Superdrug Shine Control Papers

I am a HUGE fan of shine/oil control/absorbing papers. I've been through lots of different brands in my time. I have no real preference over those with added powder and those without. The only thing that I find better about the non powdered ones are the fact they are easier to keep my fingers clean with! I have combination skin and an oily t-zone which I can definitely see/feel after a couple of hours, especially if I'm warm so find these little things great in general.

Lately I've found it pretty hard to find paper. I used to use "Boots Skin Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets" but struggled to find them in my local shops in the last few months. I have just discovered Superdrug's "New Shine Control Papers" which claim to give an "instant matt finish". Well I should hope so!!

According to the packaging:

These Shine Control Papers work to absorb excess oil from the skin's surface, leaving a trace of translucent mattifiying powder for an instantly fresh, shine-free finish.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE
Remove a single leaf of paper, pressing the powdered surface gently over the skin. Re-apply any time of day, as often as needed. Avoid contact with eyes. For best results also apply Deep Action Shine Control Moisturiser daily.

Ingredients: Talc, Kaolin, Magnesium Silicate, Magnesium Carbonate, CI 77891, C! 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499.

Contents: 65 sheets

The sheets are held in a small sort of book which is fairly compact so should be easy to carry around which really is the idea for such a product in my opinion - it is something I want to be able to carry with me everywhere so I can have a quick pat of my face as and when I need it. The packaging however poses two problems for me.

1. The pack is small but therefore so are the sheets. One sheet may not be enough so it might not take long going through a pack of 65. However in the name of compactness I understand this and forgive it this sin!

2. Unlike a lot of similar products there is no little catch or mechanism for closing the pack. Given there is powder on the sheets, this really doesn't bode well for a clean handbag. After taking one sheet the book is already sitting open.

A small elastic band or something should solve the problem but it is still a little bit annoying given the look and colours of the packaging is nice in itself.

The papers themselves absorb well and the powder is light. They don't seem to rip out of the book too cleany but that isn't the end of the world. The papers show the oil absorbed which I find very satisfying in a sort of gross way - almost like I've achieved something rather great!

Sorry a bit gross really...

They are currently priced at £2.49 or 2 for £3.50 which isn't bad, especially if you can pick them up on offer. They aren't earth shatteringly innovative though so don't expect much. they are fairly functional though which is what I need from them. They might not be for everyone but oil control papers are a welcome addition to my handbag - especially for a long night out!

Are oil control sheets something you bother with? Are there better ones out there?

LoubouLush x

Barry M lipgloss - tasty?

I know, I know, the taste of lip things normally makes me queasy. BUT, but, but I fell for the brightly coloured Barry M lipglosses and bought a few to try out and I didn't realise they were flavoured.

I got "Strawberries and Cream", "Bubblegum Pink" and "Tropical Tango". I have tried them all but the bright orangeness of Tropical Tango is going to take a bit longer for me to reach a verdict on so watch this space...

Strawberries and Cream (lgw3) is a pale pink gloss with quite fine glitter throughout. It goes on almost like a clear gloss - the pinkness is very light. The silvery glitter is cute on and I really like it. It has the subtlety of a pale gloss with a bit of fun in the glitter. It would look fab with a tan and I will definitely wear it day or night. The flavour is nice and from someone who generally doesn't like flavoured lipanything this is quite a compliment! It reminds me a bit of pink marshmallow/flumps. Not too overpowering at all. Very good for a budget gloss!

Bubblegum Pink (lgw5) is a much more vibrant pink. The colour is pretty good for a gloss and I am sure it would great great over pink lipstick (maybe the Sleek one from a few posts back?) but so far I've just worn it on my bare lips. I think I'd save this one for more a night out look to be honest as my day make up tends to be more subtle than this (especially on the lips). The flavour of this one also gets a thumbs up. It reminds me of that pink bubblegum you used to get years ago - individually wrapped in blue and yellow paper I think. I think I saw them not long ago but can't remember their name!

These lipglosses are priced at £4.25 each. Have you tried any of them?

LoubouLush x

Cheeky, Cheeky

I'm a bronzer lover. Not an addict but to be honest in terms of something I dust on my cheeks every now and again, this is about as crazy as I used to get. Was it years of seeing women with bright pink/red over blushed cheeks that did it? Was it fear of looking like a bad clown? I don't know.

I decided it was time I broadened my claustrophobic horizons and dipped my toes (or cheeks) in something more adventurous. I liked the idea of peaches and pretty pinks but as I'm a bit of a blusher virgin I wanted to try it on the cheap.

