Declutter & Swatches Part 3 – Astor, B., MUA, NYC, Rimmel, L’Oréal

Hi there! Today’s post is about a bunch of beauty products I swatched the other day. And here they are!

Astor Color Last VIP 240 Desire

Wow, what a bright and velvety red! Beautiful formula and beautiful colour. This is a good lipstick.

MUA MakeUp Academy Power Pout Intense Tint & Balm Crazy In Love

This is supposed to be a tinted balm. It’s a nightmare to apply. The colour is uneven and you’ll have to go over your lips 10 times to get the colour right. Not good.

MUA MakeUp Academy Power Pout Intense Tint & Balm Rendezvous

Just like the tinted lip balm above, this one wasn’t good (for the same reasons).

MUA MakeUp Academy Power Pout Intense Tint & Balm Broken Hearted

3rds time’s the charm? Nope. Another disappointing tinted lip balm from MUA. Also, this is by far the worst with respect to the uneven colour. It’s very streaky.

MUA Sheer Finish Lipgloss Let’s Meet

This lipgloss is a bit too sheer. You would need a lot of product to get any visible colour on your lips. But good if you don’t really want much colour with your lipgloss.

Superdrug B. Lipstick 054 Eton Mess

This is a light red. Not bad but not really my colour.

NYC City Duet Eyeshadow 799B Vintage Style

This is a small eyeshadow duo. An off-white shade and a brown shade.

These are actually quite nice!

Rimmel Glam Eyes Quad Eyeshadow 018 Romantic Cool

Another small eyeshadow compact. This one’s from Rimmel.

3 shimmery shades, 1 matte shade (3, grey). The shimmers are surprisingly highly pigmented, but the chalky matte shade isn’t.

L’Oréal La Couleur 015 Flashback Silver

This is a great eyeshadow – it’s bursting with pigment. It’s also easy to blend and I haven’t had any fallout!

And this is it for today’s swatchfest. Thanks for stopping by! xx

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Declutter & Swatches Part 2 – Maybelline, B., Astor, Manhattan, Rimmel, & Technic

Hi there! Welcome to part 2 of the inofficial major declutter and swatchfest of 2021. I’m going through my stash – I’ll bin everything that I don’t want anymore or that has gone off. Let’s see how these products fared!

1 Superdrug B. Brilliant Rich Colour Lipgloss 185 Bambi

I regret not having used this lipgloss when it was new. The colour is nice! But it’s old now, and it has to go!

2 Superdrug B. Lipstick 186 Rose Quartz

Same as above! I should have given this lipstick a try when it was new. Now it has to go.

3 Superdrug B. Lipstick 083 Tagine

Wow, what an unflattering lipstick shade! Binned.

4 Manhattan X-Treme Last & Shine Lipstick 56T

Not a terrible lip colour, but not really my colour. Also – it has micro shimmer which I find ugly on me. Binned.

5 Manhattan Soft Mat Lip Cream 95M

I’m not the biggest fan of matte lip products but this shade looks nice. I’ll give it some wear over the next few weeks.

6 Astor Rouge Couture 104 Satin Fuchsia

Wow, what a colour! Unfortunately, it doesn’t look good on me. I’m a pale girl, and this lipstick gives me neon lips. Unfortunately, this one has to go.

7 Astor Colour Last VIP 345 Provocative

Not a bad colour, but it doesn’t really look good on me. So it has to go too.

8 Technic Juicy Sticks Plum

Technic is a super cheap brand with so-so products. This moisturising lip colour is not terrible, but the shade is awful on me. Another product I’m saying goodbye to.

9 Rimmel Vinyl Gloss Mirror Shine Lipgloss 115 Snog

“Mirror Shine” – not true! I didn’t care for this one. Binned.

10 Maybelline Colorsensational Lipgloss 550 Watermelon Punch

This looks amazing – but it has to go because it’s old.

I’ll do a post about eye products shortly. Maybe next week? Let’s see how far I get with those! Thanks for stopping by today! x

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Nail Of The Day – Superdrug B. Complete 154 Brit & Stamping With Nicole Diary 067

Hi there! I’ve got a short and sweet Nail Of The Day post for you today.

For this mani I painted my nails with Superdrug B. Complete 154 Brit (2 easy coats).

B. is Superdrug’s old vegan and cruelty-free nail polish collection. It’s a shame the entire line has been discontinued because the polishes are very nice!

Back to this mani… For the images I used my relatively new Nicole Diary 067 stamping plate.

The silver polish I stamped with is Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Presto Pewter.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug B. Comforted Camomile Facial Spritz

Hi there! Happy Friday! Today’s post is about Superdrug‘s B. Comforted Camomile Facial Spritz.

This product promises to replenish and to soften skin. It’s aimed at all skin types.

