Recent drugstore beauty buys

Wandering into the high street drugstores is a pretty dangerous ordeal for me. I seem to go in for my essentials and end up exiting with more than planned. To be fair, a few of these items are what I use on a daily base so it's not that naughty but as usual, I've resisted temptation to try out the few affordable products that I've been keen to trial through the mention and recommendation of other bloggers. As well as showing you what I bought, I thought I'd do little summarised reviews of the products. I bought them all a couple of weeks back so it's given me the chance to experiment, pick out the favourites and share the pros and cons.

First up, there's the skincare stuff:

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pore & Shine Daily Scrub | £2.99

I haven't actually seen or heard of any reviews of this from my trusty blog reads so I didn't really have anything to go by when purchasing it. However, I did see it advertised and liked the sound of it so it was fate when it was on offer at Superdrug for £2.99. I use this about 3-4 times a week after I have used my loyal Seaweed Cleansing Face Wash and so far, I really like it. The scent is the feature that stands out; for me it smells like summer and reminds me of pure fruit smoothies. It's an extremely refreshing smell but not too overpowering so it is bearable and it doesn't linger on the skin afterwards, just leaves a nice, clean cooling feeling. The texture, like nearly every other face scrub, is a cream scrub with tiny blue beads but the beads are super light and soft and in no way harsh to the skin when applying. I do find with face scrubs that the beads can be hard to wash off and you often find one or two hiding in your hairline and it is the same with this one but that's not a problem. After application around the entire face and when rinsed, it leaves my skin feeling immensely silky smooth and doesn't leave any residue behind which is always a bonus for me. The end result leaves my skin feeling clean but skips the tightness stage afterwards like some scrubs can, and it doesn't strip away any natural moisture (although I think if you used it a lot more often, it may dry out the skin a little). I have genuinely noticed (paired with my other products) my skin looking more balanced since using this and this helps with controlling the excess oil in my face. When I spot (pardon the pun) a few blackheads/whiteheads riddled in the skin, I bring this out and within a day or two, they've disappeared. I've had a few of those pesky, painful under the skin spots lately and when using this it's felt uplifting to the skin and the spots have minimised. Overall, it does exactly as it says and I'm very happy with it. My pores are definitely more refined so I can endeavor in having a mattifying complexion and I will certainly repurchase when this is finished!

Simple Kind To Eyes Eye Makeup Remover | £3.25

As I've started to wear more eye makeup, I wanted to indulge in a cheap but effective eye makeup remover that will successfully and gently erase all traces of my eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara. After a search around to see which is best, I settled on this and I'm so glad I did. Simple has always been a reliable skincare range for me and I find their products so lovely yet super affordable so if you don't have the money to fork out the higher end products, you can still have beautiful skin! I love, love, love every aspect of this. You don't need to apply a lot and you don't need to rub forcefully, the makeup just glides off within an instance. It isn't greasy, it isn't heavily scented, it is a clear substance not a cream, and it is perfect for my sensitive eyes leaving no irritation. It even manages to swipe off my gel eyeliner which can be a hassle to take off without this in charge. This is currently £3.25 at Boots but I managed to grab two bottles for the price of one for £1.50 each in Wilkinsons... bargain! I'm so glad I found it. 

Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser | £3.99

I originally bought this when I had a couple of random dry skin patches on my chin and around my nose (which is strange as I've never suffered with it before) but have since used it as my day to day moisturiser. This is a massive positive for this moisturiser, it cleared my dry skin up within days whilst it continues to maintain my oily skin leaving behind any sheen thus making it worse. It certainly is a 'light moisturiser', it feels like you have nothing on the face when applied. It's so fresh and soothing on the skin and leaves a long lasting, soft finish. It is ideal for any skin type and I'd certainly recommend! Once again, I luckily managed to grab this on offer at £2.49 in Wilkinsons but you can purchase it for £3.99 at Boots.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser | £7.50

I have been wanting to try this for a while now and jumped at the opportunity when The Body Shop had 40% off everything around three weeks ago (I seem to be doing well with the deals lately!). Returning to trustworthy Tea Tree has done my skin justice and I think it's appreciated the soothing, tingling and medicated feeling Tea Tree gives. I've always loved Tea Tree, it's the only thing that's worked when toning down my oily and spotty skin and the herbal like scent always catches my senses. This is certainly no different! It's said to be useful as a base for your makeup and at the moment this is only what I'm using it for. The texture is lovely, really smooth, non sticky and greasy and when applied to the face, leaves a matte finish, minimises those blemishes that are cause for concern and sinks in right away. It works great as a primer and my foundation seems to last a lot longer; I've not tried a whole load of primers so I can't say it's better than others but I certainly have noticed a difference. My foundation used to slide off after an hour or two but this can last me from morning till afternoon and it reduces the size of my pores instantly so I don't have to worry about them reappearing unnecessarily. Not only does it provide a great makeup base, it is extremely beneficial for the skin and helps to dry out spots. The small tube goes a long way and I certainly will make no hesitation to buy at full price!

