Mini Shopping Trip to Boots...

As I was down on eye makeup remover, a trip to Boots was in due, which meant that I came home with a small bag of goodies! I didn't go crazy however, and only bought 3 things, but I thought I should show you them all the same.

left to right: Real Techniques Shading Brush, L'oreal Eyeshadow, Boots Eye-makeup Remover

My first purchase was what brought me to Boots in the first place! As eye makeup is the main feature in my everyday makeup look, I needed to buy something to remove it! As mentioned in an earlier post, I like Boots own gel one. It is very inexpensive, and is very good considering the price (£1.50).

Being the eyeshadow lover that I am, I figured it would be time to get a proper eyeshadow brush! Sam Chapman (from Pixiwoo) has a line of brushes, so I thought I'd pick up one of her highly praised Real Techniques brushes. I bought the shading brush, as all of the other eye ones are in a set, and for £8, I think it was worth it! I'm definitely interested in having a look at the other brushes in the range...

And in the spur of the moment, I picked up another whim product. L'Oreal eyeshadows (or any other product really!) have never caught my eye, but when I saw this little baby-165 Golden Rose- I couldn't resist picking it up. Do I really need any more eyeshadows?! At £6, I think it is fairly affordable.

This month's spendings have definitely stocked me up on eye products!

El
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Less is More- Minimal Make Up

As not everyone gets up at the crack of dawn, goes for a morning stroll and is washed, dressed and fed by 7am, including a proper yet quick and easy make up routine isn't always simple. I for one have been known to skip steps in my skincare script and just used a cleansing water (such as Clarins Energizer Wake Up Booster) spritzed across a cotton pad and then briefly wiped across my face. Or rushed into my room to put on a quick coat of mascara before the school run to open up my eyes a little- everyone comprises in some aspect of their beauty regime! So how can busy mums or city working gals get a record look in record time?

left to right: Soap & Glory For Daily Youth, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer, Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow and Benefit Posietint 

Mixing your moisturizer and concealer is a real time saver; although it doesn't give much coverage, it brightens up your face. If you have the luxury of a couple more minutes, applying your foundation with fingers  instead of a brush also works. Apply a moisturizer prior to this to help your BB Cream or foundation blend into the skin.

For a five-minute face, buff in a cream eyeshadow over the lids with your ring finger- this is quick and simple. Seal it in with a powder shadow if possible (again applied with hands- no brush, less fuss!) and whack on a coat or two of mascara. Use a nude/white eyeliner in your bottom waterline to cancel out any redness, and then apply a creamy concealer to hide any bags. Using creamy products is best as they blend very easily.

Dip a finger in some cream blush and sweep over the cheeks and swiftly brush a bit of colour over you face with a bronzer if need be. Pop on a slick of lip balm, followed by some cream blusher or other multitasking product, and you're good to go! Tie up you hair in a rough pony or bun, grab your bag and skip out the door. Easy!

Just remember to start with a clean face and clean hands, and only use products that you really need. Setting out your make up and clothes the night before is another time saving tip- being organized is fairly underrated these days!

El
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Boots Skincare?

I love Benefit and Clarins skincare products, but when I'm a little down on dosh, Boots' own skincare brand has often caught my eye. What started out as a one-pound whim has now developed into a bit of a collection!

Walking around Boots with only a few quid in your pocket is never a good thing as, quite frankly, there's usually nothing under the £3 mark. I needed a cheap but fairly effective eye make-up remover and this was the first one I spotted. Nothing special, just a box-standard gel to take off your eye make-up, but that's kinda why I like it. It's basic- no ridiculous packaging or a fun name. And for just under £2, I wasn't going to be out of pocket if I bought it. So that's what I did. It's not brilliant, nothing really compared to the Clarins Eye Make-Up Remover that I had been stealing from my Mum's bathroom (that stuff is amazing, but much more expensive than the Boots' own one!) but it gets the job done! Admittedly, you do have to rub at your eyes a little, gently though, but I do find that it takes the bulk of my eyeshadow and mascara off. And yes, I think I will be buying this again!

To be honest, I don't even really remember picking up this product or the reason behind it- it was probably just another 'I'm broke!' buy. This exfoliating face scrub is from the Tea Tree and Witch Hazel range, and if you can get past the slightly overwhelming smell, is quite nice. Again, its another stripped back product, a simple but good face scrub. I try to use this 1-2 times a week, and really like it!

Everyone loves a good old face mask, and I particularly like mud or clay ones. I tend to stick to the one application sachet, especially if I'm trying something new, but this 3 minute Clay Mask caught my eye. And at £2, its not really breaking the bank. 

I think that Boots' own brand(s) are often underrated. People dismiss shops own brands in favour for more expensive and supposedly better quality products. Don't forget that brands such as No7 which isn't exactly cheap, and 17 Cosmetics are both owned by Boots, so next time you're in there, take a look and see what you think!

El

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