00pm this week: let me know in the comments if you would like me to post at set times like this more often :)