Now onto the makeup side of things:

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Let's Get Naked | £6.49

I've seen several beauty bloggers rave about this particular shade in the Rimmel Moisture Renew range which pretty much persuaded me to buy it. I do have a couple of Moisture Renew lipsticks and I am a fan of both the packaging and the glossy, rich formula they provide. I had around £7 of Boots points and decided I would treat myself to a new lippy with my points. I've been wanting a neutral/nude shade with that pink undertone that I often go for and this meets my lipstick desires entirely. It is such a beautiful colour and when applied it does leave my lips feeling moisturized and creamy. The only problem I've found is when my lips are a little dry, it doesn't sit on the lips as smoothly but with a lip exfoliant used daily, it clings to the lips more sufficiently. With Spring approaching, this will more than likely be the shade I reach for as it's lovely and natural but also bright enough to match the radiant atmosphere that approaches once it hits April. 

Soap and Glory Archery Brow Tint and Pencil in Brownie Points | £10.00

This is another product I've seen plenty of hype around. I got this a few weeks back now and have used it daily ever since. Since making the mistake of plucking my eyebrows till there was virtuously nothing there when I was about 14, I've had trouble growing and shaping them and there's the odd hairless patch here and there (which is an absolute nightmare may I add). I would definitely say my eyebrows have improved (and still continue to improve) since being that naive, clueless teenager and with the help of eyebrow products, they've become broader and more defined. Before buying this, I used to use any brown eyebrow pencil and didn't really think about the colour matching my skin tone, my hair colour and my eyebrow colour. It's not until recently that I've decided I want to take a step up and attempt to achieve that 'perfect' eyebrow look that everyone seems to thrive over these days. This product is absolutely brilliant! With the choice of a felt pencil and a tint at each end, the tint used to fill in the spaces and then the pencil used to finish off and top up your finalised effect, it makes it easier to achieve and it's more or less impossible to mess up the eyebrow, especially where it arches. I've not had any issue whatsoever with the application and find it's smooth, equalised and simple. With this, it makes my eyebrows look more natural and allows you to finely fill them in and the colour matches my makeup free eyebrow almost identically. The lasting power is amazing and it stays put all day, not smudging even an inch. Compared to the higher priced eyebrow products that are most likely good but not as good as this, I think this is an absolute bargain for the quality and I won't be swapping any time soon. You can find the double ended brow system at Boots within the Soap and Glory makeup range. 

Rimmel Stay Blushed! Liquid Cheek Tint in Pop Of Pink | £4.49

I actually bought this a while back on a trip to Superdrug but realised I'd never featured a review of it on my blog. There was a choice between two shades (which is the only downfall of having it here in the UK) and as I like the rosy pink, been out in the cold natural look, I went for the colour 'Pop Of Pink'. This is my first cream (ish) blush and I must say, I'm thoroughly impressed. The great thing about this is it can be used underneath your powder and as a top up above your full face of makeup as the day progresses (which is what I usually do). I'd say the best way to use this is with a brush, however you can still get the result just by using your fingers as it's highly buildable. I love how pigmented this cheek tint is, it's a tiny tube, but you only need a tiny amount to apply to the cheeks to receive that lovely long lasting, natural flush of colour without the heavy feeling on your face. It has an ultra lightweight texture that is pleasant when applying to skin and blends easily without leaving patches or stains. I've heard mixed reviews but personally, I really like it; the pink isn't too bright yet you can really see the healthy, fresh tint it gives your cheeks.

Superdrug Sparkling Eye Drops | £2.49

This is a bit of a random one. These eye drops have been my holy grail drops for years! I totally hold my hands up to being a complete insomniac, I barely get my 8 hours sleep everyday, I suffer with puffy eyes and troublesome eye bags which can often be a barrier to feeling decent enough to leave the house. I also admit to being a tad obsessed with eyes (on the opposite sex most definitely) I believe they're the thing people see on you straight away, you can dress them up or down and if you take care of your eyes, the nourishment will be longer lasting as you get older. I do my best to maintain my eye care but as they can feel a little worn and tired from time to time, I include a drop of these in each eye before I start to apply my makeup and within a couple of minutes, I see a brighter eye with that sparkle these drops promise. They allow my eyes to feel and look less sore, heavy, red and tired and it lasts all day, resulting in my eyes feeling alive as I go about my day to day activities. Superdrug do many different drops including ones which will help your eyes compared to just bringing out the colour and shine. I'd definitely recommend to anyone who wants that boost when they're feeling a little dull!

So that's that! Have you tried any of these products before? I hope you're all having a nice week. I apologize for the lack of posts the past few days, I haven't had much spare time and I had a bit of a bloggers block but I'm pleased to finally get a detailed post up and running. There's only 5 days left to enter my giveaway in honour of reaching 100 followers, so if you're feeling lucky, it's time to hurry with your entries!