My Favourite February Beauty Bargains

It has been a while since I've done a beauty products post - which might make you think I have adopted some sort of minimalist policy on aquiring new cosmetics and stuff....I think I have cut down a bit on new purchases in the past year. I actually did a pretty huge clearout a couple of months ago, but my makeup situation is still so messy and I do want to get a nice tidy storage thing.

The problem is space, those plastic organizers look pretty on a vanity table, which I have no room for, and I feel bad cluttering up our limited open shelf space in the bathroom, especially as it now actually looks nice and clutter free after years of being a disaster area. Anyway I digress - any makeup storage solution ideas you may have are welcomed!

So saying that, of course I am still buying "essentials" as they pop up, and I have tried a few new (and an old favourite I hadn't used for a long time) things I'm pretty impressed with lately. These are all drug store/affordable items as well, bonus!

My Favourite February Beauty Bargains

Bourjois City Radiance, E.l.f. baked eyeshadow trio, L'Oreal Perfect Match Concealer, Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara

Bourjois City Radiance Foundation: I confess this is the first time I have tried a Bourjois foundation, I know they are very popular, but in general their shades run very yellow to my eye and I have never found one that seemed like it would work on my pink toned skin. Until now! I was on the lookout for a lightweight, travel proof foundation, and wow did this fit the bill.

It comes in a really handy plastic tube with a spill proof screw top lid, and is a great size for those with limited space in their travel bags. I just love the packaging so much, I tend to have to decant foundation into a smaller container for fear of it breaking when I travel, so this is a huge selling point for me.

This was an unplanned, impulse buy, so I had no idea what colour to pick. I was actually getting ready to go to Florida when I bought it, so I went for the second palest shade, figuring I would pick up some colour. It looks a bit yellowish, but it blends to a great match on my skin (I think! I always question myself but it seems oddly good, maybe I should re-think the avoid yellow tones thing!).

It has a light yet decent covereage, and looks very natural on the skin to my eye. It's not super sparkly or shiny or anything, so I can't attest to the "radiance", but I do think it's a really nice finish for the cost of the product, my skin isn't too dulled down but I also feel I can get away without powder on top, which for my combination skin is a bonus.

It also has an spf of 30 in it, which is pretty amazing because it is so light in texture. Obviously you would want to wear sunscreen underneath if you were exposed to a lot of sun, but it's definitely another perk of the product. My only complaint would be I wish they would come out with a few more shades in the pale pink person end, just because I still don't think I have a 100% perfect shade with their lines.

Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara: I used to wear this all the time years ago, and I kind of got distracted by shiny new mascaras and forgot about it. Which wasn't very nice of me 2000 Calorie, I apologize! This formula as far as I can tell has not changed in forever. It's a super thickening, but not too heavy or claggy, mascara, that is also buildable. I bought the black/brown for daywear and it is a really nice rich brown shade that I think is a bit softer and more flattering on me in daylight than black. I have found it makes my top and bottom lashes stick together a tiny bit, which it doesn't take much when you are wearing contact lenses to be irritating, so I have to be careful with that. But it's fine when I am wearing my glasses, and I do love the effect this gives, I think it is just as nice and volumizing as more expensive mascaras, and it has very little fall out or smudging.

Simple Hydrating Gel Cream:  I picked this up on a whim when my skin was being dry and cranky. I like Simple cleansers but have never been blown away by their moisturizers, to be honest. Well, this little bobby dazzler is a GAME CHANGER! Sorry to shout, but I think this product is such a bargain and delivers an amazing moisture punch that is light and non-greasy and perfect for anyone with combination or sensitive skin. It is everything that I wished Clinique Moisture Surge was, for a fraction of the price. It is so dewy and instantly absorbed and everyone should have a tube handy for those unsightly winter skin patches, that's all I'm saying. I love it.

Simple Hydrating Gel Cream, The Body Shop Shea soap, Nivea Sensitive Cleansing Milk, Body Shop Shea exfoliating scrub

L'Oreal True Match Concealer: For some reason my other go to lightweight concealer, Maybelline Fit Me, has become harder to find my shade in the shops, so I got annoyed and bought this instead. Initially I didn't like it as much as the Maybelline, but it has actually grown on me quite a bit.

It is a lightweight and nicely blendable concealer, I think it's actually a smidge more lightweight than the Maybelline, which means I can't use it as a standalone undereye concealer unles I'm feeling like "Whatever world, deal with my eye bags", which I sometimes do because the beauty of getting older and losing the ability to have a "perfect" face is that it does make you a bit more devil more care with having your "imperfections" on display, at least that is how I'm approaching it!

So yes, mixed with a more heavyweight concealer this does a fine job at covering those pesky dark circles or blemishes. I think it gives a nice, natural finish - it is not a highlighting or brightening type concealer, but it's a good little workhorse product to have.

Nivea Sensitive Cleansing Milk: I have been trying to use more creamy type products to cleanse and remove makeup as my skin has been more dryness prone lately. I like this cleanser because it moisturizes my skin but doesn't leave a film or feel greasy at all. I do still tend to use a toner or swipe a face wipe after I use this, which is probably bad but I'm super paranoid about getting all of my makeup off. At any rate this cleansing cream is cheap and cheerful and doesn't irritate my skin, as you would hope for a skincare product labelled sensitive!

The Body Shop Shea Body Butter, Soap, Exfoliator and Shower Cream (not pictured): I received a little Body Shop gift set at Christmas. I just love the Shea line, it's so neutral yet smells nice and lightly nutty and clean at the same time. The shower cream is nice and moisturizes the skin well. The soap is maybe less moisturizing but has the nice smell going for it. 

The Shea body butter is probably the most moisturizing one I have tried, and I have tried quite a few of their scents, so it's particularly nice in winter. 

The exfoliator is the only mixed bag in the bunch - it's kind of scratchy and I feel like I need to use a lot of it and I just don't feel like it's a super effective scrub to be honest. BUT it is crazy moisturizing, so much so I feel like I don't need to moisturize after I use it because it leaves the skin so soft, with a real coated in moisture feeling. So I probably would not purchase it on its own but I wouldn't mind if it was in another gift set sort of thing.

e.l.f. baked trio Brown Bonanza

e.l.f. Baked Eyeshadow Trio: This is my first time trying the e.l.f. baked eyeshadow, my Mom got it for me as a stocking stuffer so thanks Mom! I have the "brown bonanza" set, it's a nice all in one, you could definitely get a "lewk" just by using this trio. The pigmentation for the lightest and the gold shade are really pretty and strong. The dark shade has the weakest payoff but that doesn't bother me much as I don't tend to use really dark eyeshadow anymore.

The highlight shade is a very pretty creamy gold shimmer and the gold is a nice mid gold, I mean it's GOLD, but not so warm I can't wear it, which sometimes happens if a gold is too warm on my face. The finish is a deep shimmer but there doesn't seem to be much chunky glitter or fallout so I can deal with it.

I would definitely try the e.l.f. baked shadows again, I am pretty excited they are selling the entire e.l.f. line in the U.K. at Superdrug now, too! I have tried things from their website before but it's so much nicer to be able to see things in person.

How about you, are there any beauty bargains that are floating your boat lately?