NEW Smashbox Be Legendary & Always on Matte Liquid Lipsticks

A couple of weeks ago (I think it was a couple of weeks...I lose track of time these days!), I was invited to Boots in Brighton for an evening of testing and trying out some new launches by Smashbox. It's a brand I haven't had much experience with in the past, having only really tried a mascara of theirs and a primer. The new Be Legendary range is full of totally on-trend liquid lipsticks, covering both plain colours and a gorgeous collection of metallics, which were all designed by their lip editor-in-chief, Vlada Haggerty (otherwise known as VladaMUA on Instagram, famous for her incredible lip art). Smashbox and Vlada are a lip match made in heaven which has produced some stunning products that are not only high quality in finish, but also available in some pretty cool shades.

COMING SOON: Gobsmacked Lipsticks (The New Brand You NEED To Know About)

Back when I started this blog, I was obsessed with lipsticks. Anything bright and bold was adored, and I loved the way a sassy colour on my lips could make me feel instantly confident. Pinks and reds were my main choice, however, fast forward a few years and (although I do love a red lip from time to time- who doesn't!?) it's mainly understated nude tones that I wear more in my day to day life, if I wear any at all! When Sophie Ebeling, founder of Gobsmacked, emailed me regarding her new lipstick brand I was so intrigued. I'm very fussy about the quality of lipsticks that I wear- anything other than nourishing, long-lasting, true-to-colour and comfortable and it's chucked aside. On my first try of this stunning new product I knew this was going to be a brand to watch.

Favourites: Some Amazing Lip Balms To Soothe Dry Lips

Although we're now in February and positively thinking that winter is nearly over, it seems as though it is still getting colder by the day! I'm currently wearing my thickest winter coat, big cosy scarf and gloves whenever I decide to venture outdoors; add to this the dreary rain and you've got yourself a recipe for awful British, cold weather. Whilst some of you may see this bleak temperature as an opportunity to snuggle up under a blanket with a mug of hot chocolate (cream and marshmallows on mine, thanks), I personally can't wait until it starts getting lighter, sunnier and warmer- not least because of the havoc this chilly weather is causing my skin! Not only do I need to reach for the extra nourishing night creams, but my lips get so sore, red and dry with the slightest drop in temperature. If you're anything like me, cold months call for heavy duty lip balms, so here are a few of my favourites.

Christmas Review: Soap & Glory BeautyFull House Gift Set

Each year, my Mum seems to treat me to some Soap & Glory make-up bits and bobs for Christmas. Although some love their huge bath and body promotion that is on just before Christmas, I actually way prefer their make-up. I don't know if my Mum intended it, but it seems to have become a Christmas tradition now, ha! As you might be aware (from the amount I rave about it), I absolutely adore their brow pencil and also really rate their SuperCat eyeliner (both of which I also received for Christmas, thanks Mum!). But alongside these, I love trying out other bits and bobs from their make-up range. This year I received their BeautyFull House which provided me with some more exciting pieces to try out.

Amazing Lipsticks For The Festive Season: Clinique Pop Lip Colour & Primer (Free With Glamour!)

I rarely buy magazines nowadays, but when I saw that Glamour were dishing out free Clinique goodies with the purchase of their December issue I just couldn't resist indulging in the glossy mag. With this issue, you have a choice of four things; a daily moisturiser, mascara or two Pop Lip colours. I've had my eye on Clinique's Pop Lip range since they first launched, and after much umm-ing and ahh-ing, decided not to splash out. Seeing their collaboration with Glamour, then, filled me with much money-saving delight! It turns out I was right to eye up these gorgeous lipsticks as they are an amazing burst of high quality colour.

NEW YSL Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain Shades (With Matching Matte Nail Varnishes!)

It's not everyday I get excited about the fact a lipstick is available in some extra colours, but YSL's Glossy Stains are definitely the exception to the rule. (Don't get me wrong, I pee my pants with excitement about new range launches, but colour extensions are usually a bit meh). YSL's Pop Water range stole my heart the moment they launched, with the unusual-shaped applicator and long-lasting wow-factor, and I can assure you that the new 4 shades are equally as fabulous. As if the new additions to an already-fantastic range wasn't enough, each shade has its own matching MATTE nail varnish to top off your Autumn/Winter beauty look.

MUA Sweet Sheen: The £2 Tinted Lip Balm That's As Good As It's Pricier Rivals

For me, tinted lip balms are just perfect for summer. Instead of wearing a heavy lipstick or sticky gloss, wacking on a bit of tinted balm when you're out and about is an absolute lifesaver. It requires minimal effort, is incredibly low maintenance, but produces just the right amount of colour you need to make an impact. There are tonnes of tinted lip balms out there, from high-end Benefit and Bare Minerals, to much more affordable Max Factor, but finding one which gives you a vaguely strong colour for a decent amount of time is actually quite difficult. While the brands mentioned above all have fab lip balms, not everyone can afford their relatively hefty pricetag. This is where MUA steps in with a fantastic dupe for only £2...

Arbonne: Fab Quality Products And One Of The Best Primers I've Ever Used (PLUS WIN!)

