Highstreet vs Luxury: Brow Gels

Hey guys so today I wanted to discuss the Brows!

Back in June (I think it was) last year I discovered the Benefit Gimme Brow, a product that has 1000% sealed the 'holy grail' status, I mean I even buy back ups of this product these days as I literally don't think I could live without it. I use it every single day and even pop it on my brows on no make up days. My brows are so light and fair naturally but have a good shape to them and Gimme Brow just transforms them by tinting them and adding volume whilst keeping them set in place. Admittedly it is pretty expensive - at £17.50 a pop and it only lasts me a month, meaning I have to purchase one every single month. I get the shade Medium/Dark by the way and I reviewed it HERE for you to take a peak at.

Until a couple of months ago I wasn't aware of any other products that were up to the job and finish I was after and then I discovered the Rimmel London - Brow This Way. A cheaper alternative to the Benefit Gimme Brow Gel and at only £3.99 it was impossible for me to give it a miss. Luckily for me I had totted up enough Boots Advantage Points to be able to buy the product that way and I went for the shade 'Mid Brown'.

So there are two significant differences about the appearance of the two products, one of obvious being that the Brow This Way comes in larger packaging than Gimme Brow and the second is that the wand on Brow This Way is also a lot bigger to the Gimme Brow Wand, I would go so far as to say the Wand on the Rimmel product is far too big. I like to size of the Gimme Brow Wand as it allows you to maneuver around the sparse hairs at the end of your brows and shape them with precision. Brow This Way is great for adding colour and volume to the areas of my brows that are more bushy however I am reluctant to use it around the sparser areas as it just smudges onto my skin because of the wand being too big. Another slight note is that I have noticed the Rimmel London product gives your brows more a red/brown tint whereas the Benefit product is more towards the dark brown end of the spectrum. However due to the significant different in price I have now compromised and try to reach for the Rimmel product where possible on the larger areas of my brows and then just using the Benefit product for the sparser area's of my brows as I feel this combination works well together and despite the issues  on the Rimmel product with the packaging and the wand, the formula does actually deliver a pretty similar finish to Gimme Brow - just a slight difference in colour. Due to the price difference between the two products, I am trying to reserve the Benefit product for weekend occasions more and just for filling in the sparse brow area's on week days.

If I could choose just one of the two, it would undoubtedly be the Benefit Gimme Brow purely because it scores a 10 in all area's where as I would rate the Rimmel London product as a 6 out of 10.

Below I have added pictures of the result of the Rimmel London Brow This Way, Benefit Gimme Brow and another with a combination of the two.

I hope this helps you if you're trying to make a decision on which one to go for!

July Wishlist

July Wishlist by whatlaradidnext featuring a body moisturizer

Benefit waterproof makeup remover / Lip treatment, $25 / Body moisturizer, $17 / Body cleanser, $11 / River Island rose nail polish, $6.86 / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics shimmer makeup / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics shimmer blush / Sheer lipstick

Morning guys sooo after skipping June lets hop straight to my July beauty wishlist. These are all the products I'm lusting after right now. There are so many amazing products hitting the beauty shelves recently and I've been taking serious notes. If only money wasn't an object - I would have a dressing room resembling Sephora or House of Fraser right now. Unfortunately, money does exist and therefore I only have a limited amount in which is disposable to get my beauty fix with.

Now lets start off with the little Soap & Glory Orangeasm set, I've already used the Body Wash before and absolutely loved it and now I'm dying to re-purchase along with the Body Butter which I have no doubt, smells equally as yummy!

Next up is the wonderful Bobbi Brown. Now, I do have a tad confession. I've never actually purchased anything from Bobbi Brown before, well I tell a lie - I have but only as presents for others (my sister swears by the stuff).  I don't know why I haven't because their products are constantly appearing on my wishlist I just never actually go for it. I think I'm just a girl who is stuck in her ways and knows what she likes. I just get scared that what if I spend loads of money on a product and I don't like it - know what I mean? Right jolly good, now back onto topic again - today I have discovered the Bobbi Brown Sand Eye Palette. Now anyone else reckon this looks a little familiar? Yeah I'm thinking it's a potential sister to the Urban Decay Naked family or maybe its long lost relative or something but more glamorous and contemporary? I seriously want this Palette it looks incredible, super pigmented (of course that's what I imagine but can't comment as I haven't swatched or even purchased yet) and just a really beautiful selection of shades that really flatters the eyelid. I'm also desperate to get my self a Shimmer Brick. I bought this for my sister as a birthday present and really considered keeping it for my self as it just looked so pretty. Also, after seeing Tanya Burr rocking it in her Kim Kardashian Wedding Make Up Video I just thought, I need this stuff!

