Top Ten Ways to Perfection... (My Top 10 Beauty Products)

Member Name: LauraElliott

Product:	My Top 10 Beauty Products
Date:	12/06/02 (1492 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All of the products I have listed I use myself and have used for quite a while, The brand' mentioned shouldn't be hard to find: just look in supermakret's or chemists such as Boots or Superdrug's, All of the listed products are not tested on animals

Disadvantages: Hopefully they will not discontinue the product or brand of the listed make-up, Some of the cosmetics listed are a bit expensive for some budgets

I have a huge make-up box in my cupboard and since this topic seemed really appropriate to me, I decided to delve right down to the bottom and find all of my beauty products that I haven't used for a while. I came across some funny things'like bright pink 'Barbie style' lipstick that I don't even remember buying, and an awful shade of 'banana yellow' eye shadow from the body shop which I must of got in the sale (because the 25p price sticker was still left on there - shows how much I've used it!). Then I came across a ridiculous 'flame red' blusher, which I know has never been on my face (or anyone else's for that matter) because the seal hasn't even been broken, and there are no signs of it being smudged at all!

I have been using 'make-up' since about the age of twelve or thirteen. When I was a bit younger than that, I can always remember myself going to my mother's floral make-up bag with brands and products that have been discontinued now, such as 'cover girl midnight blue eyeliner'. I used to dress up in my mum?s high heels and her long flowing dresses, and when I knew that she wasn't going to be upstairs in the bathroom where she kept her make-up bag, I used to quietly creep in there and plaster myself in all of her foundation and other products, I wonder if she ever noticed - Anyway'since that day, I have been addicted, and from then on I thing there has only been a few rare occasions where I have gone out of my house without my make-up on. I dread to think about what I look like without the stuff - I'd rather not know! He he.

Currently there are more than ten items, which I couldn't live without...but because this opinion is best suited for only ten, I've managed to narrow it down.

ITEM NUMBER ONE - Collection 2000 Plastique Lip gloss

Collection 2000 is a sort of more 'unknown' brand, only being sold in a few stores such as Sup
erdrug and Asda's. Most of the products in the Collection 2000 range cost less than £3.00, so they are great if you are on a budget. Recently this lip gloss has been on promotion in my local Superdrug's, and that is where I first spotted it, in part of one of the big displays on one of the shelves. I noticed that the advertisement said that it came in a range of colours such as: clear, nude, cocoa, rose and sugar. The lip gloss that I purchased was the clear one, as I prefer the natural look and I know that if I am going out partying then I can spice up my lips by applying colour beforehand and then coating over the top with clear lip gloss. I don't know whether it was just on a special offer, but I was shocked when I found out what a bargain it was, priced at only £1.99, I was about to snap up all of the shades! By using this lip gloss over a period of one week, I noticed that my lips became much softer and pouty, as well as smoother and silkier. Although the gloss looks good at the time of application, it isn't one that I have found lasts for a long time, in fact after eating and drinking, I found that I had no remaining lip gloss left on my lips, most of it was left around the glass I was drinking from, or was smudged around my face! The packaging is ideal, very small and thin so it is able to fit into my handbag, and the applicator brush which is attached to the lid is a good way of applying.

ITEM NUMBER TWO - Ruby and Millie Eye Shadow

Going from one extreme to another..a good bargain of a lip gloss, yet raking out a fortune on an eye shadow. Ruby and Millie eye shadow is priced quite harshly at a gasping £9.99 (nearly a tenner for a tiny pot - argh). When I got to the till and realized the price, I have to admit I was gob smacked, but I still went ahead with the purchase and realised when I got home just why exactly the little pot cost such a lot of cash! The eye shadow I bought wasn't a powder, it was more of a crème s
o it was easier to put on with your fingers and did not require a brush (which means less mess for me!). Although the pot is small, I have found that it has lasted me for a good 6 months (and that is with applying it about 4-5 times a week - a little bit goes a long way). In the range of eye shadows there were quite some distinctively bright shades that I wouldn't be seen dead in, but apart from that there were some more subtle shades that suited me fine. I went for a colour called 'sheer bronze' which gave me the tanned effect on my eyelids. Like with most eye shadow's, this product tends to crease after a little while, but apart from that, I have had no problem's with it whatsoever and definitely recommend it.

