March: Loves and Lusts

It's time for round three of this year's 'Loves and Lusts'! How time flies. If you're a regular round these parts I'm sure this series needs no introduction, but if you are a newbie to this whole shebang, I'll link up all my previous posts I've done of this kind here for you to have a look at and get the general gist of how things work. Now, without further ado - let's get straight into what I've been loving and lusting after throughout the month of March...

What I've Loved:

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in '51' - Now this is more of an 'old' favourite as opposed to a new discovery, as I've tried and loved this foundation before (as I told you all about in this post). I hadn't used it for yonks, but recently I got an urge to give a go again and after making a well-needed repurchase in the correct shade for me at the moment, I can confirm I'm feeling it just as much as I was before. It's just a good, solid foundation option. Neither too glowy nor too matte - just leaving  behind a lovely skin-like sheen and a level of coverage that perfects but still looks natural and feels lightweight and comfortable. I have a feeling I may not be putting this back down again...

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - Leading on nicely from the above, I have a new favourite method of base application. I've finally given into the hype and got myself a Beauty Blender - kinda. I didn't fancy spending an extortionate amount much on what is essentially just a sponge, so plumped for the drugstore alternative that many others rave about and of course it is by my beloved Real Techniques once again. Will they ever make a product I don't like? I doubt it, as this is just all kinds of brilliant. This makes my foundation apply even better than it does with a brush. I know - hold the phone! It just meshes everything in to a further extent and makes application a lot more 'perfected' too. There's no areas where things have settled a bit funny or look cakey and I notice a massive improvement in the longevity of my base when using this sponge to bop it all over my face. I use it wet to ensure it doesn't eat up whatever I've using, and it also help to amp up the glow aswell. Love, love, LOVE.

Primark Stippling Brush - While I do love the aforementioned sponge a hell of a lot, of course I still have a place in my heart for makeup brushes and this one is the latest addition that's I've fallen head over heels for. And while I know I was only now going on about how much I love the Real Techniques' ones, this one doesn't fall into that brand category - shocker alert. It was sometime last month that I heard a few good things on the beauty grapevine about this brush from Primark, so obviously it was top of my shopping list when I made a trip to my local store a couple of weeks back. When I got there I could only find the one, so I snapped it up immediately and haven't looked back since. I've heard people saying how good this is for foundation, but in all honesty I find it a little too small and precise for that - so instead it's slotted right in as my new weapon of choice when it comes to concealer. Combined with my cover-up of choice - Collection's Lasting Perfection, obvs - this is a winning team. It acts in a similar way to my usual tool - the RT Setting Brush - though I find the denser set-up of this one means it really pushes the product into the skin and blends without losing too much coverage in the process. It's super soft and super cheap and I'm really glad I cottoned on about this one.

Collection Eyes Uncovered Palette in 'Nude Rose' - Finally for makeup loves this month is this new palette from Collection and while I've only had it a little while, it's already become a staple in my makeup bag for the current season (as you would already know if you read this post). This is the perfect rose gold eyeshadow palette if you're on a budget. Obviously, there's your Urban Decay Naked 3 and a couple of other drugstore options, but this one still manages to beat them all in terms of value for money. You get six awesome shades, with no 'fillers' to be found and the actual quality is brilliant. Sure, the packaging isn't all that great but what's inside definitely is - the shadows themselves have a super buttery formula and the pigmentation is spot-on. They're easy to blend and last all day long and the pinky tones are ideal for this time of year. Also, when could I ever not love something that's rose gold? 

Garnier SkinActive Oil-Infused Micellar Cleansing Water - Moving onto skincare and I have a major love from this month that I can already visualise becoming a permanent fixture in my routine. If you're a regular round these parts, you will probably already know that Micellar Water is my preferred method of choice when it comes to removing my makeup, doing that first stage of cleansing or even just refreshing my skin in the morning. I used to be all about the face wipes until it came into my life a couple of years ago now (I think), but since I discovered it I haven't looked back. That was until now. I saw one of Alix (I Covet Thee's) Snapchat's where she picked this up in Boots a while back and knew I had to give it a go, being a big fan of the original. And I have to say, I am seriously impressed. It's basically their standard Micellar Water, but with an added layer of oil - making makeup removal even more quick and easy and giving it a nourishing feel  aswell as being cleansing. I got along with the original so well (and still do really love it), but I feel like this version suits me and my dry skin type even better and I think it may be the one I pick up from now on...

Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish in 'Crimson Flush' - I have one nail fave from March and again, you may well have seen it already in this Polish Pick post I did a couple of weeks back. I actually picked it up as part of my last 'New In At The Drugstore' post that I did back in February, but it's only now that I gave it a try and I really rather like it. It's a nice 'transitional' polish shade, in that it's not as deep as your Winter berry's but still not as light or bright as the type of hues we tend to gravitate towards once the warmer weather arrives (hopefully). It looks quite chic on the nails and actually doesn't match up to anything else I already own in my stash - shock horror. The formula is great (as usual with the lacquers from this range) and I can see me getting even more use out of this before I properly get into my Spring/Summer shades.