The Benefit They're Real Remover is another new product on my radar. As I mentioned before in my Benefit They're Real Mascara Review HERE the product is amazing but a bit of a nightmare to get rid of, so this would come in super handy I reckon.

Before I went to Stockholm my sister painted my nails for me in this gorgeous pinky/nude shade of the Barry M Gelly series and I seriously need this product in my life. It is so pretty and just looks really natural on the nail and at £3.99 it would be silly not to!

Last up is the Lip Balms/Sheen Lipstick/Glosses. Now I've used the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine before in a glittery, clear sorted of shade which is beautiful for everyday use (I'm wearing it as we speak) but I am desperate to try a more deep shade hence why its on my hit list this month. I am also wanting to try out the Benefit Lolli Balm - I imagine this product to have a similar finish to the YSL Rouge Volupte, light and sheen on the lips and very subtle and also how could I resist this super cute packaging?

What is on your beauty wish list this month? 

May Wishlist

May Wishlist by whatlaradidnext featuring MAC Cosmetics

Opi nail polish, $17 / Bobbi Brown Cosmetics sheer foundation, $44 / MAC Cosmetics makeup brush / Benefit mascara

It's that time of the month again where I'm pondering about what sort of products I hope to purchase on pay day! I mean it's generally a never ending list but if I had to narrow it down to just a few of the products I am desperate to get hold of (whether I will or not is a different question). So yeah, this is my lust list for this month.

As you can see above there is the Bobbi Brown Sheer Foundation Stick. Now, I've never used a Foundation Stick before and this really intrigues me. Whether it would just be a hand bag staple that I use on the go I don't quite know. All I know is I really want to try it!

Moving swiftly on to the right is the OPI Nail Lacquer in shade 'I can't find my Czechbook'. Now for all of you who don't already know. I never paint my nails and there is a valid reason for it - I'm bloody awful at it! I have the least steady hand in the world which usually results in varnish all over the skin surrounding my nail. Not only that but when I actually finish my nails I always always forgot that I've painted them and end up smudging them. So, my sister is now my newly appointed nail technician! Whenever I want my nails doing my sister will gladly do them and actually make them look half decent.  Now why this shade you ask? Well as you're probably aware - I am obsessed with the film Frozen (as with the majority of girls in the UK) and a while ago I saw a blogger write a post about Frozen inspired nails (Sorry I can't remember who) but they looked sooo pretty and I thought straight away - I'm all over that! So the plan is, I'm going to get this nail lacquer and ask my sister to paint my nails inspired by Frozen - in preparation for me going to Stockholm. The shade is kind of similar to the Swedish flag AND I'm going to an ice bar whilst I'm there so really it does all tie in perfectly! I have far too much time on my hands, I know...

Next on the list is the Benefit - They're Real Mascara. I don't actually have this my self but when I stayed at my sisters house a couple of weeks ago I asked if I could pinch hers and have a trial run and wow it really is a brilliant mascara. I have long eyelashes anyway but this mascara actually did make my look at though I had false eyelashes! The only problem was - because my eyelashes were so long they rubbed on my skin and gave me a bit of a panda eye issue. However, because it was such a good mascara I do really want to purchase it. I guess I will have to maybe be a little more patient in application and let the mascara dry properly before dashing off out the house!

Last but certainly not least is the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation and the MAC 217 Blending Brush. The hype I've heard about the Chanel foundation has made me desperate to get it in my arms, along with the fact the packaging is so neat and chic! I have a feeling though that it is going to have a similiar finish to the YSL Touche Eclait Foundation.

The MAC 217 Brush has been on my mental wishlist for a long time now. Beauty bloggers seem to swear by this tool. I guess the reason I have to yet to have purchased it so far is because I do think £18 is expensive for a little blending brush but still - nevertheless, this doesn't change my want for this product.

Are any of these products on your wishlist this month? What is on your wishlist? I would love to know :) 

April Wishlist - Beauty Products

April Wishlist by whatlaradidnext featuring lips makeup

Shown above are just a few of the products I hope to get hold of this month!

I'm always on the look out for 'must have' items and which in my case is pretty much everything.  However, I've narrowed it down to the select few items that I'm desperate to get hold of.

