REVIEWING THE BARRY M ALL NIGHT LONG FOUNDATION + PRIMER

So I've been trying out a new foundation for over the past week and as well as doing a first impressions video on my Youtube (You can find me under Josephine xoxo by the way) I wanted to let you guys know all about it on here.

And if you've watched my video, you'll know I wasn't too thrilled with the foundation to begin with but that's just a first impressions. To me, I don't feel you can give a thorough review on a product when you try it as a one time thing. With most products at least anyway, and definitely with foundations I find.

Anyway...

So after I did the video, I continued using the foundation for a week and tried different ways to apply the foundation to see if I could get it to work.

But before I get into that, I'll talk a little about the foundation and primer for those of you who may not have watched my video.

So the foundation and primer are both by the brand Barry M. They're both called All Night long and each retail for £6.99 on the Barry M website. You can also purchase these on Superdrug. The foundation is a cream stick and the primer is a stick too and you can choose between original or anti-redness. The foundation has a total of eight shades to choose from.

The foundation is meant to be a medium coverage and on the website it says it's a lightweight formula, is paraben free, and contains vitamin e for moisturisation.

The shade I purchased was Cashew and the primer I chose was original.

So this is what the packaging looks like

And this is what the sticks look like too

When I first tried the foundation, I used a blending sponge by the brand B. Cosmetics and hated it. I found it was far too firm for comfort so after I did the video I switched from the sponge to an oval brush I had. This

I found this worked perfect to blend the foundation in.

I'd definitely recommend a soft oval brush for applying cream stick foundations.

And as for the primer, I didn't think much of it either. I found I had to apply so much to even get anything on my face and I don't think it went well with the foundation either, despite it being paired with it.

Instead I used the flawless original primer (Also by Barry M) and found this went much better with the foundation than the All Night Long primer.

The reason I made these changes? I was getting some cakiness with the foundation, especially on my chin, my forehead and my cheeks. I wanted to see if I could get the foundation to work.

I applied three layers in the video and can definitely say that was a mistake. I started just applying two layers and found I was still experiencing some cakiness. Once I applied just one amount the cakiness definitely decreased in appearance. Unfortunately it wasn't as good of a coverage as I wanted.

To me, the foundation is definitely buildable as the coverage is better with more applied but sadly the foundations performance declined when I added more.

And I also complained of transfer issues in my video which I wasn't thrilled with at all. That can become messy. Once I set my look with some setting spray I did find this stopped the transfer. I was sure in my first impressions I had set my look with setting spray but maybe I didn't and that was the reason why.

It also lasted a long time as well and looked the same six hours later so I was impressed with its staying power.

However, I found I had broken out and was experiencing oiliness when wearing the foundation. I put both issues down to the products with them being the only new products I had been using and on a daily basis. I don't know if this was due to my skin feeling suffocated.

So my opinion now after having tried it some more? I feel more positive towards it and like it a lot more. It has a nice feel when applying. I'll agree it has a medium coverage. It's a good price. It lasts a long time too.

However, the downside is that I still had some cakiness. This may be just down to my skin type reacting with the foundation. It also broke me out and made me oily too.

If you've tried these products from the brand Barry M let me know what you think.

TRYING OUT THE SOPH X MAKEUP REVOLUTION LIPSTICKS

I'm back with another blog post and am so excited to tell you all about these three lipsticks that I have found to be an absolute steal.

If you're familiar with beautubers, then you may have heard of Sophdoesnails. 

Introducing her second collaboration with the brand Makeup Revolution (Now known as Revolution makeup) there is an eyeshadow palette and three stunning nude lipsticks to get your hands on.

As I'm not a huge fan of eyeshadow and because I have a few of my own that I could really do with making use of, I decided against purchasing her palette. Instead I found myself gravitating towards her lipsticks and found myself purchasing all three. And boy are they something.

I'll just start by saying I am an absolute fan of the packaging. Here's what these beauties look like

As you can see, the lid is a gorgeous rose gold and the outer lipstick is a matte nude. I'm a huge fan of that too. And if you take the lid off you'll see more of the beautiful rose gold

The lid has Soph X on and Revolution makeup

There are three shades available and all are on the nude spectrum.

