When Superdrug assumed that us beauty bloggers would be peering into our empty wallets after Christmas, wondering how to make the most of ourselves on 55p, a chewing gum wrapper and an old receipt, they were… well, they were right.  But luckily us skint slaves to fashion need not go busking to solve our financial woes, as Superdrug stores are flush with products to achieve luxe looks just like this one for under £10.  No, really.  Don’t believe me?  Check out the beauty maths below for some more penny pinching ideas.

Sarah-Jane Adams

Whether you’re a Smug, a Bitter, or a plain old Desparate, Valentine’s Day brings out elements of us girls that should probably remain hidden outside of a therapy session, which is why this year it might be safer to switch to a relationship that you know is going to last.  Reviewing NYC New York Color’s new Lipstain pens, I was sceptical about the 16 hour wear claims, but fast forward a busy day later, and much like a fling that won’t take the hint, this bad boy was not going anywhere.  If you’re not a fan of monogomy, there are four shades to choose from, although I found the packaging to not be entirely representative of the end result, much like many men I have known.  The nibs seemed to dry quickly, but gave off a playful apple scent, much better than having an actual boyfriend who just smell of horrible boy things.  For only £3.99, if you’re looking for love that just won’t budge, you won’t be disappointed…. and it won’t cheat on you either.  Unless your sister borrows it.

Sarah-Jane Adams

First off I am a big fan of the fact this comes in an easy to carry (and travel with) 50ml tube, hygienic, practical and fresh looking makes it a winner on the packaging front. I love that with the tube you can be in control of how much you are getting out, and the click close lid is properly sturdy so there should be no mishaps in your make up bags.

When blended in it gives a gorgeous golden shimmer glow- without gathering in my crater pores, as you can see from the snap it does have a really golden shine which you can mix down with some moisturiser like I do for day time, or wear on its own under your base for a night time look. I have been using it for a while now and am really happy with the finish, It absorbs into the skin quickly and doesn’t feel overly greasy whilst still giving that golden glow I like. I think this is going to be great for summer time as you could easily wear this alone on tanned skin to get that healthy look, and it would also look fab on the collar bones, or up the front of bare legs to make them look longer. Right now for winter is definitely doing to job of perking up my dull looking skin, those light reflecting particles are amazing.

I am in love with it because it also has SPF 15 in it, which is something I like to look for. I haven’t experienced any flash back while wearing it for photos which is a must know for beauty bloggers Overall I am thrilled with this little find, a totally inexpensive but versatile product that performs well.

I really want to try the Vitamin E face oil next, I have heard some excellent things about it! I noticed on Superdrugs Website today that it is 2 for £3.99 on the Vitamin E range so now might be the time to try it out.

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So, this month Superdrug challenged us to ‘Get the look’ for under £10. Armed with supplies totalling £7.77 we got to work.

First up is Hot Looks fast dry nail polish in Lemon Soda at just £1.79

This is definitely a polish that needs two coats to cover up the streakiness but at just £1.79 it is still a bargain and a high fashion colour trend for 2012

Then we used Mua Pro Velvet Smooth Matte Foundation, £2

I found this foundation hard to apply and blend as it dragged the skin quite a lot.  I would recommend using a damp cosmetic sponge to make it easier. It definitely wouldn’t be suitable for more mature delicate skin but it did cover up quite well and the colour worked well with pale skin.

Using 2 True Eye shadow dazzle no.13 I swept the colour over the eyelids and up to the brow

I then also used the shimmery shadow in the corners of the eyes and as a liner for the lower lid. Superdrug sell the 2 True Eye shadow dazzles for just £1.99 and there are 15 bright shades to choose from.

Finally to complete the look we were given NYC false eyelashes, £1.99

Unfortunately my daughter and I, no matter how hard we tried, could not get these on properly. We did have a giggle though everytime the lashes ended up on her cheeks like little caterpillars. So, the lashes were not used which took the final total to just £5.79! Pretty amazing.

Being the lovely company they are they didn’t leave me bereft but sent me a bunch of make up to help me along.

The first goodie in my envelope was the MUA Matte Foundation in Shade 2 Honeycomb which went perfectly with my skin tone and ladies you may need to sit down when I tell you the price…£2!

The foundation went on well, gave very good coverage and a little of it went a long way. I always advise girls to stick to their tried and tested foundation as it is the one piece of make up I don’t like to mess with; one mistake and we get break out central. However the super duper cheap price and the good results from MUA means it’s worth giving it a try and finding out whether or not the foundation is for you.

Then for the eyes, I used a blue eye shadow from a pre existing palette I own. It’s nothing special and to be honest any other base colour would have done just as well. The thing that really set it apart was the 2 True Eyeshadow Dazzlers (£1.99) which I applied liberally to give me a sparkle-tastic effect on the lids.

I then popped on some NYC natural eyelashes (£1.99). I don’t like wearing the whole shebang when it comes to lashes and just cut a little portion of the lash and apply to the outer part of my eyelid. I find this gives a much more natural final look.

And then finally I applied the Collection 2000 Hot Looks Polish in Lemon Soda (£1.79) for a brilliant yellow nail look. The polish was rather hard to apply, a little bit streaky but after some patience and three or four coats later I was rewarded with a fab pop of colour.

And finally I finished off the lips with a bit of vaseline and a maroon lip liner I had in my bag; again any lip liner/ stick or gloss would have done.

And so there you have it, my high fashion look for the grand total of £7.77!

They have challenged us to use products adding up to under £10 to give our interpretation of this photo…

So much more colour than I would usually wear, but that is what I want to be better at in 2012, experimenting more with looks, trying out new things and discovering new favourite products. And what better way to experiment with products as affordable as these! For my look I have chosen to use three 2true products which are a very pocket friendly 3 products for £5, a Collection 2000 Hot look nail polish and a bargain-tastic MUA eye shadow and foundation.