ITEM NUMBER THREE - Lipcote

Where would I be without this wonderful lip colour sealant. Even when applied over the top of lipgloss, it keeps my lips shiny and shimmery, without letting the lip gloss come off as easily, it acts as a barrier or defendant and doesn't let much get in the way of you and your lipstick. Many people say that it cracks up or hurts when they apply it, and I must admit that it does tingle a bit the first time you put it on, but after a while you get used to it. The small might not be the best they could use, perhaps if they put a better fragrance it would seem more attractive, but like with the feel of it, you also get used to the smell of it too, and actually I have grown to become quite fond of it. It doesn't taste that great but still, what do you expect, it is just for use over lipstick. It comes in a small glass bottle with a little wiry brush attached to the lid. It makes sure that your lips are completely dry, even if they look 'wet'. It costs about £2.49 for a small 10ml bottle but because you only need one coat to keep your lipstick from going 'walkabouts', it also lasts a while. If you make sure that when your lipcote is drying, that your lips are apart, there i
s no reason why your colour shouldn't remain for the duration of the day! I love it, definitely one of my favourite products!

ITEM NUMBER FOUR - L'Oreal Perfection Longitude Mascara

L'oreal are known to be one of the best cosmetic brands in the world! With head offices in all of the top spots - London, Paris, Milan, New York etc, L'oreal are certainly something to rave about. So many famous people use this brand too, Britney Spear's, Kylie Mingoue - you wouldn't believe how popular it is with the stars. With one stroke of the mascara brush (included on the lid), it gives you fuller yet separated longer lashes, making you want to flutter them as much as you possibly can. It doesn't smudge easily, so you won't be left looking like a panda if you rub your eyes, and it comes in nice silver packaging, perfect for the professional touch to your bag. L'Oreal Perfection Longitude Mascara comes in a few colours, such as: black, black/brown, brown, grey, electric blue and clear. I strongly recommend the black/brown version because it is midway between both of the colours, does not look too severe and does not look too unnoticeable either. Unfortunately all good things don't come cheap, and at £7.99, it may set you back some of the dosh in your purse, but it would be money well spent.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE - Avon Glimmersticks Eyeliner

I bought this eyeliner because of the application mode. It isn't like ordinary eyeliner, it isn't a pencil and it isn?t liquid, it is more like a crayon type, maybe kohl you could call it. It only costs £3.50, and the amount you get in it should last you for years. To apply you just remove the lid and then twist the pain part of the product (retractable), to twist the actual crayon eyeliner up. Once it is up (not too far otherwise chances are it could break), you then hold it up to the top of your eyelid and apply, you can also apply it to just underneath your botto
m eyelashes. It's entirely up to you. If you haven't got a steady hand then I suggest resting your arm (elbow) on a surface, so that it becomes more rigid and will stop you shaking. This specific eyeliner comes in a choice of six different shades - cosmic brown, fiery black, moonlight teal, saturn grey, green velvet and midnight blue. The one that I chose was fiery black because I only apply a thin line, so it doesn't show up that much, and I don't need to put much on because I have quite pale skin tone and colourings.

ITEM NUMBER SIX - Marks and Spencer's Ultimate foundation

I didn't realise that Marks and Spencer's had a cosmetic range until I was bought a tub of their amazing 'ultimate foundation' as a present from my friend. Yes, it costs £8.00, but still that is cheaper than the eye shadow I recommended to you, so I'm sure that you can afford this too. The foundation is really easy to apply, it comes in a bottle where you just push the top down (pump thingy) and then it comes squirting out. There is a little twisty bit where you can turn it to close it, to make sure that when it is stored away, it isn't accidentally pressed down and forced to go all over your nice clothing or whatever else might be in the same place. I tend to blend in my foundation with either a big blusher brush or my fingertips, and with this actual foundation I found it easier to rub it in with my finger tips, as it felt a bit hard to use the brush on it. There are lots of shades to match your skin tone, I was bought number 3 called 'Naturally Naked' or something like that because my friend thought it matched my colourings well, and she was right! Unlike a few types of foundation, it didn't weigh me down or feel heavy, like it was plastered and clinging onto my face - it felt loose and easy-going, in fact I could hardly tell that I had it on!

