Drugstore

Thursday 17 June 2021

BEAUTY || KIKO MILANO COSMETICS LIPLINERS SHADES & SWATCHES

England, UK
Kiko cosmetics lip pencil review - the best affordable lip liners.

If you are looking for good quality and affordable lip liners then you've clicked on the right post! Over the years I have spent hundreds of pounds on lip liners (I would be going into thousands if I mentioned lipsticks 😳), and I can confidently say that I've found the best liners out there for a very affordable price of just £2.99. 
I understand that if you're on a tight budget or don't have much disposable income that you will be seeking the cheapest products out there, but you must be aware of the actual ingredients of the products and their performance - hence why I think that Kiko Milano's Smart Fusion Lip Pencils are 100% worth more than what they are!

Monday 1 March 2021

REVIEW || GARNIER ULTIMATE BLENDS PLUMPING HAIR FOOD WATERMELON & POMEGRANATE SHAMPOO, CONDITIONER AND MASK


When I first saw that Garnier brought out a watermelon scented range of their Ultimate Blends collection I knew I had to have it because if you know anything about me you will know that I love anything watermelon scented. I'm a huge fan of the Banana hair mask from Garnier and I haven't tried any of the other products, including the shampoos or conditioners. On my recent walk, I decided to go into my local Boots store and pick up the shampoo, conditioner and mask from the watermelon collection and I just couldn't wait to smell them!

Monday 4 January 2021

REVIEW || ELF COSMETICS PORELESS PUTTY PRIMER


I feel like this product has been sold out in my local Superdrug stores for absolute ages until I was able to get my hands on it in December 2019. I've been using it for a few months now so I think it's the perfect time to finally review it. Since releasing the Poreless Putty Primer, ELF have also released a selection of primers in this range including Matte Putty Primer, and Luminous Putty Primer (which I haven't tried yet).

Wednesday 23 January 2019

REVIEW || SUPERDRUG VITAMIN E SKINCARE REVIEW - DUAL PHASE CLEANSING OIL, MICELLAR SOLUTION, OATMEAL EXFOLIATOR & HOT CLOTH CLEANSER


If you’re like me then you’re always looking for good and affordable skincare. We’ve all heard of Origins, Clinique, Liz Earle etc but these labels also carry a high price tag with their great products. Since coming across Superdrug’s Vitamin E range a few years ago I wanted to pick up a few of their skincare products and give them a proper go before reviewing them for you guys.

I have previously tried the Oatmeal Exfoliator and loved the smell but didn’t really remember the product so I had to buy it again and see if it was any good. As I already mentioned, the scent is really nice - it reminds me of a Lush soap I’ve had before. It feels very gentle on the skin as it’s sort of creamy but the oat grains are effective enough to scrub away the dead skin cells and sebum. I do find that the grains get stuck in the tube a bit making it harder to squeeze the product out but as long as the little nozzle is cleaned after every use it shouldn’t get blocked.

When I picked this cleansing oil up I was really excited to try a new cleanser that will remove my makeup properly - including my waterproof mascara. I thought of this as a more affordable and cruelty-free alternative to Clinique’s Take The Day Off makeup remover which is one of my favourite products, but for obvious reasons (not being cruelty-free & price) I want to find a perfect alternative. At first, I thought that this oil was a bit rubbish as the bottle would leak after I applied some product to a cotton pad, it really got on my nerves as this would happen every time I used it!
The instructions say to shake the bottle to combine the two oils and then apply to a cotton pad ready to use to take any makeup off as well as to cleanse the skin from any impurities to leave the skin feeling clean and soft. I can say that this oil does work in a very similar way to the Clinique makeup remover, however, it doesn’t take waterproof mascara off as well which is slightly disappointing. It feels lovely on the skin as it glides on over the face and melts the makeup away but I feel like I need to double cleanse after (which I always do regardless of the makeup remover I use) therefore this might not be the right product for you if you want something fuss-free an easy to use, but at only £2.99 I think it’s definitely a product worth trying.

I really love the scent of this micellar water, it smells very fresh and sort of sweet (similar to the exfoliator). This micellar water is designed to remove makeup and any impurities from the skin but I used it as a toner after double cleansing my skin. It’s an okay cleanser, I don’t think it takes off any makeup off however it feels great on the skin as a toner but that’s the only use I get out of it. I've noticed that my skin felt softer since using this product but it still has quite a lot of texture so personally, I don't think this works as a very good toner either, so for £2.99, I can’t be mad but probably won’t buy this again.

Well, where do I start? I had really high hopes for this cleanser, especially after hearing that it’s a great dupe for the Liz Earl one. When I opened the box this cleanser came in, I found a cloth inside which I thought was a very good addition to the product as not everyone owns a face cloth (I have around 10 because I obviously lack self-control). The first time I tried this product I thought it was okay and it did cleanse my skin nicely but I had a feeling like it wasn’t enough so I’d always use a scrub after because I didn’t want to leave my skin feeling congested. Another time I used this was a completely different story and, to be honest with you, it was the last time I used this. My face was burning and carried on stinging after I removed the product. I don’t know what it was that made my skin react so badly but I haven’t touched it since. It does say on the bottle that it’s suitable for sensitive skin but I wouldn’t recommend it if you suffer from acne, rosacea, dry flaky skin etc. So this little guy will definitely not make it back into my bathroom cabinet unless they change the formula or create one for very sensitive skin!

Have you tried any products from the Vitamin E range? I know there are so many more, so if you’d like me to review any please let me know in the comments section down below!

*This post contains affiliate links.

Lots of love,
Maya xo

Wednesday 1 November 2017

BEST AFFORDABLE DRUGSTORE DUPES FOR HIGH-END MAKEUP


I cannot be the only person who's on a constant lookout for a more affordable dupe of a favourite product. It all started with my Urban Decay Naked 3 palette, one that I love and use regularly but never want it to run out so when I saw that W7 created a palette with similar shades I had to try it out.
If you have read my review of the UD Naked palettes then you'll know that I think they're slightly overpriced for what you get. On the other hand, the W7 palette is only £7.99 but you can buy it here for only £5.99 which is less than 1/6 of the price for the real thing. The W7 palette is very similar to the UD Naked 3, the shadows swatch nicely and come up quite pigmented on the lid but there is a bit more fallout which is to be expected.


Another product that I've had my eyes on was the Milani Conceal and Perfect 2in1 foundation which has to be the perfect dupe for the Clinique Beyond Perfecting foundation. I picked the shade 05A Natural which turned out to be a lot darker than I thought but it blends lovely when I wear fake tan. One thing I noticed about the Clinique foundation was that it comes in 28 shades, but the Milani one only comes in 16 shades which is a downside to it as it might not suit everyone. The coverage of the Milani foundation is absolutely fantastic, I feel like it sits on my skin better than the Beyond Perfecting foundation and for only £12.95 I cannot fault it at all.


Last but not least, the L.A. Girl Strobe Light Highlighter! I'm a huge fan of the L.A. Girl Pro Concealers so I've been wanting to try more of their products, including this strobing highlighter as it's the perfect dupe for the Jeffree Star Skinfrost in Ice Cold. Being pale isn't fun when it comes to picking the right highlighter shade, so when I saw that L.A. Girl has come out with the brightest highlighter in the drugstore I knew I had to have it. At first it might feel like it's a bit too powdery but once you go in and swirl your brush in the compact you'll see the pigment transfer onto the brush and change your life forever... I have been wearing this highlighter every day for a while now and I must say it is now a staple in my makeup bag and I wear it more than the JS Skinfrost as it shows up more pigmented and stays on for longer.

*This post was a collaboration with Beauty Based and the products mentioned were gifted to me. However, all opinions are mine and always remain honest.

What's your favourite high-end makeup product that you found a perfect dupe for?

Lots of love,
Maya xo
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