Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow

Eekkkkkk!!! It finally came The Ultimate brow product (in my opinion anyway). Can we please take a moment to admire the beauty of this product in all its god damn glory! This product has been flying off the shelves like hot cakes, it's been in demand worldwide and I have finally got my hands on it about a month ago. It claims to be waterproof, smudge proof, and definition proof, which is every proof you could need and want in a brow product (LOVE). The packaging screams high end couture and the product itself is so easy to work with, I got the shade Chocolate but it currently comes in 4 magical shades, you can also buy the brush used to apply it with but I'm making use of my own brush. After reading reems of 5 star reviews I thought what the heck, what have I got to lose; within 3 days it came (score).

This is my first Anastasia product so far but it won't be my last; as you already know I religiously use my Mac pen for my brows but as I've recently lightened my hair it doesn't really match all that well so a new search had begun. I follow Anastasia on Instagram and some of her looks created with her products are outstanding, now I know she is a professional artist so of course she has the knack but having a good product to start with plays a huge factor in it. Most products claim to do all sorts but very few rarely live up to there hype, but this one certainly does and I am not disappointed. As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I have very light brows so I need products to define them, I love swimming but hate the fact my brows wash off so this has been a real test of resilience which has not failed.

When I received this the first thing I did after application was to take a shower to see if the waterproof factor really worked which it did, not a single imperfection so I ticked that off my list (mental one), no smudging either. It has a gel like consistency which makes it super supple to apply, I've been using a lip brush as its small and pointy which helps with definition. For me personally I find it looks better if you apply the dipbrow underneath your foundation because it can look too prominent the other way; also a little goes a long way.  Seriously I have finally found a product that does EVERYTHING! Sorry MAC but we're breaking up I've found a new best friend that offers more than you can give me lol. I ordered this from Cult Beauty for just £15, which is only an extra £1 more than what I would normally spend;  annoyingly it's currently out of stock so you have to go on their waiting list but do it as it's totally worth it.

Overall this product does exactly what it says on the tin, it looks great and feels great and since using this I've been getting loads more compliments on my brows which is what it's all about. I have had this for a little over a month now and hardly any has gone so I know this will last me ages before repurchasing (huge bonus). Definitely good value for money, highly recommend this!

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Tools of the Trade

Firstly apologies for neglecting my blog, had a lot on but I'm back :) and I'd like to talk about the tools I use for applying my tinted moisturizer. As I'm sure we are all guilty of is buying cheap brushes due to running out of pennies by the time we've bought our foundation because let's face it there price tags are certainly rising. I've tried so many low budget ones which I have to say the saying 'get what you pay for' springs to mind every time due to lack of quality. When you actually add up the cost of tools during a one year period, you just as well buy a high end one from the get go as I guarantee you will end up doing. 

When you think about it your using something on a daily basis sometimes even twice a day so it's important you get something strong and durable which will save you money in the long run.

During my Christmas shopping at the end of last year I noticed Debenhams had a 10% sale on so I thought now is the time to purchase a good quality brush; I already use YSL mascara so I figured I'd start my search there for a brush. I've always rated YSL products and I know the girl on the counter very well and trusted her knowledge and experience, she recommended the professional makeup brush which felt like velvet. It is normally £32 but with the 10% off it cost £28.80, now I know this sounds like an awful lot for a foundation brush but I am not disappointed. I have been using this brush for just over 3 months now and let me tell you it's going strong, not one single bristle has gone and even after weekly cleans it's still got a velvet texture to it. 

Money well spent here, by now I would be buying a new cheaper brush which is remarkable really I wish i had discovered this ages ago as it would have saved me a lot of time and money. 

After applying my foundation I use a sponge to smooth out the brush marks, and again same applies to the brush with regards to quality. We've all headed down to our local pound shop and got 20 sponges for a quid which is fine but is it just me or don't you think they always feel rough and they tend to drag on your skin which feels uncomfortable?? 

Being a mum I find Boots my second home lol so on my last trip I picked up a Real Techniques miracle complexion sponge which is just gorgeous. I picked up this little baby about 2 months ago now and it's still doing me proud; it was on offer for £4.99 and i love the bright orange sponge and the packaging looks very inviting. I love the fact it has a flat edge and a point which helps get right in to the corner of your eyes which is always a pain, it washes up great and can be used over and over. This is the first product I've purchased from the Real Techniques range and it certainly won't be the last, reasonable prices linked to a durable product which come with a great recommendation from the blogging world. 

Hope this has been helpful. 

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