Sam's Notebook

I got married!

2013-08-11T20:29:00.000+01:00

Hi all! Yet another absence when I announced only a month ago that I was back to regular blogging but this time I have a good excuse, you see, on Saturday 3rd August I got married and the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of planning, organisation and at times stress and panic :). It was well worth the stress though and we had an amazing day. I got married in Dorset and had a 1940s themed wedding surrounded by family and friends. I'm sad it's over but have some fantastic memories from the day as well as a brand new husband! We then spent a few days down in Devon having a mini honeymoon, which was also lovely. I love everything about the 1940s and I'm so glad I decided to incorporate it into my wedding, it made it that little bit more unique. Up above are a few select pictures for anyone that wants a peak and I promise, I really will be back to regular blogging shortly!
P.S. I will do a proper post on the wedding day in a few weeks once I have my professional pics back as these are just a few I grabbed from Facebook.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Rose Passion

2013-07-07T21:24:00.000+01:00

Whilst the Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Rose Passion is new to me I'm no stranger to the Moisture Renew line and have had the shade Funtime Fuchsia for about a year. If you don't mind the slightly 'old fashioned' scent of these lipsticks, which I happen to really like, being a bit of an old fashioned girl, then they're pretty great. They're moisturising without being overly glossy looking and the wear time is a good 4-5 hours, they wear pretty evenly as well. I find both shades I have to be opaque in one swipe and they don't feel drying at all on my already dry lips.

Now on to the shade, Rose Passion is a deep pink, almost red shade that gives a really bright pop of colour to the lips. I'd say this isn't one for the neutral lip lover, but I guess you could smudge it in for a more played down look. I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of this throughout the summer, especially when I can't be bothered to make any effort with the rest of my make-up as this really pulls a whole look together. At just over £6 these are a good budget friendly option and there's a nice shade range too.

NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

2013-07-05T23:48:00.001+01:00

I've been using the MUA Eyeshadow Primer for quite a while now and was pretty happy with the results but I kept hearing about the NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and how amazing it was and I got intrigued. Normally I don't go for high-end eye primers because I've found cheaper brands to be just as good, if not better, but something made me buy this. I think because I'm doing my own make-up for my wedding and I'm on the look out for any products that are gonna help keep everything in place all day.

So anyway, despite the whopping £19 price tag I closed my eyes and clicked confirm payment and a few days later it arrived. The packaging is pretty standard for this type of product but the lid has the typical NARS rubbery feel which does drive me nutty because after two days it was just covered in make-up and looked a bit grubby. The primer itself is a white cream that turns clear once applied to the eyelid. I find it dries down to a nice, pretty matte, finish really quickly and my eyeshadow goes on really smoothly.

This definitely has the edge over the MUA version as anything that goes over the top of this stuff looks great and lasts literally all day. With the MUA primer my eyeshadow would last well but there would be a little creasing by the end of the day but with the NARS primer my eyeshadow looks like I've just applied it 12 hours later. I would say this is well worth the price and I'd definitely recommend it, I've heard nothing but good things about it and, as long as it doesn't run out too quickly, I'll definitely be repurchasing.

Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Super-Translucent Mattifying Powder

2013-07-03T18:00:00.000+01:00

I hadn't heard much about the Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot Mattifying Powder until recently when a few blog posts popped up on Bloglovin' and I got curious. Whilst I love a lot of the Soap & Glory products I've never really got into their make-up but I couldn't resist picking this up. As someone with combination skin my t-zone can get pretty oily especially during the warmer months. I'm always on the look out for something that can keep my skin looking matte for as long as possible whilst not looking completely flat. After trying this powder once I knew it was love! I have to admit it does look very, very matte to begin with and definitely has that 'powdery' look but in less than an hour it mixes with my natural oils and gives me a slight natural glow, in all the right place, which I love. This stuff makes every foundation I use it with last twice as long, it's amazing. It's well worth the super matte start for the results I get throughout the day and I can't recommend it enough if you have a similar or more oily skin type, it might be a little much if you have drier skin though. At £12 this stuff isn't overly cheap but it's well worth the price tag and as you only need such a light dusting I think it's gonna last ages. Go buy this stuff now, it's HG for me...

