17 lipstick in 'bon bon'.

SPECIAL DELIVERY. by way of apology, i present a lipstick review AND some nails AND my make-up of the day AND an outfit. let's kiss and make-up.

isn't this adorable? it is on monki's delivery bags. much better than the soul-destroying, fear-inducing grey ones from asos so i like to think...

as i said in my last blog post, i don't really go anywhere anymore. for that reason, any make-up i have been wearing has been low-key, using cheaper products. basically opting for an all-round beautifying look that basically makes me presentable to the world. my latest plaything is 17 cosmetic's sheen supreme lipstick in 'bon bon'. i've raved about how much i like the formulation before, but in a nutshell, the finish is creamy, hydrating and has decent lasting power.

'bon bon' is a natural-looking, slightly toffee-ish, slightly caramel sort of shade. it's a shade that can definitely be used in a nude look or glammed up for the evening - and therefore pretty versatile. when i can't decide what lipstick to wear, i have a set of 'to go' safe options (which suit everything) and i can see this becoming one of them. if you are like me and hate super nude shades, having unfortunately found yourself in the position where you need something sensible but with warmth (e.g. for srs occasions), then this is a great choice.

face: 17 primer, no 7 essentially natural foundation (light beige), collection lasting perfection concealer (#2), clinique airbrush concealer (03 light), mac mineralize skinfinish (medium plus).
eyes: maybelline gel liner, mac eyebrow pencil (stud), no 7 lash adapt mascara, the body shop brow & lash gel.
cheeks: illamasqua (lover), no 7 vital enlightening highlighter.
lips: 17 (bon bon).

and finally, what i've been slumming around in as of late. I DON'T GO ANYWHERE YOU GUYS, SERIOUSLY. zero glamour. the dress is a very big size small - and if i were sensible, i would exchange it... but i am too lazy.  i am also fully aware that these are crap photos and that a bathroom shot (like my bin?) does not compare to photos where people are jumping mid-air in a field/stepping out of a taxi/looking pensive while standing in the road - but i do try. i don't even own a tripod (my camera is in fact on a tin, balanced on a box). i mean really, this is not my thing.

 dress - monki, shoes - topshop.

nails - gosh (wild lilac), ring - river island.

i hope everyone had a delicious easter!

review: soap & glory 'the fab pore' face mask.

first and foremost: sorry yet again for lagging on the blogging front! i feel terribly guilty about it, but i have a valid reason. those of you who follow this blog regularly (or my twitter) will probably know about the dreaded 21,000 words i had due in for april. now i have a week left, and 5,000 words to go. because of this, i haven't really left the house... and when i don't leave the house, i don't wear make-up... and when i don't wear make-up, i can't blog. SEE!

anyway. even though i've owned this for a while now, i'm really loving this face-mask at the moment.

i know that every face mask under the sun claims to be 'intensive', but this really is it. i use it when my skin is spotty or oily, and recommend it for those skin types only as i find that it dries up my face. it leaves my skin smooth and matte, forming a better base for make-up. in a really odd way, it reminds me of how your hands feel after you put plaster of paris on them. some may like it, some may hate it. nevertheless, that matte feeling is quite long-lasting, as my skin doesn't become oily again for the rest of the day. as i only use it for that reason, i can't really comment on whether or not it really minimises pores in the long-term.

it's nothing revolutionary in terms of application. although it's called a 'peel', it really isn't. you just get some product, rub it into your face (until the green beads dissolve), leave for 5 minutes and voila! wash off. it is also a tad pricey at £8, but believe me when i say that the tub (although small) does last a long time. i think this is definitely going to become a summer staple of mine.