My Rimmel Collection-Part 2

So hopefully you caught the first part of my Rimmel collection ( click here if you didn't). So this post I'm going to show you my Rimmel Lips and Nails collection.

Rimmel Apocalips in 300 Out of this World, 301 Galaxy, 303 Apocaliptic and 600 Nude Eclipse
I have done a full review here on these products so I'll make this one short and sweet. Nude Eclipse is a classic nude but is the one I wear least as I think it makes me look a bit washed out. Out of this World is a shimmery pink and very wearable, whereas Galaxy is a matte, plum shade which I like to wear with a smoky eye. Apocaliptic is the bravest shade I own, a very bright fushia pink but perfect for big nights out or on holiday!

Rimmel Moisture Renewal Lipstick in 180 Vintage Pink
I really like this lipstick. Its a deep nude/light berry shade and has a slight shimmery finish. Its a beautiful colour and I find I can wear it with so many looks. It looks lovely with simple make up for a day time look, or with a smoky eye for an evening look. Its not very drying either which is another plus!

Lasting Finish in 107 and Coral In Gold
I have done a recent review on these lipsticks ( click here ) so I will just briefly tell you about them now. They are both from the Lasting Finish collection but 107 is in the Kate Moss collection. 107 is a deep red shade with a matte finish that is perfect for autumn, whereas Coral In Gold is a shimmery coral shade that is definitely more suited for the warmer weather but I am still enjoying wearing it now. They both have a lovely creamy consistency so feel lovely to apply.

Rimmel Stronger Double Duty Base Coat
I use this as a base every time I paint my nails. The finish is quite gritty so cannot be worn on its own (unless that's you're thing?!). I suffer with quite weak nails and they are very thin so I need as much help as I can get and I find this polish works so well at keeping my nails strong. I really notice the difference when I don't use this.

Rimmel Nail Nurse Nail Base and Top Coat
I only bought this recently as I was in desperate need of a new top coat, and I really like the Rimmel polishes so I thought why not?! It has a lovely wide brush so I only need to use one stroke usually, and it dries really quickly. In terms of non-chipping, I can't say its amazing and keeps my chip-prone nails chip free but it does its job as a top coat and keeps my nails nice and glossy.

Rimmel Lasting Finish polish in 300 Pop Your Pink, 702 Marshmallow Heaven and 705 Tangy Tangerine
Pop your pink is my favourite shade out of these three, its a lovely bright fushia and teamed with a good glossy top coat is a perfect summer/holiday nail polish. Marshmallow Heaven and Tangy Tangerine are much more subtle shades. I especially like Marshmallow Heaven as I think you can wear it with so many looks-in all seasons, on an evening and in the day.

Rimmel Kate Salon Pro in 237 Soul Session
Whereas I absolutely love the actual polish and the formula as its fast drying, glossy and lasts ages, I don't like this colour at all! I might as well not be wearing this on my nails, its so nude. I really like the brush on this polish aswell as, like Nail Nurse, its very wide so only really needs one stroke. I will definitely pick up a few more shades of this polish, and this one can go to the back of my collection.

Rimmel 60 Seconds in 405 Rose Libertine, 415 Instyle Coral, 840 Blue Eyed Girl and 260 Funtime Fuschia
These are my favourite polishes out of my entire collection as they are so fast drying and they are really glossy and shiny. Rose Libertine is a bit of a Beauty Blogger fave. It is a dusty pink shade and a more toned down version of Instyle Coral which is a bit brighter and more of a coral (hence the name). Blue Eyed Girl is a lovely Autumn/Winter shade and I think it can make your look very polished. Funtime Fuschia is my favourite colour that I own, its my perfect colour! Its bright but more of a blue toned pink than my other shades, which I think looks really lovely. I only bought this recently so I'm loving it, and I think its an ultimate trans-seasonal shade.

So there we go, another brand collection done and dusted. I love drugstore brands because you can build up such a collection without spending a hideous amount of money.