On the back of the spray it says that the product contains a blend of rose, plum, chestnut and camomile, and that it’s suitable for sensitive skin.

I use this product as the first product (that’s after I’ve washed my face in the shower) in my morning skin care routine. Five sprays of this product along with a few drops of serum or facial oil work wonders for me.

I also use the spray in conjunction with my day cream, my foundation and as part of my night time skin care routine.

And, of course, I use it in between too – basically every time I feel that my skin needs a little extra hydration or when I’m bored. 😁

Having said this, this product has a strong fragrance. It’s a strange mix of camomile and marzipan (or something else that’s simillarly sweet).

I would have loved the fragrance as a teenager, but now that I’m in my thirties, I find this kind of scent a bit annoying. Because of this, I won’t repuchase this product (I’ll buy the vitamin version instead).

Superdrug‘s B. Comforted Camomile Facial Spritz is suitable for vegans, and it’s certified cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny). It’s available as 75ml for £8.99. I paid £3.89 when Superdrug ran a Better Than Half Price promotion on B. products.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug B. Hydrated Leave On Face Mask, Superdrug B. Detoxed Clay Face Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 face masks – Superdrug’s B. Hydrated Leave On Face Mask and Superdrug’s B. Detoxed Clay Face Mask. These masks are cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified) and suitable for vegans.

Superdrug’s B. Hydrated Leave On Face Mask promises to lock in moisture, to improve skin comfort and to reduce the appearance of dry and flaky skin. You’re supposed to leave this mask on for 10-15 minutes, then massage in into your skin.

My experience with this mask was horrible. Within seconds of applying the mask, my face felt like it was on fire. It took me less than 10 seconds to jump up and to run to the bathroom. But even after I’ve washed this disgusting stuff off, my face felt terrible for hours, and some skin started to flake off over the next two days! 😲 This mask is a strong contender for Worst Product Of The Year!

B. Detoxed Clay Face Mask promises to absorb dirt and debris (yes, it really says “debris”), to refresh and brighten the skin, and to minimise pores. This mask is supposed to be applied to cleansed skin, left on to dry for about 15 minutes and then rinsed off.

I’ve given this mask a try, and I’m happy to report that it’s cleansing and refreshing. I think my pores looked a bit smaller for half a day too. The mask is not brightening, but I didn’t expect this anyway, so that’s OK. I might repurchase this mask!

If you’re interested, Superdrug’s B. Hydrated Leave On Face Mask and B. Detoxed Clay Face Mask are available as 10ml for £2.99 each. I picked these up when Superdrug ran a Buy 1 Get 1 Free promotion (which they do fairly frequently).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Max Factor Wild Shadow Pots 20 Golden Amazon, 75 Smouldering Red, 80 Passionate Violet, Essence Blush Up! 10 Heat Wave, NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eyeshadow 002 Feelin’ Fab, Superdrug B. Vivid Eyeshadow 172 Neptune, 058 Filigree, 139 Regalia

Hi there! Today’s post is about a number of eye and cheek products I’m using at the moment. I don’t want to do a big intro today, so let’s start with the first 3 products – Max Factor Wild Shadow Pots. The shades are 20 Golden Amazon, 75 Smouldering Red and 80 Passionate Violet.

I like these 3 eyeshadows a lot, and I’m glad I was able to pick them up for £1 each (Poundland). I’m very happy with the quality of these eyeshadows!

And here are the swatches! 20 Golden Amazon is a bright shimmery gold, 75 Smouldering Red is a cute rosey shade with a light shimmer, and 80 Passionate Violet is a very sparkly violet shade with wannabe-holographic hues.

Up next is a beautiful blush – Essence Blush Up! 10 Heat Wave! This is a powder blush that I’ve had for a while, but I only started to use it recently.

The blush looks pretty, and the quality is fantastic too. The blush is easy to blend, and it’s highly pigmented, so a little goes a long way.  And I love the coral-to-raspberry shade(s).

I tried to capture the beautiful gradient in my swatch. It wasn’t easy, and I could have done better, but I think I did just well enough. It’s a powder blush after all!

And I started to use one of the cheap NYC compacts I found at Poundland. This one’s NYC New York Color HD Color Trio Eyeshadow 002 Feelin’ Fab.

The trio contains 3 eyeshadows – a glittery silver shade which isn’t for everyday wear, a soft shimmery bronze which is very pretty and lovely to wear, and a blue-to-violet shade which, to be perfectly honest, was disappointing because it’s poorly pigmented. By the time this post is published, this eyeshadow will have been repurposed (mixed with a blue nail polish to make stamping polish).

And there are 3 more single eyeshadows – Superdrug B. Vivid Eyeshadow 172 Neptune, 058 Filigree and 139 Regalia.