The names are Fudge, Cake, and Syrup.

Syrup is a brown nude.
Cake is a pink nude
Fudge is a chocolate brown

The lipsticks have a creamy consistency and boast a satin finish. The lipstick are 3.2g and are cruelty free.

This is what they look like. From left to right, Fudge, Cake, and Syrup.

The lipsticks have Soph X engraved along them.

As you can see, I've already made use of these and I can tell you that they're absolutely beautiful. The shades are gorgeous and suit all skin tones and they definitely are creamy on the lips.

Here are some swatches to show you

From left to right, Fudge, Cake, and Syrup.

These lipsticks retail for £4 and you can get these directly off the Revolution website and Superdrug.

Needless to say, I am a fan of these and think they are a steal for the price.

You can also purchase an eyeshadow palette as part of the collection and her first collaboration (This being her second) you can also still purchase her first palette and also a highlighter palette.

I've also done a Youtube video swatching these and doing a lip demo. You can find me under Josephine xoxo.

If you've tried anything from her collaboration, let me know what you think.

GLOSSYBOX UNBOXING JUNE 2018 UK BOX

I'm back with another Glossybox unboxing post. I swear this is one of my favourite things to blog about.

I'm always so excited to receive my box and really enjoy letting you all know what products I get, and what I think of the current month's box.

And like I do with every Glossybox post, I'll let you know a bit about Glossybox. So they offer different subscription packages and if you visit their website you'll be able to get more information on that. The box is £10 a month with £3.25 postage and you always get five products with three I find usually being full sized.

And like all the boxes you receive, you always get an information card which explains the products in your box with their Rrp.

This is what this month's card looks like

The first product I'll mention is an Eye Cool Gel by the brand Monu Skin. It's meant to help soothe and refresh your tired eyes, delivering immediate results.

The second product is a Glycolic scrub fix by Nip + Fab. Containing 3 percent glycolic acid, salicylic acids and fine grains, it says your skin will be refined and brightened. It also has a grapefruit scent.

The third product is a Mystic Black Deep Hair Mask by Novex. This hair mask is meant to leave your hair feeling hydrated, free of frizz, tangled and split ends. Enriched with baobab oil, it's free from any nasties including parabens, sulphates and silicones too.

The fourth product is a Gentle Eye Makeup Remover by Gatineau. This gentle eye makeup remover is oil-free and formulated with cucumber, green tea and aloe Vera.

And the last product is a Shade Stix by the brand Laritzy Cosmetics. It's a multi-tasker and can be used as a bronzer or for contouring. It's cruelty and paraben free.

I'm really excited to try the contour stick as I've been looking for a new contour to try. I'm also looking forward to trying the Nip + Fab scrub as I'm always looking to try new face products and I have been wanting to try more products from Nip + Fab as the last product I tried was really bad, so I've been wanting to give other stuff of theirs a go. And I'm curious to try out the eye gel. I don't really get puffy or baggy eyes but it's still interesting to give it a try.

I'm not so interested in the makeup remover as there was one in last month's box and I'm not all that fussed on the hair mask as if you read my Superdrug Haul post then you'll know I have that coconut hair mask to try as well as the argan hair therapy products.

I love this month's box. There isn't anything I hate and there are new brands I have never heard of to try again so I'm looking forward to that.

If you receive a Glossybox, let me know what you think of this month's box.

Xoxo

Superdrug Haul 2018

I'm doing a Superdrug haul post (Sing song voice) and I'm so excited about it.

Silliness put aside, I went down to Devon for the end of May bank holiday weekend and had an absolute blast spending time with my partner's family. They're such genuine, lovely, people.

It just so happened to be my birthday too and needless to say I was one spoilt girly.

And of course there was some shopping involved. I did have a wishlist which just so happened to be makeup and skincare item related, all of which I had seen on Superdrug. And, yeah, I pretty much got every single thing on my list.

I'm super excited to try all the new products out and show you what I have purchased.

And before I go through all the things I have, I have to tell you all that I have also done a video on this haul. It's my first ever video so I'm both nervous as heck and so Bloomin excited about it as well.

I tried to attach it on this blog post but unfortunately it's too large but I have uploaded it onto YouTube. I do apologise about the quality and, of course, how nervous I sound. My YouTube is

So these are the products which are currently in the box.