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN - Maybelline Express 3 in 1, Cream Stick
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br>I get really annoyed when I get a pimple or an odd spot come up on my face, it just ruins my whole image! He he, and so I automatically have to do something about it, otherwise I cannot show my face in public (well maybe I am not that extreme!). But a handy thing I found in my local Boot's was the Maybeline three in one cover stick. It is so good because it feels like a cream to apply, and you can blend it in easily with your fingertips, so there isn't much mess as it isn't liquidy. It doesn't leave a shiny and greasy look on your face, just a matt look and you can hardly notice that the blemish is there in the first place after using this product. It comes in three gorgeous shades - buff, cameo and nude (I chose buff). All of these shades are either pale, honey looking or slightly brown tinted, not really suitable for very pale skin, yet not suitable for extremely dark skin (like oriental or black). It costs £6.99, and isn't very big (just bigger than a normal lipstick). It also applies like a lipstick, you turn it and it comes up and you twist it back and it goes down (after using it). It is certainly for girls on the go and for girls who are prone to the odd spot break out. Great for emergency use - I swear by it!

ITEM NUMBER EIGHT - Mac Lipliner

One of the only nice lipliners around at the moment is by a very unknown brand called 'Mac'.. The only places you can purchase it in is in small chemists or by mail order over the net. It costs £8.00, and so if you want to get a few to match different lipstick shades, it could work out quite pricey. What I recommend is that you get a shade that is just a few tones darker than your own lip colour, that way you can't go wrong and it should blend in pretty well. It comes in about 15 shades and the colour I chose was 'spiced'. Depending on what angle you apply the pencil from, depends on what thickness of the pencil line you get. If you hold it towards the top you
can achieve a very fine and finished look, yet if you hold it another way you can go for the bigger and fuller effect more easily.

ITEM NUMBER NINE - Body Shop, brow and lash definer

This product is like in a mascara packaging, but it is clear and gel like when applying. You can smear it on your eyebrows to create a smoother effect, so that the hair on your eyebrows is not all uneven, and it can also help to make them shaped, especially if you do not pluck your eyebrows regularly. If you use it as mascara on your lashes, then you can make the clear mascara natural look. I got my body shop brow and lash definer for only £1.50 from the body shop outlet place in Clacton designer shopping village, but in actual body shop's, I think it is priced at £4.00 or more. Definitely good for those last finishing touches when applying make-up, it adds the last good look and makes your face look more 'feminine'.

ITEM NUMBER TEN - Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing sheets

Not necessarily a make-up product, but a sure good way of getting rid of any excess oil instantly. Handy to carry around in your bag, these little booklets of oil absorbing sheets come in either packs of 50, 250 and I think one larger than that as well. You open up the little booklet and then inside is a sticky tab which you unpeel to release the stickiness texture. You then close the booklet. Press down and open up again, for one sheet to have been dispensed, which you then pull off of the sticky surface. This saves wasting getting any more extra sheets out which you do not need at the time, they are hard to put back in the booklet once taken out you see. You run the blue looking sheet across the bridge of your nose, your forehead and over areas which look or feel shinier than normal (before applying make-up), and then after going across your whole face, look back down at the sheet and see all of the black marks and shiny surface you have created due to the oil build up
on certain parts of your face! These sheets only cost £2.99 for 250, well worth it, and you'll be disgusted when you see all of the dirt and grime they remove! No, really, you'll find that they are a miracle worker; another one of my favourite beauty buys which I found out about in a free sample given away in one of my magazines.

Overall, I hope that whatever make-up and cosmetic products you buy, you are happy with. With most products, if you do not like them or are not happy with the results, you can take them back and complain. Obviously if you have used them they will not put them back on the shelves to sell again (well I hope not), but at least you'll know that you have tried and tested for free. You can choose to try some of the products I have recommended above, and I am sure that you will be pleased with them. Most of the brands I mentioned are quite reliable for all types of cosmetics in their ranges, so why not give it a go, experiment and find the right colours, shades and tones that best suit you, good luck!

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