NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC 30 Seoul, NYC Smooch Proof Liquid Lip Stain 320 Unforgettable Fuchsia

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 lip products I picked up at Poundland for £1 each – NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC 30 Seoul and NYC Smooch Proof Liquid Lip Stain 320 Unforgettable Fuchsia.

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC 30 Seoul is lovely! I’m enjoying the colour, the matte look, the cute vanilla flavour and, of course, the soft and velvety feel of this lip cream. I’m glad I bought it. I know I’ll be wearing it a lot this autumn and winter.

NYC Smooch Proof Liquid Lip Stain 320 Unforgettable Fuchsia is nice too (in a way), but it’s not going to be a favourite product of mine. The colour is insanely intense and bright – which I didn’t expect. Also, this lip stain is very difficult to remove from wherever you apply it. This stuff on your skin is like ink on a piece of blotting paper. But I’ll see if I can incorporate it into my “pretty working from home” routine.

Based on my experience, I’d recommend the NYX lip cream. However, I woldn’t recommend the NYC lip stain unless you’re into very bright and bold lip colours. However, if you’re interested, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC 30 Seoul is available as 8ml, and NYC Smooch Proof Liquid Lip Stain 320 Unforgettable Fuchsia is available as 7ml.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Lip Balm Favourites – Vaseline Lip Therpay + SPF 15, I Love… Choca Mocha Lala Moisturizing Lip Balm

Hi there! Today’s short post is about 2 lip balms that I’ve been using for the past few weeks – Vaseline Lip Therpay + SPF 15 and I Love… Choca Mocha Lala Moisturizing Lip Balm. I think these 2 lip balms are amazing, and here’s why.

Vaseline Lip Therpay + SPF 15 is a classic. It has the most wonderful formula. The lip balm just glides on, and it makes my lips feel hydrated and cared for. The yummy cocoa flavour is an added bonus. A great lip balm!

I Love… Choca Mocha Lala Moisturizing Lip Balm was a lovely surprise. I’ve had this lip balm in my stash for a little while, and I’ve never tried it until a few weeks ago. I fell in love instantly because this lip balm is very hydrating and it has the most amazing flavour – it comes close to Kinder chocolate! Another great lip balm!

Based on my experience, I’d recommend both these lip balms. The price for each item will depend on where you shop, but I found them both at Poundland!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free – Marks & Spencer Alphabet Personalised Beauty Gift Set

Hi there! Today’s post is about this Marks & Spencer Personalised Beauty Gift Set. They had a few random letters left on sale (half price = £6.25), and I opted for J over X or Q. This gift set contains 3 items – a fragrance, a hand cream and a lip balm. All of these products are vegan and certified cruelty-free – they carry the Leaping Bunny logo!

Let’s start with the fragrance which contains the following notes: red berries, pomegranate and musk. On paper, this doesn’t sound bad. However, this fragrance is the stuff of nightmares. They forgot to list one major ingredient – cloves! I’ve never smelled such a disgusting mess of cloves and overly ripe fruit.

I sprayed it once, smelled it, then I washed my arm and threw my cardie in the washing machine. The stink lingered for hours despite the window being open. I couldn’t and wouldn’t gift this to anyone. This fragrance is rubbish!

Onto the next product, the hand cream! The hand cream smells like an extremely watered-down version of the fragrance. Fortunately, the scent is very weak and fleeting, so it doesn’t stink up the room. The formula is very rich and nourishing. However, after the fragrance nightmare, I wasn’t too keen on the hand cream. So my husband is using it as a foot cream – and it works well.

And here’s item number 3 – the lip balm. This is the surprise of the month! Wow, what a beautiful lip balm! It’s very similar to Boots No 7 Protect & Perfect Lip Care! This beautiful lip balm has a very subtle vanilla scent, it glides on, it’s very lightweight, and it’s incredibly hydrating. I love it! 😍 One of my favourite products this month!

All in all, whilst the lip balm is the absolute bomb, I had to bin the fragrance and I’m also not using the hand cream. I would hope that M&S will bring back the lip balm next Christmas, or that it will be available to buy on its own!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde 💙💛

Essence XXXL Nude Lipgloss 06 Soft Almond, Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Care Lip Balm, Malibu Sun Lip Care Vanilla Flavour

Hi there! Today’s post is about 3 lip products I’m using at the moment – Essence XXXL Nude Lipgloss 06 Soft Almond, Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Care Lip Balm which is 100% vegan and cruelt-free, and Malibu Sun Lip Care Vanilla Flavour.