P.S. As Google Reader is no more, I'd love it if you'd come on over and follow me on Bloglovin', if you don't use it already it really is a great way to follow all of your favourite blogs and it's been my preferred method for the last year or so - find me here.

I'm back!

2013-07-03T15:02:00.000+01:00

Today I need to, once again, apologise for my absence from my blog. Life really has been crazy lately and blogging has had to take a back seat the last couple of months. I feel like I lost my motivation for a while there as well, which I'm sure happens to us all from time to time, it definitely does for me! Whilst I've still been reading loads of blogs, I just haven't felt like updating my own, I felt like I didn't have anything new or interesting to write and I was just posting for the sake of posting.

I know a few readers might have been lost during my absences but I didn't want to start posting again properly until I had the dedication and enthusiasm I needed and I'm glad to say it's finally back! After finishing my course I'm now a qualified teacher (yey! It's been a hard year!) and with my wedding coming up in exactly 1 month from today I'm feeling super excited, if not a little stressed :) but from now on I should have the time I need to properly dedicate to blogging.

I've got some exciting post ideas coming up and I'm finally going to start incorporating some outfit posts back in to the blog. After the wedding I think it might also be time for a bit of a blog makeover as my header definitely needs an upgrade, things are just feeling a bit tired, y'know? I might post a few wedding related posts in the next few weeks also just to share a few snippets of my life outside of my blog.

So anyway, I guess the message here is...I'm back, hopefully better than ever...

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream

2013-06-12T13:00:00.000+01:00

I'm just gonna say straight of that this is my holy grail day time eye cream and I can't ever imagine using anything else. I picked it up ages ago and have been using it every day ever since. Now that I'm almost at the end of the pot (it may look small but it lasts months) I thought I'd properly share my thoughts. The Origins Ginzing Eye Cream has a nice consistency where you can feel it hydrating your skin but it sinks in pretty quick and doesn't leave a residue. It has a slight pink tone to it and a highlighting quality about it that almost verges on shimmer. The mixture of the cool pink tone and slight highlight to my under eye areas means it makes a big difference to my dark circles before I even start with my make-up which I love because I need all the help I can get. I look forward to using this in the morning as it makes such an instant difference, keeps my skin lovely and hydrated and really has brightened my eye area up in general over the last few months. I've never found anything half as good and even though it's quite expensive at £21 the pot lasts months so it's well worth it as far as I'm concerned, I can't recommend this enough.

MUA Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter

2013-06-09T14:40:00.000+01:00

The MUA Undress your Skin Shimmer Highlighter is something I picked up a while back in an online MUA order. I used it a couple of times but inevitably it got pushed aside for something else a couple of weeks later. I was looking through my make-up storage today though (bursting at the seams and falling apart in case you were wondering) and came across it and realised I never blogged about it like I did the other MUA stuff I bought. It's a powder highlighter that's pretty finely milled but it does seem to have some larger flecks of gold in it which means it's not the most subtle of highlighters. I love a good highlighter so that's fine by me but be warned you may want to use a light hand with this one. This has an almost pinky tone to it with a hint of gold shimmer running through it. It works beautifully on my pale, quite cool toned skin but I think it's a shade a lot of skin tones could get away with. This looks gorgeous brushed over the cheek and browbones and I definitely need to make more effort to dig it out and use it more often. At £3 you can't go wrong really.