It's not often that I get super excited about discovering a new lipstick. With so many new launches out there reaching the beauty shelves seemingly every week, it's easy for lip products to get lost amongst the rest. What's even more exciting, is that these new favourite bullets of colour also come from a new brand discovery. I had never heard of Arbonne before being sent these products, but I have been so impressed by their lipsticks and primer that they have become a staple of my beauty routine; quite a feat considering the size of my makeup collection!

Old Treasure: 3 MORE Products I've Rediscovered And Am Loving

Last week, I wrote a post about some products I had dug out whilst having a beauty sort out. They were old favourites of mine that had gotten lost amidst the sea of new purchases, and had been sitting all lonely on the back of the shelf. Well, it turns out there were quite a few treasures I had totally forgotten about, so here are three more products that I've recently fallen in love with all over again...(I have so many I could make this a new feature!)

Old Favourites! 3 Products I've Rediscovered And Am Loving

Hands up; who is guilty of constantly buying into new beauty launches without making the most of the products you have in your stash already? I know I am, which is why I've recently started making the effort to sort through my make-up, chuck away all the old stuff, and dig out some treasures that I'd completely forgotten about. And OHMYGAWD there are so many! I never realised I owned so many beauty products until I started this mammoth task! Anyway, I digress; these three are products I used to use so much but have gotten lost amongst all my new shiny purchases. Sometimes, we need to take the time to realise what we already have instead of running out to buy the latest Benefit launch!

My Top 3 Lipsticks That Are Fit For Spring (And All Budgets)

Alongside the big ol' Spring clean, I always give my wardrobe and make-up routine an overhaul too. Gone are the mattes and darker shades; out come the bright dresses, dewy foundations and coral lipsticks. In preparation for summer, I love matching my make-up to reflect the weather (as weird as that sounds)- the sun just makes me want to experiment with bright colours! One thing that I love swapping (and that is the easiest change to make) is lipstick colours. Here are my top 3 that'll keep you looking fabulous through this season, all the way to Summer.

Primark P.S Love Beauty Haul; Why It's Not As Bad as You'd Think

Primark is incredible, isn't it? While it may often look like a jumble sale, you can pick up a multitude of bargains ranging from clothes, accessories and even cosmetics. Recently, Primark have done a lot to revamp the image of their P.S Love beauty range. The results show sleek-looking products that aren't as bad as you may think. Being so cheap and having the reputation of a budget store, it's easy to assume the quality of Primark beauty products is pretty naff. There are, of course, many things which fit this category (lotions, face wipes, and kohl eyeliners), but within the beauty shelves it is possible to find some real gems that shouldn't have the reputation of 'if it's cheap, it's crap'.

Review: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms

I seem to spend far too much money on lipsticks. I spend even more time complaining that they either dry out my lips or dissipate after half an hour's wear. Revlon's Colorburst balms have managed to solve both of these beauty problems in one fell swoop. Continuing on from Clinique's chubby stick trend (which pretty much every brand has attached themselves to), these chunky lip crayons from Revlon are one of the few worth keeping a place in your make-up bag.

Rimmel Provocalips: The Kiss-Proof Lip Lacquer

It's the ultimate girl problem: leaving lipstick marks all over champagne flutes, running off every half an hour to re-apply your lippy, and seeing how much your lipstick has disintegrated in photos from the night before. Even the most expensive lipsticks haven't mastered the seemingly simple art of keeping the formula ON YOUR LIPS. Y'know, because that's kinda the whole point of lipstick. Well, I think Rimmel might have the latest breakthrough in lipstick technology...

SWATCHES: Barry M Cor Balmy

I must admit, I was desperate to try out Barry M's new Cor Balmy range after seeing gazillions of bloggers post about them. Many other brands have attempted to release tinted lip balms with (in my opinion) little success. The products themselves look like they promise a huge punch of colour from the outside, but when applied, the moisture element takes over and the tint is left behind. However, these Barry M balms are something else, and I was left really impressed by the budget brand.

Maybelline ColorSensational Lipsticks

I got these beautiful Maybelline lipsticks from Cosmetics Fairy for about £1 each (you can read about my haul here). While there wasn't a lot of colours to choose from, I'm glad that there were at least some wearable shades. I was hoping to snap up some beautiful reds or pinks for the minuscule price tag, but these 2 shades were the only ones available that would suit my skin tone. While they're not the usual colours I'd go for, I'm so glad I did as they are both sublime.

L'Oreal Infallible Lipstick

Along with the Maybelline ColorSensational lipsticks I posted about, you might also remember reading about this L'Oreal Infallible lipstick in my Cosmetics Fairy haul. L'Oreal is a brand known for excelling in lip products; from glosses to lipsticks, they own the high street market. They are a brand from which you know you will get superb quality products, long-lasting wear and value for money, and it is no different for this Infallible lipstick.

Rimmel Apocalips

As I detailed in my Superdrug haul post, I've been eyeing up Rimmel's Apocalips range for quite some time now, but for some reason unknown to me, I just never snapped one up. The coveted collection is bursting with beautiful colours, from subtle nudes to vibrant pinks and daring reds. In the end, I bought myself Aurora; a gorgeous bold darkish pink with plenty of red undertones. I have to say, it was a tough decision between this, Stellar and Nova!