Bourjois Paris Best Cream Blush: Review & Swatches

I've bought a new blusher and after a couple years of using GOSH Blush, I thought I'd try something new. The Cream Blush in 03 Rose Tender from Bourjois won me over when looking at the endless choice in Superdrug this week and I actually think it did that on the cute packaging alone!

I haven't actually used that many Bourjois products in the past, but the packaging of this little beauty is sure to convince me to buy more. 

This is the first time in 150 years that Bourjois have reinvented their iconic Little Round Pot Blush and it's simply gorgeous! The pink pot, the shiny pink lettering, the easy to open lid and the little pink gem on the lid edge; it's totally me! It feels like a really girlie, luxury product to handle.

So, how was this little bundle of joy when I applied it? Well, the colour for me is perfect. I went for 03; Rose Tender, which is 1 of 4 shades available at the moment. I'm sure there will be more at some point.

There is 02 Healthy Glow, 01 Nude Velvet, 04 Sweet Cherry and 03 Rose Tender. Each pot is coloured coordinated to the blush colour inside, which I think is a super cute touch and again, shows that thought has gone into this packaging. Which I love!

As you can see, the colour itself is perfectly matched to how it looks in the pot and the consistency is just how Bourjois promise. 

It's a cream-to-powder formula which has a velvety texture to it. It feels dreamy as you rub a little onto your fingers. I used my index and middle finder to dab some cream onto my cheek bones. 

It really does have that blendable, melting texture that is so talked about and I found it really easy to blend onto my cheeks and achieve a beautifully natural looking radiant glow. 

Included within the ingredients of this cute Little Pot is poppy extract for all day comfort, mango butter extract for a velvety smooth texture and apricot extract for a healthy glow. What a pot of fruity goodness!

For just £7.99 for 2.5g at Superdrug, I think it's a great buy. It's highly pigmented, so you won't need a lot to get the look you want to achieve; so I can see this pot lasting and lasting. And with 3 for 2 on Bourjois products at the moment, you can treat yourself to some other goodies whilst you're there. Fantastic!

Let me know if you've tried one of these 4 shades and what you think of it.

Tips for applying flawless foundation

I found this really lovely graphic on Pinterest about how to correctly apply your foundation and just had to share it. The stages are obvious when you see them in writing, but if you're anything like me, you tend to skip one or two of them to speed up the process but actually if we all followed these '10 commandments', we'd all look even more beautiful!

1. Start with hydrated skin

You're probably thinking this is really obvious stuff and you'd be right but this step is so important. Dehydrated skin can tend to be flaky, tight and sore and makeup just isn't going to look it's best having this as a base.

2. Know your skin type

Again, nothing new hear but equally as important. You want to find a formula that will compliment your skin, not work against it. My skin is pretty 'normal' but even I have bought products before that have slid off after just an hour or so, so obviously designed for my dry skin types. I've made mistakes in the past and since have always looked at the labels.

3. Get Matchy-Matchy

This is where I think most of us have been guilty of going wrong before. Trying the shades on the back of your hand in the middle of a fluorescent lit shop, just isn't going to work! Yes we might all feel a bit stupid rubbing a small amount of a tester onto our jawline and walking to the window, but believe me, it will save you money and extra trips to buy replacements.

4. Change with the seasons

I know all about step 4, as recently I actually had to change down the shade of my foundation for a third time and I was horrified (it's been that long since I've seen any sun). But, it was necessary and my complexion looks so much better for it. Even if I am now Ivory!

5. Prime for a perfect complexion

I have a primer palette from Fräulein which I find helps me out when I most need it. It's definitely worth investing in a primer that can ale any skin condition that you have.

6. Apply concealer

This stage can really help to even out your complexion, without the need to go heavy on your foundation. When I'm feeling particularly tired, I tend to use a little light illuminating concealer under my eyes. It works a treat!

7. Add foundation

I use a GOSH foundation brush to apply my foundation. The nylon hairs mean that the foundation isn't absorbed into the brush. The best technique I've found is to start from the middle and work the foundation outwards and upwards. Did you know that the hairs on your forehead grow upwards?!

8. Learn to contour

Contouring in this way, much like I mentioned in my MUA haul post, really does help to frame the face. Follow the 3 shape and reverse for the other side. Try it!

9. Believe in bronzer

I really love Hoola bronzer from Benefit. It's still the no. 1 best selling bronzer in the UK and has no sparkle or shine, just bronze. Fantastic! 

10. Lights, camera, action!

I always add a touch of highlighter on my brow bone, under my eyebrow, it really helps to open the eye.

I hope you found this useful. Try these 10 steps and let me know how you get on!

MUA Haul Review & Swatches

I've heard a lot about Make Up Academy (MUA) and thought it was about time I tried out a few of their products for myself. So, I bought a bundle of things to test and review.

I'm a 'middle price range' make up kinda girl, like Maybelline, GOSH and Loreal. I don't tend to buy products that are super expensive, as I get bored with things quickly and I've never really got on with really cheap makeup. So I was quite excited to see how this went!