I'll start with all the bits I bought that are Superdrug owned (Their own brand) and then move onto the other skincare products.

If you read my last post on products I have been using, you'll know I was having some trouble with the moisturiser I have been currently using. It's the hydrating moisturiser by The Saem and sadly it breaks me out. So I have been looking to buy a new moisturiser to try.  I had been looking at the Neutrogena hydro boost gel but then saw Superdrug had their own moisturiser for a much cheaper price.

It's their Vitamin E intense moisture cream. I got the one for normal to dry skin. I don't have dry dry skin but I definitely have a very dehydrated texture. I'm really hoping this is going to make a difference as I'm really looking to get a good skin care routine down.

The next skincare product I bought was the Superdrug hand cream. I get really dry hands. Not severe but definitely rough and dry hands. I've been currently using the Garnier intensive 7 days hand cream and it's, for some odd reason, not been performing as well as it usually does. I'm starting to use it up so I'm glad I have a new one ready to use, and a new product to try.

I also got these cleansing facial wipes. I do tend to try different wipes all the time. The ones I do like are the 'Simple' ones but they can be pricey at full price. And if I have a week where I have makeup on everyday, I can use a lot of wipes up. I typically use two to three wipes removing my makeup and when a packet can cost £3 you can get through them quickly. These were really cheap and they may be better than the ones I prefer. You just never know until you try them out and if they're not good, well I didn't break the bank buying them.

For hair care, I bought the Argan Hair Therapy deep cleansing shampoo. I have such long hair that has to be washed every day. Unfortunately, I can't miss days as I get super greasy hair otherwise. But because I wash my hair so frequently, it can sometimes look a little dull. So I'm hoping this will help.

And I also bought this Argan Hair Therapy oil as they had an offer for buy one and get one half price. I do wish I had bought the conditioner to go with the shampoo but I bought this one instead for some reason.

And I bought another hair care product which is Superdrug's Coconut Water & Coconut oil masque. This can be used as an overnight hair mask which I am definitely going to try out. I'm really hoping these hair care products will make a difference on my hair

The last hair care product I have purchased is Superdrug's colour dry shampoo. I've never used a dry shampoo before but it would be good if this product works for me. As obviously like I said I just can't not wash my hair everyday as I get super greasy hair and if this works I can stop washing my hair everyday.

And the last product being a Superdrug item is a packet of their hair bubbles. I seriously can't have enough of these. I'm always losing them and they snap and, yeah, you can never not have enough of these.

So I bought a few items from Barry M. I've never tried any of their makeup products before and really wanted to give them a go. I've tried their nail polishes in the past and found they were quite good. I'm hoping their makeup is pretty good. I watch a Youtuber and she does a lot of Barry M reviews and some stuff looks really promising.

I bought their newest foundation. It's their All Night stick foundation. I got the shade 2 Cashew. It's a medium coverage cream foundation. I'm pretty excited to try this foundation. If any of you read my blog regularly you'll know I did a foundation series trying out Korean foundations. I absolutely love trying new foundations. I have a big problem finding a good one that works for me. Usually it's a shade issue, even a performance problem, so this will be great if it works for me.

And I bought their All Night Long primer. I'm equally excited to try this too. I'm kind of on the fence about primers as you may know. I haven't really found a WOW primer and when I saw a review on this All Night Long one it looked really moisturising and hydrating. I am going to use this separately and alongside the foundation.

And I bought another primer from Barry M as this one looked more cream based so I was really hoping for a deep moisturising primer.

And I also have another primer from them. And this was accidental and me being rather stupid. I mistaked this for a setting spray. Really really stupid of me. But this is actually their primer water. So I have three primers to try. I definitely won't be keeping all three, regardless if they all work good for me.

In my last post where I went over current products I use, I mentioned that the contour kit I use by Sleek is a big favourite of mine. The only downside is that the contour could be cooler. I've bought their Barry M contour sticks to try.  The contour is actually way darker than the one I use now but I'm excited to try these sticks. I've tried contour cream sticks before by a different brand and wasn't impressed so hopefully these will be different.

I also got this illuminating strobe cream in the shade Iced Bronze. I'm super excited to try this. I saw, again, a review on this and it looked so beautiful.