The Collection 2000 nail polish in shade 45 Lemon Soda is not something I would ever normally wear, but I am so glad I tried it out! The formulation was superb, it was opaque for me in two coats, I loved the brush on it for even application and it dried incredibly quickly. As for the colour, I Loved it! It really brightens up my nails and puts a smile on my face in the dreary winter. I can’t wait to try out more of the bright colours in the range, For £1.79 it won’t break the bank!

The 2True 3 for a fiver range is great value, I have used lots of their products now,and am always impressed with how well they perform. When thinking of putting a look together for under £10, this is the perfect range to do it with. I chose to use the Eye Dazzle in shade 13 which had great pigmentation, a real shimmery lilac shade that made my eyes looked instantly brighter and fresh. I used the 2True Effortless eyeliner in Black to help enhance the winged look, the nib on the applicator helps create a really smooth line that lasts. The last 2True product I chose was the cheek and lip tint in shade 2 Blush Pink I used this to add a subtle, healthy glow to the cheeks and also to add a hint of natural colour to the lips. I have used this cheek tint for years and find it outperforms some far more expensive competitors, I just use my finger to apply and blend and it lasts all day.

Make Up Academy (MUA)  is another range I now use regularly, with  amazing products for only £1 it is not to be missed. I chose one of my favourite eye shadows from the range (no 9) to recreate the big winged look from the picture. Pulling my eye taught, I used a damp thin eyeliner brush to created the shape and then filled in the colour from there. I love this shade as it shines different colours in the light with puirple and bluish tones to it is really eye-catching. The newest MUA product to come in to my life is the Professional Matte Foundation in shade 2 Honeycomb which is what I used to create my base, for only £2 I was apprehensive to how this would perform but I was pleasantly surprised. It is rare to get any foundation for that price, never mind a nice velvety matte one that gives such a smooth looking base! I found I did need to move fast with it to blend it out as it has a very creamy texture, but it was worth it for the finished result. I love how it looked and it lasted all day.

So here it is all together- TA DA!

There are so many affordable products in Superdrug right now, that there was lots of choice for making up my £10, other things you could use to recreate this fab look is an amazing set of falsies like these NYC ones, costing only £1.99 these are wonderful value, show stopping volume and glamour, in a range of styles. I am USELESS at applying false lashes normally but these one are self adhesive which makes them so easy to apply. The other thing I almost used was one of these gorgeous BeautyUK glitter eyeliners, that paired with the falsies could make this a really gorgeous night-time eye, the glitter goes on easily, really pops and doesn’t flake, well worth the £1.50 you can pick up some of the shades for right now.

I hope there has been some inspiration in there for everyone, you could go for any colours/combinations you want- and because you can get your new year new look in store now for under £10, there is no excuse

Bx

I have found that if I am in need of a treat or fancy boosting my make up bag something as simple as a new blusher or a new lipstick does the trick so these were perfect. I am always on the look out too for products that create the natural look and the Flower Power natural blush does just that. It gives a natural soft glow that lasts all day. I love it! It is now a firm favourite in my make up bag.

As for the lip glosses, how on earth can I pick a favourite out of that little lot? I can’t…there are the more demure natural everyday shades and then there are the night time partying ones. They don’t feel sticky and they smell really good but they definitely need to stay in your bag though for frequent application.

So, if you fancy treating yourself to something little that can give you such a lift, after all it’s the little things that make a difference, then you can’t go wrong with GOSH from Superdrug.

However, my sister in law is a fan and a well seasoned fake eyelash wearer so I enlisted her help and expertise with the party fabulous eyelashes that Superdrug sent me. Perfect for glam nights out and special occasions there are Diamond Diva lashes, Club Queen lashes and NY Blues lashes all from NYC at Supedrug and priced at just £2.99. The lashes are self adhesive but no amount of trying was going to make them stick so Jo had to resort to using eyelash glue. Overall she was impressed at the softness of the eyelashes and her favourite lashes were the NY Blues ones with the blue tips. I think they all look great, the Club Queen ones are sooo dramatic they remind me of a peacock but I’m definitely going to wear the Diamond Diva ones ( with Jo’s help) for a special party I have coming up!

Sarah-Jane Adams

With my wintery skin, the Honeycomb shade is a touch too dark, but nothing a bit of fake tan can’t fix! The MUA Matte Foundation is available in three shades, priced at £2 each. Not the best colour selection, but not bad for such a bargain, essential product!

It’s housed in a matte black squeezy tube, perfect for getting the right amount and easily squeezed onto your finger tips or onto the brush head.

The formulation is thick and it feels it. This is the only downside to this product as although it gives superior coverage, it just feels too heavy on my skin. It has a consistency of a high duty concealer rather than a foundation, but this means the coverage is brilliant. I didn’t need to pre apply any under eye concealer and only a dab to the more persistent blemishes I had. It blends out easily and you don’t need a lot for the whole face. I find it works best if you stipple it on then buff it out, which helps create a more matte finish.

If you’re only method of application is fingers, don’t expect pure matte. I found it gave the sought after dewy glow which I really wasn’t expecting. Because of this, I had to set with powder, which is more layers over an already heavy foundation.

If you’re looking for a heavy duty, muli-tasking foundation then the MUA Matte Foundation is perfect. For those among us who prefer something a little lighter then maybe avoid this, or at least have a try in Superdrug first.

If the foundation is anything to go by, then I would really like to see what the MUA Brush On Concealer and MUA Primer have to offer. For such a budget brand, this is really putting others in the shadows.

Make Up Academy products are exclusive to Superdrug.
Prices begin at £1.