Let’s start with Essence XXXL Nude Lipgloss 06 Soft Almond! This is a gorgeous lip gloss. It has a subtle sweet flavour and a sheer brownish tint which is a good match for me (pale ginger with green eyes). I also like that the gloss doesn’t slip. All in all, this is a really good lipgloss! I paid £1 for it (Wilko, sale)

Onto Superdrug Vitamin E Skin Care Lip Balm! I’ve been enjoying this lip balm for a few months now, and it’s almost finished. Why is it good? It has a beautiful texture that glides on and provides a real hydration boost. I’ve even used it around my eyes and my nose to heal broken, flaky skin. One word of caution though – this lip balm has a strong ricinus oil scent – if that’s not your cup of tea, you won’t like this lip balm!

If you’re interested, this lip balm is available as a duo pack for £3.49. I paid just over £2 during a Save 1/3 promotion (which Superdrug runs most of the time). Also, this lip balm is vegan and certified cruelty-free as it carries the Leaping Bunny logo!

Malibu Sun Lip Care Vanilla Flavour is a decent lip balm. It has SPF30 – this is great in many ways. However, this also means that the lip balm stings on broken skin. This lip balm is nice for healthy lips, and I would recommend as a summer holiday lip balm. The sweet vanilla flavour is alright too. Malibu Sun Lip Balms are usually available in sets of 3 for about £1.99 (Home Bargains and other bargain stores although the price may be different).

Whilst this post is not a product comparison, let me rate these lip products from best to 3rd best = Essence lipgloss, Superdrug lip balm, Malibu Sun lip balm. But I like them all; there’s not a single stinker amongst these products!

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Claire’s Vanilla Cookie Flavoured Lip Balm, Claire’s Trifle Flavoured Lip Balm

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 lip balms I found at Claire’s – Claire’s Vanilla Cookie Flavoured Lip Balm and Claire’s Trifle Flavoured Lip Balm. I started to use these lip balms about a week before Christmas. And here’s what I think.

Claire’s Vanilla Cookie Flavoured Lip Balm is a pinkish-tinted lip balm. The pale pink tint is visible, and it doesn’t look flattering. The flavour is a bit random – definitely sweet, but nothing that could pass for vanilla, cookie or vanilla cookie. The lip balm is super soft and creamy, and it won’t stay on if you eat or drink.

Claire’s Trifle Flavoured Lip Balm is a purple-tinted, soft lip balm. The tint doesn’t show on the lips which is nice. The flavour reminds me of candy violets – I like it! This lip balm is also on the softer side, but fortunately not overly creamy, so it will stay on while you drink (not while you eat thought).

Lip balm 1 is a bit of a disappointment, but lip balm 2 is actually quite nice. In any event, I paid £1 per lip balm, so I can’t complain…

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

I Heart MakeUp Lip Geek Dream About Success, Manhattan Colour Loop Lipgloss 45B Red Passion

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 lip products – I Heart MakeUp Lip Geek Dream About Success and Manhattan Colour Loop Lipgloss 45B Red Passion.

Let’s s start with I Heart MakeUp Lip Geek Dream About Success which I received as a free gift with purchase! As you can see in the pic above, this is a peachy shade. I find it extremely unflattering. It makes me look terminally ill. The formula is also not the best – it’s not very soft and applying the lipstick is more like dragging it on. Not good. I’ll bin this lipstick. I won’t be able to use it.

Onto this Manhattan Colour Loop Lipgloss 45B Red Passion! This lipgloss is amazing! I love it. It has a subtle berry flavour, it’s not sticky, it’s very hydrating, and it has a flattering red tint. I’m enjoying this lipgloss very much! I found this lipgloss at Poundland – it was either £1, or part of a 2 for £1 value pack. Either way, a total steal! 😍

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

My Little Pony Lovely Lipbalm

Hi there! Today’s post is about this My Little Pony Lovely Lipbalm gift set which I picked up at B&M Bargains. This set contains 3 lip balms with the most gorgeous names – Sweetie Lips, Pony Pout and Cutie Kiss! Alrighty! Onto the review!

Sweetie Lips is my least favourite of the 3 lip balms. Whilst it has the most wonderful clear and soft-melting formula (it’s the same formula for all the lip balms), the flavour is not my favourite – it’s very sugary.

Pony Pout is a nice lip balm. It took me a few days to get used to the sweet strawberry flavour, but I’m OK with it now. Not a favourite, but definitely more than just fit for purpose!

Cutie Kiss is my favourite of the bunch. I adore the cute vanilla flavour! If this one was available on its own, I’d buy a few more!

Based on my experience, I’d recommend this My Little Pony Lovely Lipbalm gift set. It’s aimed at much, much younger MLP fans, but the cuteness of these lip balms is off the charts, and if you like sweet flavours in lip balms, I think you’ll like these! My Little Pony Lovely Lipbalm gift set is available as a set of 3 lip balms for £2.99 (B&M Bargains).

