Review: Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

It was not until the release of the BeautyBlender in 2007 that blending sponges were taken truly seriously within the beauty world.  Over the past 10 years or so, the BeautyBlender concept of a pricier, but high-tech and reusable sponge which forms an integral and versatile part of any makeup routine has been adopted by dozens of other brands within the market.  I first got my hands on the original BeautyBlender sponges back in 2015, and having previously used a stippling brush, I could instantly see why everyone was going crazy for sponges instead.  Although I would still consider myself a relatively faithful member of the original BeautyBlender fan club, the price of those bad boys is not easily overlooked, at around £13 a sponge.  And so, when the time came, I began my search for a new, more affordable blending sponge.  And this is what I found...  

 

Real Techniques have a pretty good reputation with me as it is for affordable but good quality and well designed makeup brushes.  And their take on the blending sponge certainly does not disappoint.  Coming in at just £4.49 on Amazon for one, or £7.49 for two, these are undoubtedly miles better value than the original BeautyBlenders, yet are similar in many ways.  They expand slightly less than the BBs, which I found to grow by at least 40-50%; I would say with RT you're looking at around 25% expansion, making for a slightly denser sponge. 

Before soaking...

After soaking.

   

 But I actually far prefer this - I would find if I didn't rinse the water out my BB properly before using, it would dilute my foundation to only give a very light coverage.  Don't get me wrong, I don't like cakey, but there is also a reason I bother wearing foundation in the first place!  Also, I far prefer the shape of this sponge.  The flat side is perfect for under eyes and across cheeks, while the rounded end is better for nose and eyelids/browbone area.  In terms of effect, this is certainly on par with the BB, giving a similarly subtle, airbrushed but natural look that blends seamlessly with the skin.  Because of its functionality, price point and design, my vote must then go to Real Techniques' sponge over BeautyBlender.  

Has anyone else compared the two? 

Ruby x

 

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September Days

Everything seems to be moving rather quickly at the moment: September has hurtled head-first round the corner and I can't believe it's almost time to go back to real life.  I'm off to Athens on Tuesday for 10 days in the sun with Josh, but then it will be back to Brighton, back to uni, back to adulting - eek!  

On Thursday I spent a lovely day with my Mum and sisters, ice skating in the morning before going to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth for some lunch and shopping in the afternoon.  Since going to uni, compared to being a teenager when 'family time' sometimes felt like a chore, I now love spending time with my family - although it's a lot rarer! 

This top is quite an oldie from Urban Outfitters, but it's served me so well.  I love anything sheer, and I also love white, so the top was a match made in heaven for me, really.  

The sunglasses are my absolute faves at the moment, as you might've noticed.  There's something incredibly spy-like about a reflective lens that I just can't get enough of. 

Top - Urban Outfitters / Sunglasses - CK Jeans (TK Maxx) / Skirt - Charity Shop (French Connection) / Sandals - H&M / Bag - Car boot sale

This skirt is definitely the biggest bargain of the outfit - I literally felt like high-fiving myself when I found it.  I got it for £2 from a charity shop in Chichester, and it's originally from French Connection.. what a steal!!!  Equally bargain-ous, however, is my bag.  Since spending some time at home with my family I've also been enjoying popping along to the local car boot sale, which is always good fun, and last week I found this bargain for just £1.  I know.

And finally, the sandals are my trusty H&M Birkenstock style knock-offs.  I'll be sad when these babies bite the dust, but I'm already wearing away the soles after just a year of having them. 

Love,

Ruby x

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Get more for your money: Two skincare saviours that will last forever

Following on from my last skincare-related post where I reviewed a few slightly pricier products from the La Roche Posay range, I thought I'd now dedicate a little time to a couple of products that are a bit cheaper, and even better, seem to go on forever and ever.

We all go through times in our lives where sometimes we just want something that does exactly what it says on the tin/bottle/box, without parting with too much money at the same time.  These products are perfect for those who are looking for a quick and easy two-step cleansing and moisturising process that leaves you feeling clean and fresh as a daisy. 