I purchased these eyeshadows when they were 10p each (clearance), and I actually bought 3 of each colour – that’s 9 single eyeshadows for 90p in total! 🤪

172 Neptune is a shimmery royal blue shade, 058 Filigree is a beautiful golden olive shimmer and 139 Regalia is a matte purple eyeshadow. Unfortunately, Regalia is quite a stinker. It doesn’t stick to anything, and it cannot be used as an eyeshadow at all. This is another product which, by the time you read this post, will have found a new life as a stamping polish!

And this is it for today! I enjoyed reviewing a number of products in 1 post. I hope you like the format too, because I will continue to do this for products like eyeshadows, blushes, lip balms and the likes.

Have you tried any of these products? Or would you like to try them? Feel free to comment, and thanks for reading!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug B. Vitalised Vitamin Facial Spritz

Hi there! Today’s post is about Superdrug‘s B. Vitalised Vitamin Facial Spritz. This product contains caffeine, vitamin C and cucumber juice which promise to energise skin. In addition, the product claims to boots skin radiance for a well-rested and healthy glow.

I’ve used this facial spritz for the past 2 months (I finished it just a few days ago), and I was very happy with it.

Here’s how I used the spray:
1. As the first step in my post-cleansing skin care routine. I spray my face (4-5 sprays), then I apply my serum and then I massage the mix into my skin. This helps me hydrate my skin better, and it makes it easier to spread the serum all over my face and neck.

2. As the second step in my skin care routine. I always let my skin absorb the serum for a few minutes. Then I spray my face again (2-4 sprays) right before I use my day or night moisturiser on my face.

3. In conjunction with my foundation. I use Max Factor’s Pan Stik – which is the only foundation that doesn’t highlight eczema patches – no, it even makes them disappear! The Pan Stik is a heavy full-coverage foundation, but I spray my face again (2 sprays) after I’ve “drawn” the foundation on my face. Then I let it sit for about 20 seconds, and then I blend it with my fingers. I still get the same flawless coverage, but I also get a nice, dewy finish.

4. I also use the spray whenever I want a bit of extra hydration. It works on cleansed skin, as well as over moisturiser or makeup.

Based on my experience, I would recommend this product to everyone! If you have dry skin, you should definitely try a face mist – and you could give this one a try!

Superdrug‘s B. Vitalised Vitamin Facial Spritz. is available as 75ml for £8.99 (it used to be £7.99 but Superdrug increased the prices on their own brand products). I paid £3.89 (half price offer).  This products is also suitable for vegans, and it’s certified cruelty-free (it carries the Leaping Bunny logo)!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

The Battle Of The Glycolic Acid Cleansing Pads – Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads VS Superdrug B. Soft Multi Acid Retexturising Pads

Hi there! Today’s post is a product comparison. Not too long ago I purchased Superdrug‘s Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads and Superdrug‘s B. Soft Multi Acid Retexturising Pads. It’s obvious these come from the same supplier, and the majority of the ingredients are identical. However, these products aren’t the same!

Superdrug‘s Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads are pretty awesome. They promise to awaken skin’s natural glow and to improve skin tone and texture.

I’m always using at least 1 brightening product, so it’s not always easy to determine which product does what. However, these cleansing pads are really something! I’m satisfied they maintained my skin’s brightness, and an improvement in my skin texture could be felt after a single use. In case you’re wondering, I used these 5 times a week (on the tub it says these can be used twice daily, but I didn’t want to over-exfoliate).

Superdrug‘s B. Soft Multi Acid Retexturising Pads do essentially the same thing. I have no doubt they work jus as well because the difference in ingredients is minimal. However, they don’t feel as powerful. I think there are 2 reasons for this:

1. the Naturally Radiant pads have a strong scent that matches the power of the product. The B. pads aren’t fragranced.
2. whilst the B. pads are moist, the Naturally Radiant pads are wet, so it feels like you’re getting more out of them.

All in all, these are great products, but the Naturally Radiant cleansing pads are the winners of The Battle Of The Glycolic Acid Cleansing Pads. I will repurchase the Naturally Radiant pads, no doubt! Superdrug‘s Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Daily Cleansing Pads and Superdrug‘s B. Soft Multi Acid Retexturising Pads are available in tubs with 60 pads each. They’re usually £5.99 each, but I paid £2.99 each (half price offer).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Superdrug B. Glowing Clay Face Mask, Superdrug B. Purified Clay Face Mask

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 face masks that I bought in March – Superdrug’s B. Glowing Clay Face Mask and B. Purified Clay Face Mask. These 2 face masks are suitable for all skin types, and they’re vegan and cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified).

Superdrug’s B. Glowing Clay Face Mask promises to brighten and exfoliate skin and to refine skin texture. This mask contains a blend of 3 clays, red seaweed and apricot seed powder.