Batiste 'Fresh - Cool and Crisp' Dry Shampoo - If you've read here before you'll know that when it comes to dry shampoo, I flit between two brands - COLAB and Batiste. The former I tend to prefer slightly as it really does live up to its 'invisible' tagline - being much less 'full on' and requiring hardly any effort to blend in when you spritz it through your hair - however sometimes you just can't beat some good 'ole Batiste when you need to bring out the big guns. This one in particular is the latest scent I've tried (after picking it up in my latest Boots Haul) and I think it may just be my favourite. As the name suggests, it's very neutral in fragrance and just smells clean and fresh and sometimes that's all you really want from a product of its type. 

Tangle Teezer - Finally for this part of the post and also concluding all things hair that I've really enjoyed using throughout March - I have a new tool favourite! It's not very often that I find new ones for my hair that really manage to integrate themselves as part of my routine, but this one certainly has. I actually was lucky enough to win this as part of a giveaway Amy Farquhar ran on her Twitter and ever since it arrived I haven't stopped using it. I've needed a new hairbrush for a while, so this couldn't have come at a better time and so far, I haven't been disappointed. It really does help to detangle my hair both wet and dry and makes the whole process super quick and easy. And if that wasn't enough - it's bright pink. What's not to love? 

What I'd Love To Have:

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette - £37.00 - Something which has really made its way to the top of my beauty Wishlist this month has certainly been this eyeshadow palette from Too Faced. This is by no means a new launch - so many people have raved about this in the past and I have been tempted by it many a time myself before - but for some reason these past few weeks I've just lusted after it even more. It's got a beautiful array of neutral colours and apparently it actually smells of chocolate. I'm sold.

Rimmel Sculpting Palette by Kate - £4.99 - During my last trip to the Mothership (a.k.a. Boots) I noticed Rimmel have a couple of new launches and they've certainly caught my eye - one of them being this. It was only a matter of time before they too jumped on the whole 'Contouring' beauty bandwagon and brought out their own sculpting product and I guess the time is now. This handy palette comes with a blush, bronzer/contour and highlight and as far as I can see is available in two varying shades. As always with these kinds of products, I'm intrigued and may just have to pick one up to give a testing out (purely for research purposes, of course)...

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Highlighter - £4.99 - Another department Rimmel have chosen to expand in their range is their brow offerings, with this highlighter being the latest addition. I've noticed a few of these pop up on the market before in varying forms and have always been interested to see just how well they work and what they could potentially do for me and my 'Could Be More On Fleek' eyebrows. This is housed in a pencil format with a creamy formula that you literally glide round the areas of the brows you want to lift and illuminate. If I was to invest, I doubt it'd be something I'd necessarily do every single day, but for special occasions or times when I feel my brows need a bit of extra help - I'm tempted to give this a go.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Soufflé De Velvet Liquid Lipsticks - £6.99 each - Being a big fan of the original Rouge Edition Velvets, the release of these this month has caught my eye. I did some digging into just what the difference between those and these new 'Souffle' version is and as far as I can tell, you get the same matte effect but with a slightly lighter veil of colour and a more hydrating finish - ideal for the upcoming Spring/Summer months. This formula sounds right up my street and from first glance there's some gorgeous colours in the range that look just like my sort of thing too and way too pretty to pass up on.

MAC Lipstick in 'Velvet Teddy' - £15.50 - I've mentioned a few times in the past of some various MAC Lipsticks which are on my never-ending beauty wishlist, and as of this month there's another that's managed to work its way onto there aswell. I still haven't got round to actually starting my collection (yes, I am yet to own my first MAC Lipstick - but I can assure you it's so close to happening!) and ticking any of the others off, but here I am pleasing the case for 'Velvet Teddy'. Oh my. This shade has received quite a lot of air-time these past few months, and finally I am starting to cave. It's a nude with a hint of brown to it and is just the kind of hue that's very 'in' at the moment. I've looked at my fair share of swatches and it looks to be up my street so maybe, just maybe this will be my first MAC Lipstick purchase (of many, I'm sure)...

MUA Eye Define Volume, Nourish and Care Mascara - £4.00 - I was browsing through Twitter one day a week or so ago when I spotted a Tweet from another beauty blogger all about this new mascara release from MUA. They're one of my favourite brands when it comes to super budget makeup (seriously, we're talking some items as little as £1) that's still super great quality too and their latest lash offering looks pretty darn good. This mascara claims to give voluminous, full lashes whilst also nourishing your natural flutter too with the inclusion of Avocado Oil in its formula. Who would've thought it, eh? This is again one of those products that intrigues me a little and makes me just want to try it out to see if it really does live up to expectations. I'll let you all know how I get on if I do, don't worry...

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Palette - £49.00 - Moving back up to the complete opposite end of the price spectrum is this palette from Charlotte Tilbury. Personally, I'm yet to give anything from her highly-raved-about makeup range a go, but that doesn't mean I haven't compiled a mental note of some items which one day I will finally get round to purchasing and this palette may just have to take a spot there. The whole concept around this is that it's a does-it-all face palette which should have you covered in terms of eyes and cheeks. Inside you've got three eyeshadows, a bronzer, two blushers and a shimmery highlighter and I think it's a very aesthetically pleasing compilation indeed. All the shades are very much 'people pleasers' in that they're not too out there and would likely suit and appeal to a variety of different people. The packaging and overall set-up looks gorgeous and if it's on the same standard as everything else I've heard insanely good things about - we may just be onto a good'un.

And that's just about it for March's edition of 'Loves and Lusts'! I hope you enjoyed that (and perhaps you found an item or two that you like the look of) and I'll see you same time, same place next month for what I've been loving and lusting after for the month of April - isn't that mad?