And I do have another highlighter. It wasn't something I planned to buy. At the time this product should have been free as it was a deal that if you spend over £9 on Barry M products you get their Liquid Chrome Highlighter drops free. Somehow I paid for this so Superdrug gave me beauty points back. I got the shade Beam me up.

The final Barry M product I purchased was their Lash Vegas 2 mascara. I'm running out of the one I have now so I'm eager to try this one out.

I'm so looking forward to trying out all of these products and I will probably do a blog post on them as well. I'm so excited for the foundation. I might do a video on that one as well.

Not many products left now.

I bought the pink grapefruit daily scrub by Neutrogena. I was going to get the grapefruit scrub by Superdrug but they had this on offer and it was actually cheaper. I always need a good scrub as I get a lot of dead skin build up on my face.

I also got these blending sponges by the brand B. I'm currently using the Real Techniques miracle complexion sponges and I really love them but, to me, nothing that I have tried compares to a Beauty Blender. I know they're so costly but I really loved using mine and feel its performance was much better than the sponges I use now. Then I saw these sponges by B. and they do look promising. It was actually a better deal to get a pack of three than just one on its own.

And finally the last products I got was some sprays by the brand Body Fantasies. These were so cheap and just seem to similar to the Victoria's secret body sprays. They smell so freaking good too. I really recommend these, especially for the price.

I am going to list all the products I bought below with the prices they currently are on Superdrug, just because what I paid may not be the same now due to offers, etc.

1. Superdrug Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream 100ml - £2.99

2. Superdrug Intense Moisture Hand Cream 75ml - £1.49

3. Superdrug cleansing facial wipes - £0.99

4. Superdrug Argan Hair Therapy deep cleansing shampoo - £3.99

5. Superdrug Argan Hair Therapy Oil - £3.99

6. Superdrug Coconut Water & Coconut Oil Masque - £3.99

7. Superdrug Colour Dry Shampoo for brunettes cocoa brownie 150ml - £1.99

8. Superdrug 70 Black Hair Bands - £3.49

9. Barry M All Night Long Foundation  - £6.99

10. Barry M All Night Long Primer Original - £6.99

11. Barry M Flawless Original Primer - £5.99

12. Barry M Flawless Hydro Fix Primer Water - £4.99

13. Barry M Flawless Chisel Cheeks Contour Creams - £7.99

14. Barry M Illuminating Strobe Cream - £4.49

15. Barry M Liquid Chrome Highlighter Drops - £6.99

16. Barry M Lash Vegas 2 Mascara - £4.99

17. Neutrogena pink grapefruit daily scrub - £4.99

18. B. Blending Sponges pack of 3 - £7.49

19. Body Fantasies sprays 94ml - £3.99

Products I am currently using

I was doing my makeup this morning, thinking about what I wanted to blog about next and I thought to myself why don't I blog about the products I am currently using, both makeup and skincare products.

I did do a blog a few months ago with my favourite and not so favourite products at that time. With new things I have been trying out and thanks to a beauty box I receive every month, I have new products I am currently using in my (Pretty much) every day life, so of course there will be different products to my last post. Just thought I'd mention that if anyone reading this post has read that previous one too.

So there are quite a few products to mention and when I grabbed everything together that I pretty much use everyday or at least frequently weekly I was actually surprised how much I use. I guess you don't really notice unless you pull everything out all at once which isn't something I do at all really.

I'll mention the products I always use whenever I do my makeup and then the skincare products I use on a frequent basis, some every day.

So the foundation I have been using for a few months is the Rimmel match perfection foundation. I really love this foundation. It has a really good coverage and looks great on my skin. The only downside is that they don't have my exact shade so the foundation is slightly dark but is workable.

For concealer I have been using the Rimmel Wake Me Up. It's not the best concealer I've tried but it's good enough for me to want to use up. I really wouldn't use it again just because I want to try one that gives better coverage and I do have a new concealer ready to try out so I'm looking forward to that.

And for contouring and highlighting I have been using the Sleek face contour kit.

The contour is slightly warm for my skin tone so I am definitely on the lookout for a cooler brown shade. The highlight is really pretty and nice and blendable. I have used these two a lot this year. For the cost, it's a great kit.