Since the pack provided enough product for 2 uses (10ml), my husband was happy to test the mask with me. We both agree that the mask feels cleansing and exfoliating. In addition, the mask feels extremely cold for the first minute or two, and I can see that some people would find this unpleasant. What else? My husband and I also agree that apricot seed powder is great in body scrubs but that it’s too harsh for facial skin. Because of this, I wouldn’t repurchase the mask.

Superdrug’s B. Purified Clay Face Mask promises to refresh and purify skin and to minimise shine. This face mask contains a blend of oil absorbing ingredients as well as eucalyptus extract.

My husband and I gave this mask a fair try as well, and we liked this one a lot more. My husband found that this mask stung a little around this nose, but I didn’t notice anything unpleasant or scary. This mask is very effective – it sucks the grease right out of the pores. I won’t buy this mask again because it’s too powerful for me. But if you have oily skin, or if your skin tends to develop impurities, you might want to give this mask a try!

Superdrug’s B. Glowing Clay Face Mask and B. Purified Clay Face Mask. are available as 10ml for £2.99 each. I paid £1.45 each (special offer).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Haul! New Products From… Revolution, Barry M, Bundle Monster, The Crème Shop, Treacle Moon, Montagne Jeunesse, CND, Superdrug & More!

Hi there! Today’s post is about all the products I’ve bought over the past few weeks. I picked up a lot of face masks, but I also bought toiletries, nail stuff and other skin care. The following goodies are mine now!

The Crème Shop Clean Up, Skin set of 3 sheet masks for £4, TK Maxx. Polish’d Vitamin C Brightening Face Mask set of 5 sheet masks for £4.99, TK Maxx.

Skin Treats Glitter Face Pink Hydrogel Glitter Mask, £1 at B&M Bargains, 3 Holler And Glow Sheet Masks, £1 each at Primark.

2 fantastic Montagne Jeunesse Purple Acai Peel Off Face Masks, 30p each at Primark, Maxbrands Panda Face and Kitty Face Sheet Mask, 2 for £1 (intro offer) from the independent bargain store (formerly Poundworld) in East Ham.

2 Original Source shower gels – 90p each from the independent bargain store (formerly Poundworld) in East Ham.

Superdrug Calm Skin Blemish Rescue Gel, Superdrug Calm Skin Refreshing Facial Spritz – these were £2.99 each but there was a Buy 1 Get 2nd Half Price offer. 2 CND Clear Top Coats – £1 each at Poundland. I bought 1 of these before, tried it, liked it, bought 2 more.

The incredible Treacle Moon Happy Melon Sorbet 4x500ml, £2 each (save 1/3 offer) at Waitrose!

Treacle Moon Her Mango Thoughts shower gel, £2 (save 1/3 offer) at Waitrose. Pack of 10 Fascy Aqua Sheet Masks, £5.99 at TK Maxx.

Superdrug Vitamin E products – 2 lip balms, £1.99 each but Buy 1 Get 2nd Half Price, the Facial Exfoliating Bar and the Vitamin E Leave On Moisture Mask were £2.99 each but also Buy 1 Get 2nd Half Price.

Palmolive Welcome To Madagascar Forest, Palmolive Welcome To Japanese Garden, £1 each, Superdrug.

Jiinju Sheet Mask Duo – I got 3 of these sets for free (gift with purchase), B. face masks, £1.45 each. Superdrug.

Barry M Molten Metal Holographic nail polishes, these were on special (3 for 2 across all makeup and nails at Superdrug, so I bought 6 items for £4 each and I paid £16 instead of £24). The Barry M Rockstar Lip & Nail Kit was a free gift with purchase.

Revolution Reloaded Marvellous Mattes, £4 but 3 for 2. I’m going to use this palette to make more stamping polishes! I bought another eye palette, but I don’t know where I placed it. Oops!

B. Vitalised Vitamin Facial Spritz, B. Comforted Camomile Facial Spritz, £3.89 each (half price offer).

Superdrug Naturally Radiant Glycolic Acid Facial Pads, B. Soft Multi Acid Retexturising Pads, £2.89 each (half price) – these seem to be the exact same product! 🤔 I’ll give them a try and report back!

And I bought 11 new Bundle Monster stamping plates, the cheapest plate was £1, the most expensive one was £2.60. Bundle Monster is now Maniology. Either way, I bought these stamping plates from a fantastic online shop – Nail Art UK. I’ve shopped with them before, and I think they provide excellent service! I’m not affiliated with them in any way, I’m just a happy customer.

Wow, I bought quite a lot! And I have no excuse really! Any new products you picked up recently? Feel free to get in touch via the comments. And thanks for stopping by!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde