Empties | July

I don't usually have many empties, but this month I seem to have come to the end of a lot of my products. I seem to have finished up a lot of foundations and concealers this month, which is good because I change my foundation far too often and need to learn to finish one before buying another. I'm really sad that I've finally finished my Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner and Urban Decay Makeup Setting Spray, two of my must have products. Both have lasted me over a year though, so I'm impressed with that.

1. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer 
I always have a couple of these concealers on the go, they are one of my favourite concealers for everyday. They have high coverage, last all day and are easily blended into my foundation. For £4.19 these are a real bargain as their quality is comparable to high-end more expensive concealers. I finally ran out of the two concealers I had been using. As you can see, I pretty much tried to get all of the product out of the tubes and all of the brand lettering has worn off. I've currently decided to try a new concealer as I have been using these for so long I got curious as to what else was out there, but I probably will repurchase them.

2. Urban Decay Moisturising Makeup Setting Spray in 'Dew Me'
I was so upset when I finally ran out of this makeup setting spray. I use this everyday without fail in order to set my makeup and it makes sure that it last all day without fail. I also like to use this when I know I am going out on the night, and I find it keeps my makeup on all night without it smudging. I have this in the moisturising formula (there is a formula for normal skin and one for oily skin) as I have very dry skin. I find that this helps to keep my makeup on and also get rid of some of the dryness on my skin and give me a 'dewy' effect to my makeup. I will be repurchasing this as soon as I can as its a staple for my makeup bag.

3. Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation
This foundation is pretty much finished with now. I really liked this foundation, I found that it looked natural on the skin and didn't look heavy, but you could also achieve good coverage with it. I used this everyday and the bottle probably lasted me about 4 months. I also liked the shade selection, I am a very pale person and often find I am the lightest shade in all foundation ranges (or that there simply isn't a match) but I am actually the second lightest shade in this range, and with different undertones to match your skin, it is likely everybody will be able to find a suitable match in this range. I won't be repurchasing at the moment as I am currently trying out another foundation, but I might repurchase in the future.

4. Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum
I have had this bottle for a while and tend to go back to it when I'm in between other foundations. I really like it as a foundation, it applies nicely and has good coverage and leaves a beautiful finish. The main problem with this foundation is that its too dark for my skin (even though I have it in the lightest shade). It therefore requires quite a bit of blending for me to wear this shade and on most days I don't have the extra time to spend blending my foundation. I do really like this foundation and if I do get a tan (unlikely though) this would be one of my top foundations. I probably won't be repurchasing due to the shade selection.

5. Cover FX Total Cover Cream Foundation
Cover FX is a less well known brand that some of the others, but I am glad I stumbled across this foundation. First off, this foundation is very high coverage. This literally covers any imperfection you may have which is great for when I've got blemishes. The shade selection is also good, this shade is perfect for my skintone and they have a wide range of shades available. It is also really easy to carry around with you as you don't need to apply it with a brush. I currently have a few unfinished foundations so won't be repurchasing this as of yet, but might repurchase it in the future.

6. MAC Bronzing Powder in 'Sun Dipped'
This isn't completely finished, but I thought I would include it anyway. I got this last year and it is my go to bronzer most days. I really like the lasting power on this, I find it lasts me all day and it doesn't look powdery on the skin. I also like the texture of it. It has a bit of shimmer in it but it is not noticeable on the skin. I think the colour is a bit too dark for me however, and needs a bit of blending to look right on my pale skin. This was a limited edition item so I can't repurchase it, so I think I am going to try a lighter bronzer for my skin next time.

7. Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in 'Black Ink'
I recently did a post on how much I love this gel eyeliner, and compared it to other eyeliners here. I love this gel eyeliner and have worn it everyday since the day I got it. This pot has actually lasted me for over a year despite my constant use of it. It lasts for a long time, looks great in the waterline and is a true jet black colour. I am currently using the Sleek gel eyeliner at the moment, but will repurchase this eyeliner soon as it really is one of my must have products.

Those are my empties for the month of July. Let me know what you've been used up this month in the comments below!

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Gel Eyeliner Comparison | Sleek MakeUP, Bobbi Brown & MAC

Hey everyone, today I am doing a comparison of the three gel eyeliners I own. Gel eyeliners are one of my favourite makeup products, but when I first began using them I was unsure of what to look for. Until recently, gel eyeliners were also not easily available on the highstreet which made it even harder for me to decide which brand to buy eyeliner from. Speaking to other, non-makeup obsessed people they tend not to know about gel eyeliners or if they do, not know where to buy them from or which ones are best for which purpose. I hope this post is helpful in answering those queries, and if I use other gel eyeliners I will add them to this post. 

Sleek MakeUP Ink Pot in 'Dominatrix'

I recently purchased the Sleek gel eyeliner as I had run out of my Holy Grail Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner (discussed below) and needed  a new gel eyeliner. However, being a university student, I don't have much excess cash to spend on high-end makeup products (sadly) so I looked for a cheaper alternative. Having looked at reviews, the Ink Pot from Sleek was the cheapest so I decided to buy it.

The Claim:

'Super long wearing and water resistant, Ink Pot is the ultimate gel eyeliner. The smear and crease proof formula stays on all day, so you can smoulder without smudging.'

 This gel eyeliner is a very good product, especially considering its price. It is creamy and easy to apply and leaves a very black line. The only issue with it is that it doesn't work as well on the waterline, I find it doesn't stay put for as long as loses some it is intensity. However, for upper lash lining it is opaque and doesn't smudge. It does last for a long time too. It does dry quicker than other eyeliners, but so long as you don't work slow this will not be an issue. For the price, it is an incredibly good offering from Sleek!

Shades: Currently, the Sleek MakeUP gel eyeliner is only avaliable in a single colour, black. I have heard that there used to be more options avaliable so maybe more will be released in the future. However, for now there is only one colour avaliable. This is a disadvantage compared to both MAC and Bobbi Brown which both offer their gel eyeliner formula in multiple shades.

Pricing: The Sleek eyeliner  is the cheapest gel eyeliner available (to my knowledge) costing only £5.49. This makes it much cheaper than its rivals and much more affordable if you are on a budget.

Availability: The Sleek Inkpot is available from Sleek MakeUP and Superdrug.

Overall: Although I still think the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner is a slightly better alternative, for the price the Sleek MakeUP ink pot is great for anyone on a budget that still wants a gel eyeliner. Well worth the price!

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in 'Black Ink'

The Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner is one of the best gel eyeliners available on the market. When I first started researching gel eyeliners back in the day, this was the one everyone raved about. It definitely lived up to that hype. It has quickly become a staple item in my makeup collection, and as you can see by the photos, I definitely use it a lot.

The Claim:   

'This award-winning liner gives you the look of liquid liner with the ease & feel of a gel formula. Long-wearing, water-resistant colour glides on and let's you get it just right before it dries - then stays without a smear or crease.'

My favorite part about this eyeliner is the fact it can be used on the waterline. It is safe to use on the waterline and the fact it is water-resistant makes it ideal for this. I love to wear eyeliner on my waterline but often find I have to keep replying it or it smudges and I look like a panda. This eyeliner not only glides onto the waterline easily and maintains its black colour but it also stays put. I'd say this stays on the waterline for about 6 hours before it starts to noticeably fade, which is a lot better than most eyeliners. It also doesn't smudge and it doesn't transfer either.

Shades: The shade I used is the black shade known as 'black ink' however, unlike a lot of other brands, Bobbi Brown offer a wide selection of shades in their gel eyeliner formula. Their website offers 14 different shades ranging from a 'deep emerald green' to a 'violet purple'. I haven't tried any of the other gel eyeliner shades, however, I am lusting after the violet purple shade as I think it'll help bring out my green eyes.

Pricing: The Bobbi Brown eyeliner is the most expensive of the bunch costing £17.50. While this may seem like  a lot for an eyeliner, I feel that the price is justified. As you can see from the pictures I pretty much used the entirety of my eyeliner.  My pot lasted me for about a year and a half, and I wore this nearly everyday. Although it did begin to dry up towards the end, I still feel the price is justified due to the quality of the product and how long it lasted.

Availability: The Bobbi Brown Gel Eyeliner is available from Bobbi Brown and Debenhams. 

Overall: This is  a really good gel eyeliner for those willing to pay the extra money. It may cost more than some of its competitors, but it is well worth it and a small pot can last over a year. 

MAC Fluidline Gel Eyeliner in 'Blitz & Glitz'

MAC fluidlines are well known in the beauty community. They were probably the first gel eyeliner I ever heard of and were the first gel eyeliner I ever used. The shade I'm reviewing is Blitz & Glitz which is black with hints of gold, however there is a black fluidline available from MAC known as Blacktrack.

The Claim:

'Ultra-smooth, Fluidline's gel formula provides the precision of a liquid liner with a silkier, softer finish. Goes on foolproof with a brush in an easy dip-and-stroke action. Long-wearing. Smudge-proof. Lines up in a rich array of colours and finishes.'

The MAC gel eyeliner is a smooth formula and I find it easy to apply onto the eye. It is also long wearing, lasting the majority of the day. However, the MAC eyeliner is not supposed to be used on the waterline and there is not official word on whether or not it is safe to use it there. I have used it on the waterline before (because I'm a rebel like that) and found that it doesn't last particularly long at all, and often smudges. It is a good quality product for the eye and does have smooth and easy application. It also doesn't smudge and does not transfer in my experience.

As you can see, my pot of eyeliner it has completely dried out and is harder to use now. I found this dried out quicker than the Bobbi Brown alternative, but I also used it less as I mainly only wear eyeliner on my waterline, so this could have been a factor.

Shades: The MAC fluidline comes in 6 different shades on the website, ranging from dark brown to dark blue. Occasionally limited edition colours are released in MAC collections.

Pricing: The MAC offering is a bit cheaper than it's Bobbi Brown rival, coming in at £15.00.

Availability: The MAC gel eyeliner is available from MAC Cosmetics and Debenhams.

Overall: The MAC offering is certainly a contender with Bobbi Brown for the best gel eyeliner. It is slightly cheaper than its rival, however can't be used on the waterline as easily as the Bobbi Brown offering.

There are more offerings available in the market, with many drugstore/highstreet brands now offering gel eyeliners, which a couple of years ago was not the case. I have heard a lot of great things about the Maybelline offering but have yet to try it, definitely one for the wish list.

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