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Barry M Gloss Me Up Lipgloss 826 Party Starter, I Love… Tinted Moisture Balm Peach

Hi there! Today’s post is about 2 lipglosses which I’ve recently tried for the first time – Barry M Gloss Me Up Lipgloss 826 Party Starter and I Love… Tinted Moisture Balm Peach. And here’s what I think of these 2 lipglosses…

Barry M Gloss Me Up Lipgloss 826 Party Starter is a clear lipgloss with metallic silver micro shimmer. It looks like a full-on metallic gloss in the photo, but I can assure you that it’s not. It actually looks alright on my lips, but it has the most awful flavour – it’s like a ton of overly ripe strawberries mixed with another ton of sugar. I can’t get over the flavour. It’s too much. Because of this, I’ll bin this product. This was a gree gift with purchase.

Onto the I Love… Tinted Moisture Balm Peach! This lip balm has a fruity peach flavour. It’s natural and not over the top sweet. This is nice! However, the colour is simply ugly. It’s a washed-out pale salmon pink. And it’s not just a tint – the coverage is comparable to the coverage of a lipstick. This lip tint makes me look like I’m in the final stages of a fatal disease. I cannot imagine that anyone could get away with wearing such an awful lip colour. I’ve binned this one too! Since it was £1 only, I won’t complain.

Based on my experience, I’d recommend you give these awful lip products a wide berth. However, if you’re interested, Barry M Gloss Me Up Lipgloss 826 Party Starter is available at Superdrug (maybe elsewhere too, but I don’t know), and I Love… Tinted Moisture Balm Peach is available via online retailers.

Mrs Strawberry Blonde

Best Of Beauty 2020 – Hair, Lips, Body

Hi there! After yesterday’s post about my favourite face products from 2020, today’s post is about my favourite non-face products from 2020 – so that’s hair and body products, but also lip products which I didn’t want to lump together with the creams and serums. Let’s start with hair, then onto lips, then shower products, fragrances and, finally, body lotions and creams.

Herbal Essences Bio Renew Bourbon & Manuka Honey Deep Repair Shampoo & Conditioner

Herbal Essences did an amazing job with their bourbon and manuka honey products.

L’Oréal Elvive Triple Resist Reinforcing Shampoo & Conditioner

Triple Resist is one my favourite hair care combos from L’Oréal.

NYC Kissgloss 534 Tribeca Tangerine

NYC’s banana-flavoured lipgloss was one of the big surprises of 2020. I love this lipgloss!

Astor Rouge Couture Lipsticks

Astor’s Rouge Couture lipsticks were simply wonderful.

Rimmel Colour Show Off Lipstick 250 Stare At Me

Rimmel did a fabulous job with this lipstick. I love it!

L’Oréal Color Riche 231 Sepia / Silk

L’Oréal’s silk lipstick was a lovely surprise.

Manhattan Colour Loop Lipgloss 52S Soft Nude

Manhattan’s soft nude lipgloss is an all-time favourite. I’ve gone through 2 or 3 of these already.

Sanctuary Spa Mandelular Sensuous Body Scrub

Whilst the photo is one of the worst photos I took last year, the actual product is one of the stars of 2020.

Palmolive Naturals Irresistible Softness Black Orchid & Moisturising Milk Shower Milk, Palmolive Aroma Moments So Sweet Shower Gel With Rooibos Tea, Rose And Almond

Palmolive’s black orchid and So Sweet shower gels are long-term body care favourites.

Palmolive Aroma Moments So Relaxed Aromatic Bath Foam
Yves Rocher Monoï Lagoon Moisturizing Perfumed Body Mist

Palmolive’s So Relaxed bath is truly outstanding.
Yves Rocher’s Monoï body mist smells like the most wonderful summer holiday.

Yves Rocher Collection Été

Another amazing Yves Rocher fragrance!

M&S The Fragrance Collection Vanilla & Woods Eau De Toilette

I didn’t expect an M&S fragrance to be in my best of 2020 post – but this beautiful fragrance is a firm favourite, and I already repurchased it.

Lucy B. Royal Water Lotus & Vanilla Musk Eau De Parfum
I Love… Raspberry & Blackberry Refreshing Body Spritzer

Lucy B.’s fragrances are amazing – this one is no exception.
I Love…’s raspberry and blackberry body mist smells like sugar-free fruit jelly. Delicious!

Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream

Nivea Soft Cream is now a firm beauty favourite!

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Body Oil Gel
Vaseline Intensive Care Essential Healing Non-Greasy Lotion
Garnier Ultimate Blends Body Soothing Hydrating Lotion With Delicate Oat

Vaseline’s cocoa oil gel is amazing for dry skin.
Vaseline’s essential healing lotion is awesome too.
And Garnier’s oat body lotion is simply lovely.

These are my favourite non-face products from 2020. Have you tried any of these products or would you like to try any of them? Feel free to let me know via the comments. And thanks for stopping by! 😘

Mrs Strawberry Blonde