Soap & Glory Butter Yourself Body Cream

2013-06-06T13:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a huge fan of Soap & glory products, especially their body stuff, and I'm on a bit of a mission to try everything out. I picked up the Butter Yourself Body Cream ages ago but I've only just got round to properly trying it out as I've built up quite a stock pile of their products to get through. My skin can get really dry at times so when I have a bit more time at the weekends I like to smother myself in this stuff. It smells so fruity and sweet and really does the trick at keeping me moisturised for the following week. This isn't something that you can whack on and get dressed straight away, I reserve it for more of a body pamper when I have time to let it soak in and work its magic. It's a lovely, luxurious thick cream and the massive pot lasts ages. I'd highly recommend it to any Soap & Glory fans.

New Topshop Lipstick Shades!

2013-06-04T13:00:00.000+01:00

I absolutely love Topshop make up and have a lot of their lipstick and blush shades so when I saw 3 new lip shades on the website I had to snap them up. The shades I got were Boom Boom, Beatnik and Screen Siren. Boom Boom is a pale barbie doll pink that looks quite intense on the lips. Shades like this can be a little chalky looking but this isn't too bad and actually feels quite creamy on the lips and applies pretty evenly. I don't know how much wear I'll get from this but I'm glad to have it in my collection. The next shade is Beatnik, a soft, muted rosy pink that has a lovely moisturising formula and applies beautifully. This is a really wearable shade and lasts a good 3 hours before needing a touch up. Finally I picked up Screen Siren, I love Topshop red shades and this is no exception. It's a really deep, true red that definitely sits on the cool end of the scale, perfect for me. It's not as moisturising as the other shades but this gives a more opaque colour and it's much longer lasting. Overall, I'm really happy with the shades I got. Topshop lipsticks tend to be on the matt side of things which is great for colour intensity but can be a little drying on my already dry lips so it's nice to have something like Beatnik that has a creamier formula and I'm loving Screen Siren, another gorgeous Topshop red.

May Beauty Heroes

2013-06-02T13:02:00.000+01:00

I've had a lot going on this month so unusually for me haven't tried too many new products but there are a few staples I have been turning to time and time again the last few weeks.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir: There's not much I can say about this that hasn't already been said. I love this stuff, it smells amazing and I feel like it really benefits my skin when I use it every morning in place of toner. I stopped using it for a while but couldn't resist picking up the small version a couple of weeks ago and now I'm completely addicted again and can't believe I ever stopped using it.

Shu Uemura 24k Gold Eyelash Curler: These eyelash curlers are amazing and I wouldn't dream of putting mascara on unless I'd used them first so when I saw the brand had a gold version it was only a matter of time before I bought them. I'm now using these every day in place of the silver ones and they feel that little bit more special, love them!

Sleek Blush by 3 Palette in Pink Sprint (shade Pink Parfait): I've said many times that Sleek blushes are my favourite of all time, the colour selection is great, the pigmentation is fab and they last really well on the skin. I've had this blush trio for a while but tend to use the single shades more often. I picked this up earlier in the month, though, and I've used it most days since then. The shade on the far right is a beautiful deep, almost berry toned, pink and it looks perfect on my fair skin especially matched with the bright lipsticks I've been using recently.

Revlon Lip Butters (Wild Watermelon & Candy Apple): I love Revlon Lip Butters, they're nicely pigmented for a pop of colour whilst being moisturising at the same time. I wear them constantly and this month I've been loving these two shades in particular as they're perfect when you want a red that's really wearable at the same time.

Benefit They're Real Mascara: I think this is the best mascara I've ever used, it gives me amazing length and curl whilst still giving my lashes tonnes of volume. I've never been a fan of plastic wands but this just seems to work without clumping or smudging. I've used it nearly every day this month.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Dry Shampoo: It's very rare for me to stick to a dry shampoo for very long as I'm always looking for the next best thing but this stuff has become a firm favourite this month. It has a clean, fresh scent and doesn't leave a horrible grey residue in my dark hair, this is a life saver for my second day hair.

Topshop Cream Blushes

2013-05-10T13:00:00.000+01:00

L-R: Afternoon Tea, Neon Rose, High Five, Prime Time, Morning Dew, Flush

Topshop Cream Blushes are some of my favourite and most used cream blushers. The colour range could be a little wider but the shades they do have are lovely and pigmented and the cream to powder formula is right up my street as they tend to stay put and don't have a tacky feeling on the skin.