 First up is this Garnier Pure Micellar cleansing water, currently on offer for just £3.33 at Boots (usually £4.99).  First of all, I think this is an absolute steal considering this is a 500ml bottle, and it even claims up to 200 uses... that's almost 6 months of using every single day (without accounting for those lazy days when pants are too much effort let alone makeup or cleansing).  Secondly, micellar waters are such an efficient product - with a few swipes of this on a cotton pad, my makeup literally melts away.  It's a godsend for removing heavy eye makeup, and I also love that this product is non-greasy, compared with some other eye makeup removers that I've tried, like the Loreal Dermo-Expertise eye makeup remover.  It's also a dream for removing foundation, and leaves your face feeling incredibly fresh and clean.  This is also a great alternative to a lotion cleanser, which I find can be a lot more labour intensive, requiring more product to do the job and often leaving a slightly greasy residue.

 After cleansing with micellar water, this moisturising lotion from Cetaphil is your best friend.  Although this is a little more pricey, at £8.99 (however this was recently on offer for £5.99, so look out for promotions), I cannot begin to explain how long this is going to last me.  The bottle itself is 236ml, which is massive compared to the standard 30-50ml moisturisers I usually buy.  In addition, this is so hydrating that again, a little goes such a long way, especially if you don't have particularly dry skin to start off with.  I find I only need half a pump, rarely more.  Another thing I love about this is the bottle itself - it's so handy to have a pump applicator, and I find myself using it constantly for my hands too, as it's so fast absorbing.  Since using at-home salycylic acid treatments on my face (for more on that, click here to see my full post), I've found my face has been getting quite dry, especially living in windy old Brighton.  For dry or sensitive skin types, I cannot recommend this moisturiser enough.  It's fragrance free, non-comedogenic and is specially formulated to 're-hydrate damaged skin associated with common skin conditions and following dermatological treatments.'  For a functional, no-frills, great value and super-hydrating facial moisturiser, the search is over.

Has anyone else tried either of these products?  What did you think?  

Ruby x

 

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Rococo Nail Apparel Review

I've been using Rococo Nail Varnishes for a little while now, and having picked up not one, not two but seven new shades online in Space NK's January sale, I felt it'd be rude not to share the love that I have for these polishes.  Plus, they were £3 each, down from £12, so for a girl who can't resist a bargain, they make a very exciting find... read on and be prepared to keep your eyes PEELED next time you're browsing the site. 

  

I'm a sucker for a good pastel, so this appropriately titled 'Lady Lavender' muted lilac hue was quickly added to my shopping basket, along with a beigey nude 'Organza', and the gorgeous iridescent 'Jean Jeanie'.

I also got another couple of pinky shades; 'Powder Puff' (top left) and 'Doll Face', as well as more of a teal shade 'Kitsch' and a brighter one, 'O.T.T.' (which, at this point, was exactly what it said on the label - what can I say, exam stress well and truly got to me this year).   

I love Rococo nail varnishes for a few different reasons.  Number one would have to be the colours - there is a great range and I find the colours definitely appeal to my particular taste in polish.  I also really like that you can get different finishes, each of which is named - for example the 'Creme' polishes are creamy, opaque and highly pigmented polishes which I find only take 1-2 coats, even for nudes, depending on the look you're going for.  I got mainly Creme formulas this time, but also a couple of 'Luxe' shades (Organza and Jean Jeanie), which have a more shimmery finish - see below for Jean Jeanie in action.  I'm also a big, big fan of the brushes.  They're quite long, and also reasonably wide which for me makes it so much easier to do my nails (I should've taken a picture really, I didn't realise how hard it was to describe a nail brush! You'll have to trust me on this one...).  I find the polish lasts 2-3 days totally chip free for me (using top coat, too) which is generally a miracle considering I'm quite a busy bee with work and uni and life in general, and after around 5-6 days I'll need a fresh coat.  But for me, this is pretty optimum!  The finish is lovely, especially with a top coat and I love that they are also fairly quick drying considering they're quite opaque formulas. 

And last but not least, the packaging is beautiful.  I think we all secretly love a bit of luxury, and just look at this packaging, which is probably half the price of the polish.  Each bottle comes individually boxed, and the lid of each can also double as a nail varnish rack/makeshift jenga block if you're feeling creative.  Has anyone else tried Rococo Nail Varnishes?  What did you think?

Ruby x

 

 

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A Most Surprising Haircut

Photo sourced from Google.

If someone had told me a few days ago that it was possible to have my hair cut in under an hour for under a tenner I would probably have laughed disbelievingly and told them not to be ridiculous.  But on Friday, my life was changed by the revolution that is Celly's.

Has anyone ever heard of a salon called Celly's? Chances are you probably haven't; I certainly hadn't before, and when my friend Fleur told me about the concept of it, I have to say I was shocked.  I couldn't imagine a hairdressing salon that was basically the female equivalent of the traditional male barbers.  I couldn't imagine walking in off the street, sitting down, and waiting to get my haircut, without any forward planning, without even making an appointment.  The whole idea just seemed insane to me.  

But desperate times called for desperate measures, and with my student loan a distant memory and hair that would give Dumbledore's beard a run for its money, I felt I would be silly not to give Celly's a go.  So on Friday morning I dragged Josh into town with me to keep me company, promising him that this time would be different to the other times I've had my hair done and it would (should) definitely (hopefully) not take more than an hour.  As I walked in I told the receptionist I just wanted a cut, and my name was added to a list and then I was invited to sit down and wait.  I reckon there was probably around 6 other women waiting before me, and about the same amount of hairdressers, so I presumed I would be waiting around an hour.  How wrong I was!  After 25 minutes I was ushered into a chair, sat down and a gown was whisked around me.  I'm not going to lie, the service there really is no frills - no introductions, no how are you, no coffee or juice or milkshakes.  After nervously telling the lady I just wanted a few inches off my hair to make it look half healthy again, she got to work.  She brushed through first (no easy feat at all, but I was impressed by her speed), and by this point, I started to relax a little.  Until, moments later, I realised she was already cutting my hair.  DRY.  I have never, ever, even heard of anyone getting their hair cut dry.  By this point, I was suddenly very nervous again, and I started to sweat a little as the scissors flashed at me in the mirror and lock after lock of hair drifted down onto the cold floor.  Around 20 minutes later, I paid my £9.90 and left.  Not one drop of water had touched my hair.  Not one product.  Not one millilitre of shampoo nor conditioner.  It was unheard of - but, it was brilliant.  I was in and out within three quarters of an hour, with no severe dent in my bank account, no hour and a half of my life wasted sitting in a chair with dead legs making polite conversation, no cloud of strawberry-scented hair products following me round for hours after.  

Celly's definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I have to say for a quick, cheap and cheerful haircut, I really can't fault it.  I'm not entirely sure how I would feel about having my hair coloured or a more complicated cut there, as I don't know if my nerves could take it...but for just a trim, it's certainly worth a try.  Has anyone else visited?

Ruby x

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The Perfect £4.50 Naked Palette Dupe

Good evening lovelies.  This evening I want to talk about a palette I have been trying out for the past month or so since I picked it up while in Manchester for the weekend.  It's the W7 'Lightly Toasted' eyeshadow palette, which I have found to be the perfect dupe for the original Naked palette.  

I think it's safe to say that the Naked palettes are indeed, beautiful, but sometimes it can be quite difficult to justify their less than student-friendly price tag.  Which is partly why I was so excited to discover this palette!  I've tried a couple of other dupes for Naked palettes in the past which have been around the same price tag, but have had nowhere near the same amount of pigmentation, shimmer and durability.  

The thing I also love about this palette is that it really is bank account friendly: at only £4.50 it's just a teeny bit more expensive than a Starbucks frappuccino and will last a million times longer.  Although the colours could be ever so slightly more pigmented in order to create more dramatic looks, for day to day wear plenty of the colours are great for creating a look with gorgeous creamy browns or a daytime smoky eye look.  

I've done a pretty horrendous job at swatching them (a rushed 8AM this morning kind of attempt) but hopefully this might give you a kind of idea of what to expect:

Some of the colours don't show up so well on my now completely sun-deprived skin but there are some really lovely and incredibly sheer lighter colours in the palette which are also great for highlighting brow bones and the inner corners of eyes.  Below I've included some snaps of a daytime look I really like to wear at the moment, using just shadows from this palette.

This brings me to my verdict.   I think this palette is the perfect alternative for those who love the look and shades of the Naked palettes but, like me, are not so keen on making the investment.  The colours are incredibly similar, if a little less pigmented, but I think this makes the palette almost more versatile, especially for more natural looks.  For me, it's a hands down winner.  Have you tried any Naked palette dupes?  Or do you think that Urban Decay is worth the investment?

