HG cleanser: two of my favourite cleansers

Hello all :) I'm just going to type up a quick review of two of my favourite cleansers. One in particular being my go-to cleanser which I use to remove makeup every day. I've been through a fair share of cleansers, from Neutrogena to Aveda to Avene but all didn't do it for me, they either broke me out or didn't cleanse very well and was only able to use them in the morning when I have no makeup on my face. A few months ago, around 4 months, I stumbled on Sanctuary Spa products in Boots. They sell a wide collection of skincare products with spa quality at very decent prices. Their fresh face (the product has a really long name) cleanser was not only sold in a full 140ml bottle but they also sell it in a small 30ml bottle for around £2. So I decided to try out the smaller one just in case I didn't like it or it in case it reacted with my slightly sensitive skin (full bottle is £9). You only need a drop of the product to remove the thickest of foundations off your face, it has a faint wild rose scent which did not irritate my skin; I instantly loved it! To be honest it didn't make my skin feel amazing after use, just very cleansed but I wasn't let down about that because I have scrubs and masks for those purposes. I just wanted a cleanser which will remove my foundation off my face. I use this every day to remove my foundation (also I've been recently using it to remove eye makeup, surprisingly it did not irritate my sensitive eyes - I only do then when lazy) overall I'm very impressed and it is a product I will always repurchase!

Second cleanser is one I usually use when I have no makeup on, it's the Elizabeth Arden Intervene 3 in 1 cleanser. This is also really good at removing makeup but I only use it on a clean face to remove any bacteria or anything else sitting on the surface because I already have my perfect makeup removing cleanser. This retails at around £20 I think, don't quote me on that, but I bought it online for around £8 (let me know if you're interested with links) .

REVIEW: MAC Studio Fix Fluid

Hello readers :)
This is my first product review on my blog and will definitely not be the last! I've got so many products lining up to review, some I've tried some not; I hope you find it useful and insightful. 

Mac Studio Fix Fluid ~

Before I go into my review I just want to say that my skin type is combination, meaning I have oily and dry areas as well as being spot-prone and sensitive. Generally foundations don't really affect my skin in terms of break outs etc, but my skin gets super dry if I use ultra matte foundations. Also, I never apply foundation directly onto my skin, I moisturise and prime (Smashbox Photo Ready) because foundations in general last badly on my skin.

Shade: I bought this in the shade NC25 which is an absolute perfect match to my skin, I was really happy about this because I rarely ever get a foundation to match my skin and resort to mixing two or more foundations together which can be bothersome. The undertone I’d say is yellow/neutral which, again, matches my skin very well. I previously had bought the Studio Sculpt from a Mac counter and was matched to the shade NC30 which was too dark for me and caused me to build up a dislike to the foundation entirely. Shade is very important in a foundation in my opinion, and I’ve noticed that most make up counters match me incorrectly. 4/5

Swatched: NC25

Swatched with flash (spf15 makes it look lighter)

Packaging: I seriously hate the packaging of this foundation with a passion. Not only is it glass which I see as a hazard and incapable of safe travel, but there is no pump. I find myself having to shake this bottle onto the back of my hand continuously for minutes on end for the product to finally pour out (it’s very thick) which is not helpful if you’re in a hurry and want your foundation on quickly. You can go ahead and buy a pump from Mac, I don’t think I will. Also the lid is sort of rubbery which makes it look dirty quickly. Not impressed, I much prefer the packaging of Studio Sculpt. 0/5

Longevity: I was actually quite impressed by the longevity of this, I wore it for around 7 hours and it did look slightly worn off around my chin which is normal for me, but the rest of my face still looked flawless. (I set my foundation with Signature Minerals powders). 4/5

Coverage: Mac claim that this foundation is medium coverage but I must say that this foundation is definitely full coverage unless you thin it out with a moisturiser or mix it with a setting spray (I sometimes mix heavy foundations with Elf Mist & Set to thin them out and also keep them on all day – If I was wearing them for an everyday natural look). It covered up the slight redness on my cheeks, acne scars and large pores. Bear in mind that this foundation looks very apparent on the skin; it looks like you’re wearing makeup so if you like natural looking foundations this is not the best choice. 5/5

Without foundation: redness, large pores  (my face is slightly red because of my facial routine)

With foundation, looks pretty obvious on the skin.

Finish: The finish is semi-matte; not completely matte yet not completely luminous. This makes it easy to use on both dry and oily skin types. Mac also claim that the Studio Fix Fluid “contains specially treated micronized pigments and soft-focus powders for a super-smooth look that helps minimize the appearance of imperfections.” I really like the finish, even though it doesn’t bother me very much as I powder it anyway. 4/5

Application: I tried applying this foundation on two occasions using two different brushes; the Mac 187 (stippling, duo fibre brush) and the Mac 190 (traditional foundation brush). I felt like both gave the exact same outcome and maybe the 190 gave heavier coverage. This foundation can be applied using different techniques which is a definite positive. 5/5

Mac 187, duo fibre stippling brush

QVS foundation brush (from Superdrug for around £5) and Mac 190 traditional foundation brush 

[excuse the dirty brushes!]

Conclusion: Overall I was pleasantly surprised with this foundation, I really abhor the Revlon Colorstay and I figured this will be the same as I’ve heard so many reviewers comparing the two. But I think they both work totally different on my skin. This foundation gave me an incredibly flawless face and I didn’t feel the need to mix it with any other foundation to neutralise the tone or to make it less matte like I sometimes do with other foundations. And surprisingly it lasted very well on my bipolar skin. I really dislike the smell though, it smells like paint (as does Revlon Colorstay) and the packaging is extremely unpractical. All in all, I have sidled this bottle with the rest of the foundations which I will only feel comfortable to use for events and when I need very high and flawless coverage. It’s not my kind of everyday make up as I prefer a less obvious foundation with less coverage. But still a very nice foundation if you’re looking for heavy coverage and have either oily or dry skin (not for very dry skins). J

Thank you for reading <3
Please comment telling me what you think of this review and what you would like to see in the future. 

Habiba xxx

First post: Gossiping with N

This is a poem I wrote a year ago when I was in college, me and my friend who is also a poet decided to sit on a computer and write a poem about one another on the spot, I wrote mine in like 5 minutes, and had to wait until the next day for her to 'perfect' hers. This is not a proper, structured poem, it's humorous banter. The reason I chose to use this poem in my first post is because it signifies some beginnings in my life. Hope you enjoy :)

She sits in front of me, eyes wide and wondering

Fingers clenching. Unclenching.

A soulful smile, twitching nose,

Cheeks full of colour.

She echoes beauty as she

Reminisces love,

Reminisces loss,

While I speak of devils,

She closes my words,

Envelopes them with a disappointed smile;

Eyebrows rising.

She laughs heartily.

I tell her of my thoughtless poetry,

She tells me of her failure to plan life ahead.

We discuss Indie;

Scorn Lana’s lips which we thought too artificial,

We imitate her affecting voice,

Adding higher notes, more words

Like my bedroom wall.