I thought today I'd just do a little run down of the shades I have for anyone who has thought about trying them out but couldn't decide which shade to get.

Afternoon Tea - A neutral pink that gives a natural and flushed look to the cheeks.
Neon Rose - A coral shade with just the tiniest hint of pink that looks beautiful in the summer.
High Five - A pink with a hint of coral that gives a lovely glow to the cheeks.
Prime Time - Probably my favourite shade, an intense deep pink that gives a lovely pop of colour.
Morning Dew - A soft muted lighter pink when you're going for the 'no make-up' look.
Flush - Similar to Morning Dew but a little warmer and perfect for winter.

So there you have it, I'd highly recommend these blushes, they're great quality for a really good price!

Limited Edition Shu Uemura 24K Gold Eyelash Curler

2013-05-08T13:00:00.000+01:00

I never really got the point of eyelash curlers until I tried the Shu Uemura ones (full review here). I've had the silver ones for around 7-8 months and I couldn't be without them. I use them every day and they make such a difference to my eyes, the curl lasts all day. So when I saw they had a limited edition 24k gold pair I couldn't resist buying them. My silver ones are still going strong but I love anything gold so decided to treat myself. They feel super luxurious and are just as fab as the originals. I highly recommend these eyelash curlers, they're amazing!

April Beauty Heroes

2013-05-06T11:52:00.000+01:00

This is my first monthly favourites post in a while, I haven't been hugely inspired by a lot of things lately but I thought I'd share a few of my most used products throughout April anyway.

Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser - I'm a huge fan of foaming cleansers in the morning. I've heard foaming cleansers are not that great for your skin but I come back to them time and time again because I love how refreshed my skin feels after using them. I got this one as a luxury sample when I made an Estee Lauder order and thought I would try it out. I've used it every day since and am considering buying the full size. It has a clean fresh scent and leaves my skin refreshed without feeling stripped and tight.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel - I absolutely love this cleanser for night time. I bought it just over a month ago and I've used nothing else since, which is unusual for me. I use Bioderma to take of the bulk of my make-up and then I use this to double cleanse. It's an oil based gel that turns into a cleansing milk when you add water. It's lovely and soothing but removes every bit of make-up. It doesn't leave an oily residue either.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - I was desperate to try this out when I saw it in Boots a couple of months ago and picked it up straight away. I did have another Soap & Glory shower gel on the go though, so I didn't let myself use this until it was finished. This is by far my favourite Soap & Glory scent. It's so fresh and citrusy. I think people either love or hate the scent but I adore it. The bottle is huge too so it lasts ages.

Estee Lauder Double Wear Light - I wanted to try this foundation for ages because I'm a huge fan of the original Double Wear but the lightest shade, Intensity 1, was just too dark for me. Then I found out that there is a shade lighter, Intensity 0.5, that I think is only available in Asia and I managed to track it down online. I would love this too be a tad lighter still but I can make it work and it's a nice alternative to the original as the weather gets nicer.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette - I wasn't overly fussed with this when I first bought it but this month I seemed to have been reaching for this nearly every day. It's an easy option when I'm stumbling around trying to apply my make-up in the morning and UD shadows are always such amazing quality.

Sleek Blush in Flushed - I think I could live in life with just Sleek blushes. I use them so much and I absolutely love everything about them. The quality, the pigmentation and the price. This month I've been loving Flushed. A deep pinkish red that works perfectly with any eye or lip look.

Estee Lauder Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara - This was another sample I got with my Estee Lauder order. I'm not usually big on lengthening mascaras, much preferring volume, but I adore the brush on this mascara and have ended up reaching for it every day. I do sometimes add a volume mascara on top though.