Ruby x

 

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Confessions of a Poundland Addict: Episode One

Hey everyone and happy Sunday.  I never quite know what to do with myself on a Sunday; there's always that inescapable end-of-the-weekend-got-to-prepare-myself-for-another-working-week feeling... do you know what I mean?  I have basically spent the whole of today in, on, or around my bed doing my course reading and drinking tea in about equal measurements.  The highlight of my day would probably have to be my trip to Co-Op earlier, where I bought some wholemeal pitta breads, orange juice and salt 'n' vinegar flavour Fish and Chips shaped 'baked snack biscuits' - yeah they're a real thing.  Just to top off my extreme-loser day then, I thought I would write a blog post on my quite possibly all-consuming new addiction: Pound Stores. 

Every city's got one, and even worse for me, Brighton has five.  Every week I can't help but just 'pop-in' to have a look at what gems are on offer this time... and the problem is, when you think about it, everything's kind of on offer because it's all so bloody cheap!  Anyway, this week I thought I might share three of my slightly more unlikely Poundland finds - nail varnishes!  Not just any old nail varnishes either, but Revlon's 'colorstay' ones, which I already have a couple of and love wholeheartedly owing to their big user-friendly brushes and thick shiny formula.  So of course, it more than made sense to get these: it almost felt like my fate.   

There were quite a few shades on offer but these three in particular took my eye.  I love a good nude and both 'Buttercup' and 'Bare Bones' to me are perfectly slight variations of a basic neutral.  I am yet to try Buttercup (the excitement is killing me, too) but I must confess Bare Bones is undoubtedly going to be my favourite autumn shade (see last picture).  It's a slightly muted, taupe-y shade, yet has a lovely glossy finish that so far has lasted me days - this is unheard of from someone who works in retail.  Indigo night is summed up by its name: a gorgeous deep blue that will definitely see me through winter.  And that brings me to a close with my confessions for this week - what do you think?  Has anyone else ever picked up bizarre branded bargains from Poundland, 99p stores or similar?  I would love to know I'm not the only one guilty of loving a bargain possibly a little too much.

Ruby x

PS - This week I also wrote a post for Promenade magazine's blog on 5 ways to beautify your uni bedroom without breaking the bank - if you need some inspiration or would just like to have a snoop around my bedroom, you can read the post here.

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What I got this week in Aldi for UNDER TEN POUNDS!

Hello!  First of all, you'll have to forgive my oh-so-basic photography for this post...there's only so many ways you can jazz up what is essentially poor student food on a poor student table in a poor student house.  I hope you appreciate my use of our house plant to try and detract from the poorly plastered walls and the mouldy window sill (too much information? - I thought so). 

This week I wanted to talk about something particularly close to my heart - food.  Since moving out, it's been a constant battle for me between wanting to continue to spend all of my money on shoes, nail polish and handbags but also wanting to eat fresh, delicious and nutritious things.  It wasn't until I became a student that I realised the actual cost of these aforementioned things - damn expensive.  Therefore, the moment I discovered Aldi, my whole gloomy (daily diet of super-noodles) outlook changed completely.  

I am proud to present then, my shopping for this week from Aldi... I didn't do a massive shop, but stocked up on a few bits and pieces I needed for the week.

1) 6 pack of salad tomatoes - 59p

2) Unsweetened soya milk - 59p  (so much cheaper than Alpro, tastes just as good)

3) Boil in the bag rice, 4 sachets (approx. 8 servings) - 59p (so quick and easy even I can do it)

4) Fat free natural yoghurt 500ml - 45p (no sugar, no rubbish, just plain old cheap and cheerful yog. - perfecto for breakfast)

5) Lemon and ginger teabags - 89p (thought I'd treat myself to these this week, in a conscious effort to cut down the amount of caffeinated bevvies I've been drinking) 

6) Box of cosmetic tissues - 69p (I like to always keep a box of tissues in my room for cleaning makeup brushes, blowing my nose, you get my drift... and these ones are cheaper and better quality than Poundland's!)

