Barry M | Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit

With contour palettes like the Kat Von D Shade & Light Pallette and Anastasia Contour Kit going for around $40 on Sephora.com, who knew that £5.49 could get you such a steal? The new Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Kit is truly awesome value for money and has been all I've used to contour since I picked it up last week.

Now, I'm not a heavy contour kinda gal by any means. Whilst I love me a full face of makeup on the weekends, I rarely get past two eye-shadow colours for work and the whole contour, sculpt and highlight thing is just a bit much for me to deal with when I'm prepping for a day in the office. Add to that the fact that I have incredibly pale skin and it's often a hassle that just isn't worth it. However, this week I decided that for the sake of testing out the Barry M Chisel Cheeks Countor Kit (phew, that's a mouthful!) I would up it a bit for work and attempt to use all three shades in the palette in my daily routine. I've been thoroughly impressed with the results!


The packaging is cute, practical and small enough to throw in a bag or take with you on the go. When you open it up, the top lid has a a handy illustration showing you exactly where and how to apply each shade. I like this idea, and prefer it to a mirror because I'm likely to be using my large vanity mirror anyway, and let's face it, if you're taking a contour palette on the go with you, chances are you've got a compact mirror with you too. But given that this is probably going to be a palette for the slightly younger market, I think a good guide to work from is a great idea.

So, if we review the shades one by one what do we get? Well let's start with the one we're all here for, shall we: the contour shade. The contour shade is the dark brown on the right, and the one I'm most impressed with. As mentioned, I'm a pasty one, so contour shades can be a real pain to get right on me. Up until now, I've been using Next to Skin by Mac, a very light greyish brown (actually it's more like a brownish grey) that I haven't been in love with. It's done the job, but I haven't considered it anything special. Now I wouldn't say I'm in love with the Barry M one either, but I do prefer it, and that means they're definitely doing something right. It's quite a dark shade, which worried me at first, but you can't fault it's blendability. It blends down to a wearable, shadowy tone that even my see-through complexion can get away with and the lasting power is pretty darn good to! Yes, it will fade a little throughout the day, but if you're going out for dinner or you have an event and don't intend to wear a heavy contour for eight solid hours, you'll be just fine with this. I don't find the power choppy, and more importantly I don't find the shade to be too warm, which means you definitely avoid looking like you've just used bronzer to contour your cheekbones - a big no-no ladies! Speaking of bronzer...

The middle shade in the palette is intended as a bronzer, and is the warmer, lighter of the two brown shades. This is also the one that I'm least excited by, and towards the end of the week I found myself reaching for my regular bronzer instead because the Barry M one is a little too yellow on my skin and doesn't have great lasting power - the only shade I had this problem with. It was the only shade that I had to be a tad careful with, because I could start to look a bit muddy if I used too much. But hey, if you're on a tight budget then don't forget that this is three products in one here! Is this bronzer okay? Yeah, sure. Is it my favourite? No. But I'm willing to overlook that because of the success of the other shades, and I'm also aware that more olive skin tones or darker skin tones than mine (so everyone basically) might look significantly better with the bronzing shade, it just didn't outdo my current bronzer and I don't think it's the reason you should buy this palette.

The highlight shade though... another winner! It's very subtle, so if Mary-Lou Manizer is your thing, this probably won't make the cut. But this is Barry M we're talking about, a company who's main target market will be young girls, perhaps looking for an understated way to bring a bit of extra dimension into their face and add a pretty glow. This highlight is subtle enough that it's very work appropriate, but even better, school appropriate (if you don't go mental with it) and adds a barely there sheen to the skin. I like a stronger highlight personally, so I've been building it up over the top of Benefit's High Beam once my powder has dulled it down a bit. Unlike High Beam though, the Barry M highlight shade is so universally flattering. In the pan, and in my swatch it looks really quite yellow based, but in reality it's not too pink, or too golden, or too silvery - it appears to have little undertone at all when it's actually on the skin. Just like the contour shade, it's seemingly an all rounder for most skin tones.

So overall, I'm massively impressed with this palette. If you're serious about sculpting, you'll probably want to pick out a custom contour colour from a brand like Anastasia, and you'll definitely want a more visible highlight. But I think the Barry M Chisel Cheeks Contour Palette is perfect for younger girls who want to enter the world of contouring in a subtle, more every day way. The two important shades are fairly hard to go overboard with, would suit most skin tones, and it's extremely budget friendly. Result!

February Favourites

So this post probably should have gone up on Monday and the Six Things I Learned About Joining A Running Club today, but hey, we’re learning! Here’s a quick rundown of all the things I’ve been loving through the month of February and why.

Boots Simply Sensitive Protecting Day Moisturiser SPF 15
I went searching in late January for a new moisturiser to replace my giant bucket of Nivea Soft that had lasted me forever. I felt like it was getting a bit heavy on my skin, but mostly, I desperately wanted a moisturiser with SPF. (I’m really not as hot sun protection as I should be… *slaps wrist*) With SPF 15 and at £2.79 for 125ml I figured I couldn’t go wrong, so I picked one up and I’ve been loving this beaut ever since! The bottle has lasted me ages, and the oil free formula doesn't feel greasy or sticky on the skin. It does feel like it’s doing something though and leaves my skin really soft and smooth – exactly what you want from a moisturiser, non? I’ve enjoyed it so much that I went back to Boots and picked up a few other products from the Simply Sensitive range to try.