Olay Essentials Complete Care (normal/dry/combo) Day Lotion SPF30

2013-05-03T14:00:00.000+01:00

My biggest problem in the summer months is finding a day cream with a high SPF for my super fair skin that isn't too heavy to wear under make-up. I've tried tonnes and none have been just right. My latest attempt is the Olay Essentials Complete Care Day Lotion SPF30, ideally I'd like SPF50 but in the UK climate factor 30 will do.

The formula of this is a thickish lotion that has the slightest hint of suntan lotion smell to it. This doesn't bother me though so I decided to test it out. It applies nicely to the skin but doesn't sink in super fast and leaves a slight residue on my combination skin, particularly on my oily t-zone. I've applied Revlon Colorstay over this and my foundation still lasts all day but RCS would last on my skin through an apocalypse, I don't think this would fair as good with a less long-lasting foundation. Even with RCS I got more oil breakthrough than usual so with other foundations I think it would affect the wear time. I will still use this with my heavy duty, long-lasting foundations, but the search continues for an SPF that will keep my skin matte throughout the summer months no matter what make-up I wear!

John Frieda Luxurious Volume: Volume Refresh Dry Shampoo

2013-05-01T13:00:00.000+01:00

The John Frieda Luxurious Volume Volume Refresh Dry Shampoo is another item I picked up from the brand's new range (see my review of the hairspray here) in my ongoing bid to give my fine hair a bit of lift. I don't like to wash my hair every day, even though my hair gets greasy quickly and probably needs washing every day, so I rely on a good dry shampoo to get my hair through another day. I find it hard to use some dry shampoos as they leave a white/grey residue in my dark hair and are really hard to blend in so when I first sprayed this on and it looked really white I was worried. However, it blended in quickly and easily, with no visible residue, and has a lovely fresh scent. I found this soaked up any excess oil and left my hair looking clean but with a bit of added texture, which is the one benefit to second day hair mixed with dry shampoo. This did give my hair more volume than a regular dry shampoo and kept my hair presentable until the next wash so I have no complaints really and will definitely repurchase.

Sally Hansen INSTA-DRI Anti-Chip Top Coat

2013-04-29T14:00:00.000+01:00

I've tried a few fast drying topcoats in my time with varying degrees of success. My normal topcoat is the Sally Hansen Mega Shine one which gives a super glossy finish and dries relatively fast but as nail polish drying time is my biggest bugbear about painting my nails, I wish it dried quicker. I have tried Seche Vite and as much as I love the super quick drying time, I find it always shrinks my nail polish loads and ruins the look of it. I know some people swear by it but I guess I haven't worked out how to apply it right yet. So anyway, when I saw the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Topcoat on the Boots website recently I thought I'd give it a go.

It applies smoothly with no bubbling or disruption to my polish underneath and doesn't shrink it at all. As far as the fast drying claim goes, it does pretty well. You're instructed to wait two minutes after painting your nails to apply it and then in 30 seconds it should be touch dry. I followed the instructions and found my nails were touch dry in 30 seconds. They didn't feel quite as dry as when using Seche Vite but it was a close second and better than anything else I've used before. So this is definitely my new topcoat for the time being and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a fast drying time but doesn't get on with Seche Vite.

NOTD: Topshop World's End

2013-04-28T18:05:00.000+01:00

New Revlon Lip Butter Shades!

2013-04-25T13:00:00.000+01:00

Juicy Papaya

Sorbet

Wild Watermelon

I'm a huge fan of the Revlon Lip Butters and already have a few of them, so when I saw there were some new shades in the UK I had to try some of them out. I picked up Juicy Papaya (a soft peachy pink on the lips), Sorbet (a hot pink shade) and Wild Watermelon (a soft red with pink undertones). My favourite by far is Wild watermelon, it's a really wearable pinky red that works perfectly on my skintone and it's rarey been off my lips since I bought it. Sorbet is also gorgeous and gives a lovely vibrant pop of pink to the lips. Juicy Papaya is also nice but I was hoping the colour in the bullet would translate a little better to the lips. It's very subtle and a tiny bit disappointing but will still be good for a more natural look, which I like now and again.