For mascara, I've been really loving the Gigi Hadid X Maybelline lash sensational mascara.

I'm told it's just repackaged of the Maybelline sensational mascara which I haven't tried but this is such a good mascara. It doesn't clump my eyelashes and it really makes them stand out. I'm hoping this is just repackaged of their lash sensational mascara as they have discontinued this collection and I could happily stick to this mascara and use it again.

I've also been using this lash primer as well by Modelco and I've been enjoying trying it out. I really do see a difference when I use this primer on my lashes. It just makes the application of mascara much easier and they seem to stand out more when I use the primer.

And onto primers, I've been using this primer by Figs & Rouge. Apart from it stinking of vinegar it's a really nice primer and makes my skin feel nice and hydrated. Does it have an impact on my makeup? To be honest, I haven't found a primer that's made me feel the wow factor and I don't really feel this has a dramatic effect but I do still use it whenever I do my makeup. Please somebody do recommend a primer that actually does something. Preferably a really hydrating one.

And onto lip products, I have one lipstick that I've been using religiously as well as a liquid lipstick.

The first is a Colourpop liquid lipstick in the shade Auto correct. I absolutely love Colourpop liquid lipsticks and think they're bloody brilliant for the price.

And for the lipstick I use in the shade 'Chauffeur' by Makeup Revolution. I absolutely love this lipstick. It's a gorgeous coppery brown. I absolutely love brown and nude shades and I've used this a fair bit.

And for my brows, I use the perfect brow kit by Etude House. I absolutely love this kit. It does exactly what I need it to (I just fill my brows in with powder and don't do anything else with them) and it cost very little too. I honestly love Korean beauty products and recommend anybody to try them.

And for my setting spray I've been using the pro fix by Makeup Revolution. The more I have used this and skipped days using it I definitely think it makes a difference to how well my makeup stays on for.

This is all the products I use whenever I do my makeup. I do own a few eyeshadow palettes but don't do my eyes all that often so I haven't bothered to include the one I tend to reach for the most. And of course I do try out different makeup products but there isn't really anything else that I use frequently.

Onto skincare products, I've been using this clay face mask lately by Innisfree and really love the product. It's really hydrating and makes my skin feel clean and nice and soft. And of course it's Korean. Seriously, they're one of the best when it comes to face masks in my opinion.

For face moisturiser, I've been using the Iceland volume water cream by The Saem. I absolutely love this moisturiser. It's really nice on my skin and instantly hydrates it. However, I tend to get little break outs when I use this. Some Korean products do sadly cause people to breakout. I am on the look out for a different moisturiser.

For body moisturiser I have been using Dove body lotion. I got this as part of a gift set for Christmas and have really enjoyed using it. It's particularly good for when I have a tan. I definitely feel it helps my tan stay fresh and last longer.

And handcream is something I use on a daily basis. I have really sensitive skin on my hands and they do get really dry. I use handcream by Garnier. They do have a few different hand creams. I do use another one too but at the moment it is this one.

And for washing my face, I use the gel to milk cleanser by Naobay. I got this in my Glossybox and this is my second bottle now. I absolutely love this cleanser. It's got a nice slight warm feel when applying it and has a thick like texture. Really feels cleansing. My face feels so clean after. At the moment I'm having no issues with this cleanser so see no need to purchase something else. Of course if I receive another in my Glossybox I will try it out.

For perfume, I have two different ones I reach for, one to wear during the day and the other in the evenings if I am doing something. The daytime, which I always use, is the Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau so fresh. To be honest, I'm not really that much of a fan of this perfume (I bought it off a relative who didn't want it when I had run out and had no time to buy one myself) and wouldn't buy this again once I've run out. It's not horrible or anything. It's just not my kind of scent and I have smelt better ones for similar prices.

And the last product I use frequently is a peppermint scrub. I bought it from a small business on eBay. I think the brand is Moments. I get really dry lips if I wear liquid lipsticks frequently so using a lip scrub with a use of a balm definitely helps them from cracking and bleeding.

Of course there are others products I use frequently like shampoo, conditioner, body washes, etc, but felt I didn't really need to include bath stuff as of course that's just something everybody uses.