7) Large flat mushrooms - 75p (I love using mushrooms to bulk out stir fries, stews or simply for roasting in the oven on their own) 

8) Leeks - 79p (bargainous)

9) Exotic Forest Berry and Nut mix - 59p (a mix of almonds, brazils, goji berries and sunflower seeds.  There are a few other varieties - I chop them up and mix them with oats for porridge or muesli with pizazz)

10) Smooth Orange Juice -  59p

11) Spinach, 450g - £1.39 (my only item over the £1 mark but I love that green leafy shit too much to say no - and I want to be strong like Popeye too, of course)

12) Large avocado -  89p (another favourite of mine, also green)

13) 3 pack of bananas - 39p 

14) Best of British apples selection pack (4 apples) - 69p 

And that, my dear friends, all made a grand total of £9.88.  Now, if that's not savvy shopping, I don't know what is - nothing honestly gives me more satisfaction than doing a good, healthy and wholesome food shop which doesn't almost give me a heart attack when it comes to paying the total sum.  Now that I'm back at uni I will probably start doing more posts like this, on ways to eat well without spending too many pennies.  Let me know if you enjoyed this post and if you'd like to see more similar things including recipe ideas or more weekly shops/bargains of the week by leaving a comment below.  Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin' to keep up!

Ruby x

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Visiting Portsmouth

Happy Friday, everybody!  This week Josh and I went to Portsmouth with our friend Jack to do a bit of shopping.  I quite like Portsmouth for shopping because Cascades shopping centre has old goodies like Primark and TK Maxx but very close by is Gunwharf Quays which is just a minefield of various bank account obliterating outlet stores.  The only thing it really does lack is a reliable coffee shop which isn't the likes of Costa or Starbucks, somewhere with a bit of pizazz, y'know!?  We made a bit of a mistake going for coffee at Fagin's Cafe, which tasted like milky water from a cheap imposter posing as a coffee machine (I have my suspicions that my tastebuds are correct).  So, if you go, and like me hate coffee chains, I really would advise taking a flask - yes it's that dire a situation.  Luckily, the shops in Gunwharf made up for it!  My personal favourites are the Adidas store, where the longer you stay, the more shoes you really believe you need to buy, Kurt Geiger (to balance out the trainer purchases) and one called The Cosmetics Company Store...

I think The Cosmetics Company Store is an American chain, I've never seen the shop anywhere else but I always love 'just popping in' while I'm in Gunwharf.  It's a bit like a mini department store really, there's lots of premium branded items, but all sold at a discounted price (some discounts are minimal but others are decent) - the likes of Mac, Estee Lauder, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Smashbox etc...  I went in looking for two items in particular: a new gel eyeliner, to replace my Benefit They're Real, and a pressed powder highlighter to try out instead of the cream one I've been using.  Having left Josh and Jack at the Adidas store I was free to browse to my heart's content - the shop is definitely not boyfriend-friendly - and actually found both things I was looking for!  Oh, the joy was unimaginable!  

So, without further ado, here are the bits and pieces I picked up while we were in Portsmouth:

Sunglasses & Necklace - Primark /  Candle - HomeSense / Powder & Nail Polish - Mac 

Eyeliner - Smashbox / Clear Nail Polish - Leighton Denny

 

This week I actually suffered a rather sad loss, when the arm of my French Connection sunglasses was suddenly and barbarically severed by the interior working of my handbag.  Don't ask me how it happened, I'm still in mourning... luckily enough I found these two babies in Primark to help nurse my sorrow.  Anyone who knows me will know I love round framed sunglasses, and these in particular have a lot of sass about them, don't you think?

I also love these darker framed ones, they remind me of the Ray-Ban style, except they were only £2, instead of a hundred and something (it was a no-brainer in my 'help-me-I'm-a-poor-student' mindset).  All sunglasses from Primark now come with a small soft case, which is a nice touch.  It might not save them from arm sever-ment (the grief is causing me to make up words now) but it will probably stop them getting minor scratches.  Every little helps, right...

I also got this b-e-a-utiful Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner in green ivy from Smashbox, which was in a special extra 50% off section (I spent a long time there, don't worry) so came to only £5.63!!!!!  I will possibly do a separate review of this, maybe a comparison with the Benefit They're Real, so let me know if that would interest you!  Likewise, with this Mac High-light powder in Blush Pink... This was £16.25 instead of the £23 it says on their website.  Yesssss!

 

The last thing I got was this Mac Nail Lacquer in Fiestaware which I also love, and was only £3.50 (again, an extra 50% off).  I've never tried Mac nail polishes before but so far my impressions are good, the brush and rubbery lid makes the application really easy.  

Having put up this photo I'm aware of the rather dodgy lighting in the others... whoops!  Must've been too excited over all my new purchases.  

Ruby x