The new shades share the same great formula and are lovely and hydrating on the lips, apply evenly and last 2-3 hours on me before needing reapplying. These are a handbag staple and I can see myself adding even more shades to my collection in the new few months.

Have you tried any of the new shades? What do you think?

John Frieda Luxurious Volume: All-Day Hold Hairspray

2013-04-23T14:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a big hairspray fan, not a day goes by when I don't use it to try and give my fine, flat hair some volume. So when I saw that John Frieda had brought out a Luxurious Volume range that included an All-Day Hold Hairspray I had to try it out. If something promises volume and hold that will last more than a couple of hours I like to put it to the test. I'll start by saying that this isn't a hairspray for those who like natural hold that they can't feel in their hair. I'm not one of those people and the fact that this gives mega-hold means I can put up with feeling the hairspray in my hair a bit. I wouldn't say this gives my hair volume at all, but any that's there in the morning lasts a lot longer if I use this before leaving the house, in fact it still holds my hair in place pretty well come the end of the day. This is really impressive as far as I'm concerned and I'll definitely repurchase this when it runs out, I'm already using it every day and it's taken over all my other hairsprays.

Beautyblender V Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge

2013-04-21T13:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a massive fan of the Beautyblender, as any readers of my blog will know, I don't use anything else to apply my foundation and absolutely adore the finish it gives. It isn't cheap though, at £16 each the cost can add up when I replace it every 3 months, so I thought I'd try a cheaper alternative to compare. This is where the Cosmopolitan Blend Perfection Sponge comes in. At £4.99 it's less than a third of the price of the Beautyblender so I thought I'd pick it up when I was in Superdrug. The appearance of the sponge is pretty similar, both are small, egg shaped, pink sponges that are dampened before being used to 'bounce' foundation onto the face. That, unfortunately, is where the similarities end. The Cosmopolitan version has a groove in the shape, across the middle, this annoys me as it gets in the way of the smooth shape I prefer to blend my foundation. When dampened the Cosmopolitan version doesn't get quite as soft and so when I use it, it doesn't feel as gentle on my skin, it can actually feel a little uncomfortable as you have to bounce quite hard to get it to blend in any product. It's nowhere near as effortless as the Beautyblender and isn't as flexible when applying around the nose and under the eyes. Overall I was pretty disappointed with this, it didn't even come close to the Beautyblender and I don't see myself using it again. In this case the original is definitely the best!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Shell Is back!

2013-04-19T21:15:00.000+01:00

Before I start this post properly, I have to apologise for my absence on Sam's Notebook the last two weeks. When I'm busy I don't usually let my blog suffer but I had loads of work to do for my teaching course over easter and my wedding in August is approaching fast so I had tonnes to organise for that and I just lost my motivation for my blog for a bit. Now I'm back though and raring to go with some exciting posts over the next couple of weeks, I feel like I've had a break and got my blogging enthusiasm back!

So, on to the post. This is an exciting one for me as when I found out last year that Estee Lauder were discontinuing my perfect match shade, Shell, in their Double Wear Foundation (HG), I was a little bit devastated. I wore it every day and loved the foundation and the shade. I tried out the new shade alternatives and nothing came even remotely close to matching my skintone so I started a long search to find an alternative foundation. I've found some pretty good ones along the way and did fall in love with Revlon Colorstay (it does not move all day, which is really important for me) but nothing was ever quite the same.

Then, at the end of last year I heard a few rumours that Shell would be coming back but wasn't sure whether it would actually happen or not. I began checking the Estee Lauder website every couple of weeks but didn't see it's return, then a couple of weeks ago there it was on the website. It's now shade 1C0 Shell and I ordered it straight away. It seems to be exactly the same and appears to be back as a permanent shade so anyone who missed Shell as much as me can run out and grab a bottle now!

MUA Pro-Base Make Up Fixing Mist

2013-04-05T12:00:00.000+01:00

I really like using a make-up setting spray as I feel like it keeps my foundation in place for longer and gives a nicer finish to my make-up. The only one I've tried, though, is the Urban Decay De-Slick Spray which I love but it is pretty expensive considering I use it every day. When I saw that MUA had their own version, the Pro-Base Fixing Mist and it was only £5, I had to give it a try. I was disappointed with the size of the bottle as you only get 60ml compared to UD's 177ml but as it still works out cheaper I persisted. When I sprayed it on it applied in a fine even mist which didn't disturb my make-up in any way and it doesn't have any particular strong scent. This dried almost instantly and throughout the day I feel like it kept my make-up fresher and in place for longer. I don't think it's quite as good as the Urban Decay version (HG) but when I'm not doing much but still want to keep my foundation looking good this is something I'd reach for as it did make a difference and it's a pretty decent budget dupe.

MUA Cover & Conceal

2013-04-04T14:00:00.000+01:00

I'm a long-time user of the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer, the lightest shade is light enough for me, it covers well and lasts all day, and so far I haven't found anything that comes anywhere near close...until now. The MUA Cover & Conceal Concealer is a real contender. The fair shade is super light so works perfectly on my skin tone...check. It blends out beautifully...check. And it lasts all day on my skin...check. The only area where it falls down is coverage. For a concealer it seems to have a really quite light coverage so this is definitely one I'd use when I'm wearing a fuller coverage foundation and only need a little bit of extra coverage from my concealer. I do love it though, the formula is so lovely and the colour match is spot on. I also think I could use this under my eyes (something I can't really do with CLP as it's too drying) as it doesn't feel drying on my skin at all. The packaging is simple and functional and it has a doe foot applicator, my favourite kind. I was really impressed by this concealer and will use it regularly, a definite hit with me!

MUA Undress Me Too Palette

2013-04-03T13:00:00.000+01:00

Top Row L-R: Top Row R-L

Bottom Row L-R: Bottom Row R-L

You may be sensing an MUA theme on Sam's Notebook this week, I've just tried so many great products from them lately I decided to dedicate a week of posts to them! Next up is the Undress Me too palette. I already have the Undressed palette (their version of the Urban Decay Naked Palette) which I love and use regularly so when they released this, their version of the Naked2 Palette, I just had to give it a try. I've always slightly preferred the Naked2 palette as it's cooler toned and as this follows suit I prefer this to Undressed.

The formula of these shadows is, as I've come to expect from MUA, pigmented and smooth with minimal fall out. I think they're great quality for the price and I reach for my MUA eyeshadow palettes regularly. If your thinking about buying the Naked2 palette I'd give this a try first as it may be everything you need for a fraction of the price.

My only slight disappointments are the matte shades, Naked and Lavish, as the pigmentation isn't as fab as the shimmer shades and needs to be built up (something MUA needs to work on with their matte shades in general). Apart from that the shades are stunning, especially Tranquil, Exposed and Reveal which are beautiful.

MUA Power Pout Colour Intense Tint & Balm

2013-04-02T14:00:00.000+01:00

The Power Pouts are MUA's answer to the Clinique Chubby Sticks/Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains but at £3 are a budget alternative so I just had to try them out.

The come in the same pen-like packaging with a twist up solid, coloured balm. They also have the same minty scent as the Revlon version (something I'm not a huge fan of). The formula is really moisturising and glossy, but not sticky. They feel really nice and well...balmy on the lips. I find because they're more of a balm than the Revlon/Clinique versions the colour doesn't stain my lips as well so therefore they're not as long lasting. To be fair though, MUA don't claim that they're a stain, just a tint and balm. The colour payoff is really good with these though and as they wear they do it really evenly. They're also really easy to reapply on the go and layer really well.

The shades I picked up are Irreplaceable, a gorgeous pink shade, and Runway (my favourite of the two), a coral toned red. I love both shades and for £3 will definitely pick up the other shades as I'm so impressed with the quality and formula.