First off I got the NYC Colour Wheel Mosaic Face Powder in "Peach Glow" 726A - £3.49

I wanted a nice peach glow and it is described as oil absorbing and fragrance free which sounded right up my street.

The mosaic is made up of four colours which I would describe as a bright peach, a dark pinky/peach, a natural beige and a shimmery bronze. The colours go nicely together and apply easily. I tend to brush through them all but it wouldn't be too hard to avoid the shimmery patch if you wanted to. The colour is nice and quite subtle. It gives a nice peach glow as I had hoped and looks lovely on the apples of the cheeks (I would post a photo but think my other camera would show it best and I still can't find the blooming charger!!). With some contouring from a darker powder/bronzer it also looks really natural and light giving a beautiful summery sun kissed glow. The colour is subtle and stays on well but a couple of touch ups throughout the day kept it looking fresh. So far it has held up well to be bashed about in my handbag so seems sturdy for the price. Definitely one I'll be keeping in my summer bag!

Second up was the Collection 2000 Blush in "Trouble" 04 - £2.99

I was a little worried the colour of this looked a little dark but the shop I was in didn't have a vast selection of pink blushes so I went with it. Also the cute floral design wooed me a little. The blush is shimmery and the packaging is nice and compact (great for a clutch bag!).

Again the colour goes on nicely. The pink is a lovely shade. It isn't too poppy and gives a nice visible yet natural pink which again would be best shown by my good camera (I promise to search properly for the charger in the next couple of days!). Touch ups will probably be required but given my combination skin type I am pretty used to it so I'm not bothered. Also the packaging is so small it isn't much of a burden to have to carry about. A WORD OF WARNING though, as like a lot of similar products this doesn't look like it will stand up too well to well to abuse so be prepared for some breakage/crumbling if you are as clumsy as me! This is another product I will continue to use but probably not as often as the colour wheel above.

LoubouLush x

NOTD - Barry M Pale Pink/Strawberry Ice Cream

More pink love going on this week, this time it's the nails!

Barry M Pale Pink 309/Strawberry Ice Cream np 309 - £2.95

Now I love Barry M nail polishes. They are bargainous and come in a range of lovely colours. I spied this colour in my local Superdrug and thought it was perfect for summer - a real bubblegum pink.

It is labelled as "Pale Pink" 309 but on the Barry M site np309 is "Strawberry Ice Cream" so I assume they are one in the same. The colour is poppy but warm. I used a clear base coat and two coats of 309. I didn't bother with a clear top coat as I feel a third coat of colour would help create a more solid look and I haven't had time. The polish itself has coped well in terms of wear and chips so I'm really pleased. The polish dried quickly though a bigger brush would make application easier. I would definitely buy again and probably will as with benefiting from three coats per wear I don't think one bottle of it will last long. At £2.95 a pop though I'm not too bothered!

All in all a fab product for summer time fun!

LoubouLush x

Piece of Cake

As a long term fringe sporter I am guilty of neglecting my eyebrows a little. Over the last year or so though I have become more of a plucker. In fact if anything, I might even be a bit of an overplucker but I have reasonably big brows so all was not lost. However I have also gradually darkened my hair in this time too so perhaps my brows have been fading away in more ways than one.

I've never got along well with eyebrow pencils. There's just... something about them. I want to colour in with them but that makes it all to dense and blocky. If I don't it just looks streaky. I guess I just can't find any middle ground with them so I just didn't bother at all. Then I discovered the joys of using normal eyeshadow with an angled brush. This was all something of a revelation. I could colour in my sparse brows in a more subtle way. Who knew?! Well lots of people apparently. I struggled a little finding dark colours with no hint of a glitter or shimmer about them (sparkly brows aren't for me... this season anyway) but it worked for me. Then another revelation came in the shape of Illamasqua's Eye Brow Cake.

Illamasqua Eye Brow Cake in "Gaze" £14.00

I was recommended "Gaze" (dark slate grey - don't let that put you off!) by Nic from the fabulous Pixiwoo and I've been using it ever since. It goes on like a dream and stays but all day long. It comes with a small mirror and I apply it with a GOSH angle brush. This little team has become an essential of my make up bag.

Sorry no before but here is an after to show the grey isn't really as scary as it sounds (I hope!)

