£1 MUA MATTE LIPSTICK IN WILD BERRY.

A few weeks ago, I was looking for a darkish lipstick to wear to a 1920s themed party that I'd been invited to. I had a nice dark plummy colour in mind, so I just went round all the makeup sections in Superdrug trying to find the right shade. I'd just about lost hope once I'd passed the Rimmel, Maybelline and Barry M sections empty-handed. But then I caught sight of the MUA section, remembering that some of their makeup products had been recommended by bloggers as being a decent quality for the low prices that they are. I spotted this gorgeous deep plum red colour - Wild Berry - amongst all the other lipsticks and just thought "this is the one!" And for only £1 I wasn't exactly going to leave it in the shop now, was I?

Okay, so the first thing I like about this lipstick is the packaging. I think the simplicity of the design is quite sleek and professional looking, despite the fact that when you actually pick it up it feels incredibly plasticy. But you can't exactly expect world-class packaging materials for a £1 product, so I'll leave it at that! The quality of the lipstick itself is okay - it's not incredibly pigmented, however it does darken up the lips a reasonably noticeable amount. I would definitely recommend using a lipliner too, as the lipstick doesn't have enough pigmentation to create totally crisp edges. The packaging claims it is a matte lipstick - I would slightly disagree with this, as it does leave a slight sheen on the lips that I wouldn't have expected from a matte lipstick. Also I find it quite a stiff product to apply - it isn't very creamy, so I would definitely wear it with a moisturising lip balm.

So ultimately, I would say that for just one pound it's a decent lipstick. Also it's quite a good choice for a beginner, who wants to go for something a bit darker than normal without having to go completely out their comfort zone. Plus, it's literally the cheapest lipstick out there!

Are there any MUA products that you would recommend? Feel free to leave a comment below! :)

MY NIGHT-TIME ROUTINE.

I used to be really bad when it came to my looking after my skin because I was just too lazy to even slap a bit of moisturiser on my face before bed. However, since the start of 2014 I've been using some products to try to improve my dry skin and lips and the dark circles under my eyes.

I start off by removing my make-up (I usually just wear a bit of concealer day-to-day) with the Garnier Simply Essentials 2 in 1 Make-up Remover with a little cotton pad. This make-up remover is pretty darn good because even after I've been to a party with a full face of make-up on, it removes the make-up extremely quickly and without you having to manically scrub your face for hours. It says on the bottle that the blue liquid on top is the bit that removes the make-up; the transparent liquid below it is a cleansing water, so obviously it treats your skin very well and leaves it feeling nice and soft.

The second step is especially important if I've just had a bath and it is to moisturise my face. When you have a shower or bath, the shower gel or soap usually strips your skin and makes it feel really dehydrated and for me, kinda flaky. Ew. So I use the Dove Beauty Body Moisturiser to rehydrate my skin and it just makes it feel so smooth and much more healthy. This moisturiser is designed to be used on the face and body, so it works wonders on dry hands in the winter too.

I then use this Wonder Eye Cream by the brand, Balance Me, around my eyes. This little tester product came with one of my magazine subscriptions through the post. I have to say, although it does leave the skin around the eyes feeling moisturised and soft, I don't really feel like it delivers on its claim to smooth away dark shadows, as I haven't noticed any difference in the appearance of the dark areas around my eyes. Also, at around £20 per 15ml, I don't think I will be purchasing a full sized product, but I will keep using my little bottle until it has run out.

Finally, I moisturise my lips with whatever lip balm I'm using at the time. Currently it's the Passion Fruit Lip Butter from M&S. I've had it absolutely ages and I'm still only about a third of the way through it - a little definitely goes a long way! It smells amazingly fruity but I don't think that really translates into the taste of the lip balm, as it does taste a little bit bizarre. I can't really describe the taste more fully than that - it's just a bit strange! Nevertheless, it is a great product that leaves your lips feeling very smooth and soft when you wake up the following morning.