Product Review-2 New Rimmel Lipsticks

 

I am not a massive wearer of lipsticks but im trying to be more adventurous with my makeup and I've been getting into new products that I wouldn't have gone for before. Including these two beauties. The first lipstick is from the Lasting Finish by Kate Moss range. This one doesn't have a name but I've heard about it so much in videos and blog posts. Its called 107 and is a deep red shade. The texture is very creamy but has a matte finish. I wouldn't normally go for a matte finish but I think it works really well with this shade. I have worn this with simple eye make up which I think gives a classy finish.
The second lipstick is a Lasting Finish lipstick in Coral in Gold which is a peachy coral shade. The texture is again creamy and lovely to apply, but this has a slightly more shimmery finish. This shade is more of a summer shade but I have been looking for this colour for so long that it had to be mine. It looks lovely on its own or layered with gloss. I have been wearing it with smokey eye make up in the evening and just subtle eye make up during the day.
I have been so impressed with these two lipsticks. The staying power is amazing and they are both very well pigmented which is another bonus!

Does anyone else love Rimmel lipsticks?

My Everyday Make Up Bag

During the day I don't like using lots of make up on my skin, I thinks its unnecessary and isn't really good for your skin. I have quite a good skincare routine which I think is important if you don't want to wear a lot of heavy make up. So I thought I would show you guys what's in my everyday make up that I carry around with me everyday (obvs).

Rimmel BB Cream
I use this as a base everyday. It has many skin-perfecting properties so is actually good for your skin, and doesn't cover your face in lots of heavy makeup. I usually use a little bit of concealer under my eyes and on any spots/blemishes, and then just use a powder over any oily areas. I find this gives me enough coverage in the day, and doesn't make my skin overly oily during the warmer months.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara
I use this mascara on a daily basis because of its lengthening properties. I don't have the longest lashes in the world so I like to use this just to add a bit of length without the false look. I sometimes wear a pale shadow on my eyes or do a bit of subtle blending with a couple of shades but nothing very dramatic.

Revlon Lip Butters in Candy Apple and Tutti Frutti
I absolutely love these lip butters. They're so moisturising and well pigmented so they last a while. Candy Apple is a very bright, classic red, which could be worn as an evening look too but because it is so moisturising, I like wearing this during the day. Tutti Frutti is another bright shade but not quite as bold. Its a peachy, coral colour which can be worn with so many looks. I really enjoyed using this in the summer months.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain Balm in Honey Douce
Another Revlon lip product that I really like. This is the darkest shade in my everyday make up bag but I think it looks lovely, especially in the colder months as it is quite an autumnal colour. Its almost a plum shade but without looking too vampy. This also looks really nice with a bit of Vaseline or Carmex underneath or over the top to give it a more glossy look. Because of the pencil style of the product, this is really easy to apply on the go aswell.

Nivea Soft Rose Lip Balm, Elemis Quenching Lip Balm, and Balance Me Shine On Tinted Lip Salve in Sheer Raspberry
These are my 3 basic balms that I use the most and that work well at keeping my lips moisturised. I suffer from very dry lips so using good products is important. I actually got the Elemis and Balance Me lip balms as freebies with some magazines, and the Nivea lip balm I bought in Poundland (see haul here) so these weren't pricey products at all (quite the opposite!). The Elemis is a clear balm which has the same tingling sensation as Carmex when you apply it onto the lips. Balance Me has a slight raspberry tint but is a lovely glossy balm. The Nivea balm is a matte, pale pink shade which is lovely for an every day look. This is probably my favourite lip balm as I find it really keeps my lips moisturised.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss and Pink Punch
I am almost 100% that every beauty blogger and blog reader has heard of these. Whilst I was intrigued into trying them out I wasn't overly desperate to get my hands on them, it just turned out I managed to pick up a couple in my local Boots. Peach Kiss is my favourite out of the two shades. It is a very subtle balm, with a peachy shimmer. Pink Punch is a very Barbie pink shade which I don't really suit unfortunately. I think they are moisturising but there isn't any difference to other lip balms I have tried. Bit of an overrated product here.

So there we go, I love looking in other peoples make up bags, especially the products they use every day. Mine isn't a very extensive collection, but like I said, I don't like wearing a lot of make up during the day. Does anyone else use any of these products? I'd love to know what you think of them!

Demi from Kiss & Makeup's Top 5 Products For 'At Work' Makeup

Hello lovely followers of A Little Gem, It's Demi here from Kiss & Makeup and I've been given an opportunity by the beautiful Gemma to guest post on her gorgeous blog! Two months ago I started my new job fresh out of university as a scrub nurse and so I thought I'd share with you all five fabulous products which aren't too heavy on your skin and so are perfect for weekday wear. 

One: Dr. Jart Platinum BB Beauty Balm

In the past I've overlooked many BB creams because they just don't give me the full coverage I desire. A few weeks ago I discovered Dr Jart platinum Beauty Balm when it was on offer in Boots, when I swatched it I noticed that it was actually pretty thick for a beauty balm and so it clicked that it might not give too shabby coverage after all. I wasn't wrong and I'm really enjoying this high coverage balm which also leaves my skin feeling hydrated and not weighed down whatsoever. I will say however that it does only come in one very light shade, which is great if you're fair skinned like me - if not, then this probably isn't for you!

Two: Estée Lauder Pure Color Cheek Rush in X-Pose Rose

I reviewed this gorgeous gel blush on my blog a few weeks ago (click here to read!) and I am absolutely loving it. Pretty steep in price for its size but its so lightweight due to its gel consistency, giving your cheeks a beautiful but subtle splash of colour without soaking up any moisture which often happens with powder blushes. I'll definitely be trying out some of the other lovely colours in this product range!

Three: MAC Mineralize powder in Medium

This powder is perfect for warming up my Dr Jart Beauty Balm base, it's pretty lightweight and doesn't leave my face feeling caked or heavy. This product does give a slightly matte finish but I've not found it to dry out my skin at all which has been a huge problem I've had with every other powder in the past, this is the powder which I always go back to after trying anything else. It does, of course, carry a hefty MAC price-tag but I really can't knock this product and it's for sure where my face powder loyalties lie!

Four: MUA Makeup Pro-Brow Ultimate Eyebrow Kit

There's nothing I love more than a massive beauty bargain and this product is one of my favourite finds of the year. This is a ridiculously good dupe of Urban Decay's Brow Box and it costs only £3.50, which is jaw dropingly cheap in comparison with the £19 Urban Decay price tag! I feel butt-naked without shaping and shading my brows, it's got to the point where people say I look really weird without them! This fab little kit from MUA is ideal for achieving perfectly-primped yet natural looking brows and I can't recommend it enough - if there's one product you MUST try after reading this post, this is the one - go go go! I've reviewed this product in full over on my blog (click here to read).

Five: Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Mascara

I've never been a fan of overly dramatic and false looking lashes and I really think that they can cheapen the overall look of your makeup. I'm loving this mascara by YSL because it gives my lashes amazing but natural looking length and volume, without leaving them clumpy and looking like spiders legs. Natural is the key word here, making this mascara perfect for weekday wear! Again, I've reviewed this product in full (click here to read!). 

Anyway dolls, I really hope you've enjoyed reading this post and I hope that you can take the time to check out Kiss & Makeup sometime! Thank you so much Gemma for giving me the opportunity to guest post on A Little Gem, keep up the amazing work with your amazing blog!

My Rimmel Collection-Part 1

    

Rimmel is my number 1 drugstore brand for cosmetics. I love pretty much everything they do, and their range of shades is fantastic too! As I do have quite a large Rimmel collection, I've split this into 2 parts (long posts can be a bit of a drag!) So in this post I'm going to show you my base, face and eye products, and the second part will be lips and nails.

Rimmel Fix & Protect Pro Primer
I find primer is absolutely necessary for me as I have oily skin so I need as much help as possible to keep my make up in place. This primer claims to smooth, resurface, brighten, mattify and protect the skin. Its definitely one of my favoured primers as I find it absorbs really quickly which is good if you're in a bit of a rush. Its also very thin so doesn't feel like you've already applied one layer of make up like some do.

Rimmel BB Cream
I use this pretty much everyday as a base, I only use foundation if I'm on a night out or going to some event. I use my hands to apply this to my face as I find it works a lot better this way rather than using a brush. So this BB cream boasts to prime, moisturise, minimise pores, conceal, cover, smooth, mattify, brighten and protect your skin. It is a lovely product to use for very light coverage and because I know its doing something good for my skin then I like it even more!

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer
This is a massive Beauty Blogger fave, and I can completely see why! I love using this under my eyes as it really has a bright, 'awake' finish and I think that's key for under eye concealer. It also seems to stay put well. I use either my Real Techniques buffing brush, my Real Techniques pointed liquid foundation brush or just my fingers to apply this.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder
Another big Beauty Blogger fave! I really like this powder, its perfect for helping with my uber shiny skin, especially in the warmer months. I have the shade peach glow which is perfect for me. Another Rimmel winner.

Rimmel Clear Complexion Pressed Powder
Another powder, but this one is a translucent powder which I use to set my concealer or if I don't need full coverage with powder. I use this powder more in the winter when my skin is slightly drier.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Instant Radiance Shimmer Touch in Radiant Rose and Shimmering Sand
These are lovely little products which are perfect to add just a touch of colour to your skin. I use this more in the day as they are very subtle, however I'm pretty sure they could be built up for more of a striking look in the evening.

Rimmel Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer
I featured this in my August favourites (click here) as I loved this primer throughout the summer. It definitely does what it says on the tin and helps my eye make up stay in place and still look just right after a heavy night on the tiles. I cannot rate this product enough, one of their star yet underrated products!

Rimmel Glam Eyes Quad Palette in 007 Heart of Gold
I'm really into bronze and gold shades for my eyes at the minute so this quad is absolutely perfect for me. I tend to use the lightest shade the most as this is quite a good base, but I also really like the bronze shade (the cross) and sometimes use that just for a slick of colour on the lid.

Rimmel Glam Eyes Quad palette in 014 Bold Behaviour
I only tend to use 2 shades from this palette-the purple and the gold. Now the seasons are changing I'm much more tempted to experiment with the other two shades as I think, the green especially, would add a bit of a twist to a smoky eye.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick in 005 Tempting Turquoise
This is probably my least used Rimmel product. I really love the colour and these crayons are so easy to use but I don't tend to wear blue eye make up. The times that I have used this stick is with a lighter blue shade, and I've used a little just above my lash line and then a little under my eye as it does brighten the eye some what.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Paint in 002 Slate Grey
I'm really into the smoky eye look at the minute, I think its a great classic look, especially in the colder months. This eye shadow paint is perfect for creating the smouldering look. I have done a full review which you can check out if you like. The only negative I found with this is that it dries quite quickly so you do need to work quick with it but the pay off is definitely worth it!

Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara
I got this mascara free when I spent over £10 in boots on Rimmel products. I haven't been absolutely blown away by this mascara, I don't like the size of the wand at all, its way too big for my tiny lashes! But its good to have has a back up or to take out with me on a night out as I wouldn't be bothered if I lost it.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara
This is one of my most used mascaras. Its a very bold black and when applied, it doesn't have a lot of clumps. The only negative about this mascara is that I tend to get quite a lot of specs with it around the eye. a bonus of this mascara is that it claims to help your lashes grow-can't say I've noticed a difference but every little helps hey!

So that's it for now, stay tuned for part 2 and my Rimmel Lip and Nails collection.

Product Review-Barry M Natural Glow Palette

As a drugstore girl through and through, I was pretty excited when Barry M announced their new Autumn releases would include this dupe for the Urban Decay Naked palette. Ok so there's about half the amount of shades, but it still seemed to have the same feel to it. And at a fraction of the price! They also released two other palettes called Smokin' Hot (a palette for creating a sultry, smouldering look) and Glamour Puss (more vibrant and shimmering shades).

Natural Glow includes 6 eye shadow shades and one blush. There are 2 matte eye shadow shades and 4 shimmer eye shadow shades. The matte shades are a very pale cream shade that is the perfect highlighter. The other is a subtle gold shade that would look lovely as a base for the shimmery shades, or just on its own for a more basic look. The 4 shimmer shades are a rose gold, grey, gold and a charcoal shade. All of the shades look lovely in the palette however I found when applying, they aren't very pigmented at all. The lightest shade I could hardly see! I was really disappointed with the eye shadows in this palette. In this case I think the drugstore item has failed to live up to its higher end twin.

The blush is a very pastel pink and is too pale for me to use as a blush, but I have used it as a highlighter and it does look lovely. I am much more impressed with this than the eye shadows, even though I'm not using it for its actual purpose!

So a pretty disappointing product really. I still refuse to pay more for the Naked palette but I'm much more intrigued after trying this palette. This product would be lovely if the shades were more pigmented.

Has anyone else tried this or any of the other Barry M new releases?