Tigi Bed Head Dumb Blonde Conditioner - The last year or so I've been in the process of going back blonde and my hair is FINALLY at a blonde/silvery stage mixed with lilac tones thanks to Soul Urban! I understand that I now need to give my hair a bit of TLC and really look after it to maintain this lovely colour I've achieved.

MAC Mineralize Bronzer - If I'm honest this is a product that I actually need! I always use this bronzer as it got such a lovely finish and I've recently ran out so I've been borrowing my mums bronzer every morning which I don't think she is too impressed about but I've just not had time to go shopping recently.

MAC Lipglass - I am soooo desperate to get hold of a MAC Lipglass I've heard so many good reviews on them. As you all probably know by now I am 'die-hard' fan of MAC. I have lots of Lipsticks by them but no glosses and I think this would be a perfect summer addition to my make up bag.

Benefit High Beam - This is another beauty product I have been wanting for ages. Admittedly the only reason I haven't bought it is because I think it's quite expensive for the size of it but heaven knows I will still more than likely part with the money in exchange for this cute little make up must have. I have used High Beam before (borrowed my sisters) and it does add a really nice sheer effect to your cheek & brow bones.

Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub - Initially, the thing that reeled me in on this product is the fact it has the word 'breakfast' in it, silly I know right?! But Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and it looks good enough to eat! I am also already a big lover of S&G so just know that I will love this Breakfast Smoothie Scrub. You can never give your body too much Soap & Glory loving!

Lush Oatifix Face Mask - Lush is a place I absolutely love, I totally believe in what they're trying to achieve and probably don't buy enough as I should from there. I really want to get this Oatifix Face Mask, I have used it before. A few months back I popped into store and one of the lovely sales assistants kindly gave me some sampels of this and I absolutley loved it. It smells of wholesome oats and when you put it on you just know the nourishing ingredients are feeding your face with goodness! I also really like the fact you have to keep it in the fridge because all the ingredients are natural.

Lush Golden Egg- Now I know every harry and larry seems to be talking about this bath bomb but I am seriously so desperate to try it regardless. It just looks so pretty and glittery!

MAC Berry Lipstick - I have tonnes of Lipsticks, especially ones from MAC but for some reason all of mine appear to be Matte. I am soooo in need of one that's a bit glossier but one that stays put. This will be perfect for me. I know it's more of a winter shade but I really just don't suit peachy shades and always look best when I opt for a bold, dark statement look.

Naked 2 Palette Urban Decay - Again, I know this is a 'beauty blogger must have' but I am behind with the times okay so don't judge me. Plus the fact I've been using a Front Cover Palette that I've had for literally years (bad I know) but the hues are really similiar to the Naked Palette so I've never felt the need to have this in my life until now and now it's actually caught my eye I want it so bad - hurry up pay day!

Whats on your April Wishlist?

Candy Bracelets

So last weekend I decided to play about with having a photo shoot, it's something I've never done before so I'm aware that it is very much amateur but it was just something I wanted to have fun with. Photo shoots are naturally awkward as it means you're suddenly put in the spot light and every sense of movement you've ever had seems to disappear as soon as a camera is put in front of your face.  

Here is a run down of what I'm wearing: 

• The gorgeous bracelets are from LizzleTrix. LizzleTrix makes bracelets that look good enough to eat. In this shot I'm wearing - Club Tropicana, Dolly Daydream (my favourite!!), Lizzlelove and Ibiza purple (my second favourite). The Dolly Daydream is my favourite bracelet as it really does look like Dolly Mixture sweets and I seriously just wanted to eat it! Ibiza purple was my second favourite as I'm totally into this neon purple look at the moment. I also feel the Ibiza bracelet teamed great with the old school bomber jacket I'm wearing. 
• The golden rustic looking spiked necklace is from New Look. This is a staple item of mine and I tend probably over wear it. 
• The bomber jacket is Vintage.
• The Short-sleeved Clementine shaded shirt dress is my amazing new dress which I purchased from Best Newcastle. Best is my favourite shop as it is full of re-worked vintage clothing. It's right up my street.
•  And last but not least, my shoes are Nike Blazers that were purchased from Foot Asylum. 

You can purchase the LizzleTrix bracelets I was wearing on:  http://www.lizzletrix.com/

Follow them on Twitter:  @LizzleTrix

They're also on Instagram: lizzletrix

& On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LizzleTrix

In the shots I'm wearing - 

• MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation
• MAC Lipstick in shade 'Saint Germain'
• The Benefit Smokey Eye Palette
• MAC Bronzer
• Loreal Mascara