LoubouLush x

Pink Lips... on a budget

I'm a bit weird when it comes to putting things on my lips. I sometimes feel a bit sick when using lipsticks/balms/glosses/creams. I don't know if it's the taste or the smell or what it is but there you have it! I also lick my lips a lot so I tend to go fairly nude on my lips to save reapplying etc. I love some of MAC lipsticks but as I'm a big licker [cough] I'm open to cheap options too.

Now I do love a lot of the pinks that are around at the minute. I prefer the solid colour that a lipstick gives so picked up a few bits in Superdrug to try out.

With Flash

Without Flash

1. NYC "Blue Rose" £1.99

The tube is kind of cute in a cheapo-chic-but-trying sort of way though has the potential to look very messy after a while. The lipstick itself looks quite iridescent in the tube and while it doesn't smell horrific, it does smell vaguely plastic. The colour is a vibrant pink with purple-ish (maybe blue?) undertones and goes on well for the price.

It doesn't last very long and the colour is a bit much for me for an every day look but for a night out I would say it gives a nice colour and coverage and is cheap enough to throw in your bag without worrying about losing it. The only downside I can see with this is that it does require frequent application so make sure you stay steady handed and attentive enough to do this - ESPECIALLY if there are cameras around! (Or bring something more subtle for later in the night!) It, like a lot of lower price lipsticks, can be quite drying so a touch of balm with it wouldn't do any harm at all.

2. Miss Sporty "Lovin' It" £2.49

The fairly bland tube looks worse for wear after peeling all the sealing tape off though it smells a bit nicer than the NYC lipstick. The colour is a nice shade but very subtle. The pink is a true pink in my opinion - not too peachy, not too red. It has a nice shimmer but again would require frequent application.

3. Sleek "Fuchsia" £2.89

The dearest of the bunch this comes in quite a cool little tube which makes it looks more expensive. The colour is very bright in the tube and I can't get any smell from it at all. It seems very pigmented going on and settles to a solid matte pink. The colour and texture make it look a bit... plastic on. But I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing. The colour really "pops" and I think for a summer night out in a club it would look fantastic. It is one of those colours my husband and his friends would not be keen on but I think my female friends would love. It screams Barbie to me and I think if you have the confidence to pull it off it would be a great low cost addition to your collection!

4. NYC "Snowcone" £1.99

It loos like a subtle shimmery pink in the tube and smells the same as Blue Rose. Similar to "Lovin' It" in how coloured it looks on it does give a nice subtle touch to the lips but it is definitely more peach than the other colours (and more peach than it looked in the tube) so depending on your skin tone it could look really nice. It has quite a sheen to it which I always think is nice for summer.

All in all, not bad, especially for the price.

LoubouLush x

Hello and NOTD - Illamasqua "Glory"

Helloooo and welcome to my humble little blog. I hope to post new stuff as regularly as possible but to start with I might go a bit mad and post a bit of a backlog of things that have grabbed my interest in the last wee while so excuse the flooding of products old as well as more recent.

So to begin I thought I'd start with the nail polish I am wearing today.

Illamasqua - Glory

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with Illamasqua nail polish. I bought my first two last summer and although the colours were fantastic I struggled a little with the consistency and durability of them. With some perseverance and a top coat or two we reached something of a compromise which is just as well as I love Illamasqua's colour range!

For my latest purchase I went for "Snap" and "Glory". I wear a lot of greys/blacks so thought these would be good additions to my ever expanding nail polish collection. I haven't tried Snap yet but I have been wearing Glory for the past week and have been impressed! My main issue with "Obtuse" (my first ever purchase from Illamasqua) was that although the colour was AMAZING, the polish peeled like film without a top coat. And a high shine top coat took away from the muted sort of finish Obtuse gave. I was worried I would have a similar problem with Glory.

So Glory is described as "Molten silver, glossy finish" and I was pleasantly surprised! The polish is quite fluid and dried quickly. After a couple of coats I decided to leave my nails without adding a clear top coat and they have stood up well with only small signs of wear and tear (I added a quick top coat of Snap for the photo above to show the colour better). The colour is a nice metallic silver - quite like a matte finish/brushed stainless steel as opposed to a chrome if you know what I mean - have I been looking at kitchen accessories for too long?!. My faith has been restored quite a bit in the quality of Illamasqua polish with this which I am delighted about. The only thing that slightly annoys me (and this is a very small glitch) is that the lid comes away from the brush sometimes when I'm opening the bottle (albeit without disastrous messy polish outcomes so far).

Illamasqua - Glory

This nail varnish is currently priced at £13 and overall I would recommend it as a nice basic but versatile silver for your collection.

LoubouLush x