Liz Earle Gentle Exfoliator
What a find! To put it simply, this is the best physical exfoliant I’ve ever tried. My dry but very sensitive skin absolutely loves this stuff. All other scrubs have had me caught in a cycle of needing to use them every single day or seemingly ending up with worse skin than before (a bit like the Vaseline vs lips dilemma that some people have?) but not this baby. Where most scrubs give me excellent results for the first day, followed by torn up skin the next, 3 scrubs a week of the Liz Earle Gentle Exfoliator is leaving me with the smoothest, plumpest skin I’ve ever had.

Molton Brown Hand Cream in Ylang-Ylang
I was lucky enough to get a Molton Brown hand cream for Christmas but I only really started reaching for it this month. Well, it's spiraled into a full blown love affair with their hand products. I've since gone and bought myself a hand soap and another hand cream in "Orange Blossom" and they leave my hands feeling and smelling wonderful.

See by Chloe Perfume
This has been my perfume of choice almost every day throughout February. The first notes that hit me whenever I spritz a bit of this are definitely floral, but then it settles down into a somewhat fruity fragrance. It's quite a young, playful smell but isn't sweet or sugary, and I find it's very day time appropriate whilst still sophisticated. Perfect for a subtle, fresh, office perfume.

The Glam Guide by Fleur De Force 
This was one of the most anticipated book launches of the year for me, as Fleur has long since been one of my favourite YouTubers of all time. I picked up her book from Waterstones for £11.99 (usual price £14.99) and have been flicking through the glossy, pastel pages all month long. I would have loved to have seen a section on home décor because Fleur’s house has always looked so stylish to me, but her sections on travelling, life goals and YouTube/Blogging had me really hooked.

Leave me a comment letting me know if you've tried any of the products above and how you got on with them. -and if any of you picked up The Glam Guide then I'd love to hear your thoughts on that too! Was it what you expected?
That's all for now folks, tune in next month to find out what will make the cut for my March Favourites!

Six Things I've Learned About Joining A Running Club

Just like the rest of the UK population in January, I was plagued with guilt and embarrassment over my terrible over indulging over Christmas. And just like everyone else, I too swore on pain of death that I would get fit and healthy for 2015, and made a new years resolution to exercise and workout more. So I joined a beginners running club and roped my mum and my sister into it, and every Monday since January we've met at 6:15pm to curse our way round the running track at my old high school in our little support group of three.
There's probably a total of thirty members, and maybe ten or so coaches, and we all follow a running "schedule" (X time running, X time recovery walk, repeat) followed by homework (in the form of more running!) to complete before the next meet up.

So what's it been like? Am I enjoying it? Do I recommend it? With so many people desperate to improve their health and fitness, what's it really like to join a club dedicated to just that?
Below are six things I've learned about running club and what it's really like to join one.

 

1. The woman you’ll meet will not be intimidating.
And they won’t even slightly resemble the gazelle-like, beautiful woman you see in the sports catalogues. Most of the women at my running club are busy mums in their 40s, running together in groups of two or three, trying to shift that pesky Christmas weight. Even the coaches just look like normal woman, and not even normal woman at their best, because running outside in the cold without a scrap of makeup can give your face a little more than just a “flush”. Everyone gets sweaty, red faced and exhausted. No one there is the glamorous exception.

2. No one is watching you.
Everyone is far too busy concentrating on their own run to give a damn about yours. Look like Phoebe from Friends when you run? No one cares. Not one person is scrutinizing your running technique, your speed or your stamina. People are working too hard to care, and are just trying to get through the last few minutes without collapsing in a heap on the track. Either that or they’re too worried about looking stupid themselves to be looking at you.

3. Expensive workout clothes don’t matter.The vast majority of the woman at my running club are in their tracksuit bottoms and an old baggy tshirt. Like I said, no one is looking at you anyway so wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. Try to wear clothes designed for workouts if you can, (the fabric doesn’t bunch up or get in the way, plus they regulate temperature better) but Asda and Primark have great ranges that will more than do the job. We’ve all seen those people with all the gear and no idea, and at the end of the day, whether your gear costs £9 or £90 it doesn’t make you a better runner!

4. …but a good sports bra does!
We’ve all been there; cupping our assets as we bolt up the stairs, trying to avoid the pain. I come from a family of heavier chested woman, and if you’re blessed with the breasts, a sports bra will improve your running by 100%. It will almost completely flatten you out, keeping your boobs from spilling over the top or drooping to your knees after a year. Literally, it will feel like running without boobs. So if you’re going to invest in workout clothes don’t break the bank on a pair of LuluLemon Wonder Unders, go get yourself fitted for a decent sports bra. Seriously, embrace the freedom!

5. The only bad workout is the one you don’t do.
It doesn’t matter if you need to stop for a minute and take a breather. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t do as well as you wanted or as well as the girl next to you. All that matters is that it’s cold, and dark, and beginning to rain, and you’re out on a track trying your hardest, instead of slumped on the sofa with a Cadbury Bar & A Half. Doing something or doing nothing is a choice, so be proud you made the right one!

6. Your body can do so much more than you think it can.
When I joined running club, I thought there was no way I was ever going to be able to run for five solid minutes without stopping. But I proved myself wrong, and now I can run for thirty minutes without stopping, and feel energised enough to do it again after just a few minutes recovery time. When you push through discomfort, you can do so much more than you’d ever assume of yourself. Even when your body has reached its physical limit, if you try again in a few days, you’ll be stronger and fitter than you were before. Try not to measure results based on dropping a dress size, and look at the extra strength and stamina that your body is gaining over time. It doesn’t take long at all to build up, and watching myself improve has actually become a much better motivator than achieving a certain body type. Maybe because it happens so much faster?
Keep going and before long, today’s workout will be next week’s warm up.