Undress Me Too - Eyeshadow Palette

This palette has 12 colours, which is great for creating lots of different looks. There are soft neutrals like Naked and Lavish, cool greys like Exposed and Reveal and gold metallics like Devotion and Fiery. I also especially love the fact that MUA have named each colour. Cute!

The packaging is really nice (I like anything white!) and there is a double ended sponge applicator inside. I didn't use this, I use my own brushes, but the sponge applicators are quite firm to touch and flexible, for ease of application. This is great news for a product that's just £4.

Naked and shy are great base colours. They are very nude and whilst these two colours aren't as pigmented as the others, they are great as highlighters under the brow line and in the inner corner of the eye. 

The other colours are nicely pigmented but not too much that they produce lots of 'fall out' on your cheeks. This palette of colours also blend really well together. Firstly I tried Naked, Wink and Obsessed, which is a great combination. Corrupt is very pigmented and goes on easily, creating a really dramatic effect. When used with Reveal and Obsessed, it would create a look of drama, without having to go crazy with colour.

I really love the shimmery metallic shades too, like Devotion and Tranquil. I've recently been using Maybelline's Diamond Glow palette in Coral Drama and these shades remind me of that. Shimmery metallics are great for Spring into Summer and I know I'll be using a lot more of them this year.

To be honest, I can't really fault this palette. It's a great addition to my ever growing makeup collection and think it could very well become a favourite.

Undress Your Skin - Shimmer Highlighter

Shimmer highlighters are not something I've really used before, but I thought I'd give this one a try and see if I could be converted. 

Undress Your Skin is presented in a cute white case, with a lovely textured pattern on the powder. It is really soft to touch and glides on easily. My one worry about highlighters is that sometimes they can have chunks of glitter in them, but this one doesn't, which is a relief. I applied some on the top of the cheekbones and also down the side of my face, kind of in a 3 shape (from the edge of the forehead, into the cheekbone, back out and towards the chin), like I do my blusher. This created a lovely highlight to the shape of my face. The MUA site also suggests using it in the inner corner of the eye too. 

This is a nice product and at just £3 for 7.5g, I'm sure it will last and last.

Blusher - Shade 5

These blushers come in 6 different shades, for just £1 each! I opted for shade 5, as it seemed similar to the GOSH blusher I currently use.

I put a small amount on blusher onto my brush and swept it across my cheek and found that it was so pigmented that I had a huge clown cheek! Whoops! So, after a lot of blending and taking the colour down with some powder foundation, I got to the colour that I'd originally wanted. 

So a handy tip with this one is to start with just a tiny amount of powder and add extra if you need it. I think this one will take me some time to get use to and whether I will continue to use it, I'm not sure! Maybe I should try a different shade.....

Pro-Base Eye Primer

I usually use primers that I apply with my fingers from a pot, so this one is quite different in it's tube with sponge applicator.

The consistency is quite liquid, so you don't need an awful lot to cover the eye. It's not too sticky and dries quickly and to some degree, enhances the colour of the eyes shadow. For me, I was crease free for much of the day, well at least I didn't notice that I wasn't, which is a good sign. Whether it will hold when the weather gets warmer I'm not sure, I'd like to think so. For £2.50, it's certainly worth a go!

Out There - Plumping Lip Gloss

I opted for two colours in the Plumping Lip Gloss range. There are 8 shades to choose from and I went for Peach Shimmer and Nude.

I was quite excited about the concept of a sizeable lipgloss for just £2. I first tried Nude and after applying, unfortunately my lips started to burn! Now maybe that's the Maxi Lip Plumping Agents or I just had a 'dud', but whatever the reason, it felt really unpleasant and I wiped the gloss off after about 2 minutes. I haven't tried it again - I'm a little scared!

I've also since tried Peach Shimmer, which had a tingling feeling when applied, but this was the more usual feeling for a plumping lip gloss. I really like the colour of this one too. 

Both of these gloss's are non sticky which is great and although the colour fades quite quickly, for £2 a pop, I think they're a real bargain. 

Mega Volume Mascara

I always go for mega volume mascara and this one attracted my eye in it's pink packaging! 

The wand is rubbery and nice and fat, which helps coat all of the lashes. I did have to add 2/3 coats in order to get some definition though, so I wouldn't go as far as to say this is a mega volume mascara and instead produces more of a natural look. That's fine though because again, it's only £3!

So, all in all, I think for the price, MUA makeup is good value. There are some products from this selection that I like more than others but considering I got this whole collection for just £17.50 - that's not bad! The Undress Me Too Palette and Undress Your Skin Shimmer Highlighter are two products that I really do like and can see myself using a lot of. As for the Nude lip gloss, maybe I'll try another and see if that one is any better!

I hope you've found this review useful. Let me know if you've used any of these products and how you got on with them.

I will also be doing a review on MUA's Nail Constellations and Fur Effect Nails very soon.