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Review: Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation

Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation in #1 Porcelain*
By now you’ve probably guessed that I’m a fan of Collection Cosmetics. I love how their make-up products offer good quality, without the price tag. I recently saw their lasting perfection foundation at their SS14 press day and was intrigued.  This six in one foundation primes, conceals, covers, smoothes, protects and mattifies. Phew! That’s a lotta bang for your buck! So did it live up to it’s claims?
Before and after swatches, over a freckle.
Pros:
+ SPF 20
+ Matte finish
+ Conceals perfectly
+ Flawless coverage
+ Smoothed out my skin

Cons:
– Shade range is lacking

Notes:
I’m not gonna lie, this foundation is AMAZING! I can’t get over how good a product it is for a ‘drugstore’ brand. I have red pigmentation on my cheeks (hello constant rosy cheeks) and this covered it completely. That may not sound like much, but I’ve yet to find another foundation that does this so perfectly. The coverage is wonderful and it conceals like a dream. I feel like this is the closest I’ve come to photoshop worthy skin. Unfortunately the shade (#1 Porcelain) is a bit darker than I would usually use, and with only 6 shades in the range I do feel that a lot of people will be missing out on a great product. I mixed it with some moisturiser though, and voila! This does mean the coverage isn’t as good but it’s ok because I’ve been pairing it with the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (review coming soon) to get flawless skin. I’m also planning to mix it with a white foundation I have, to get the perfect match. At £5.99 I urge you all to go out and grab a bottle of this!
You can purchase Collection’s Lasting Perfection Foundation at Superdrug and Boots.
bloomzy /

Photo Diary: Culture, Peanut Butter, Skincare and Me

If I ever had my own autobiography it would probably be named something close to the title of this post. The past week or so I’ve really been doing a bit of everything I love, which has been really lovely. The change in weather has given me a bit of a boost and it also means I can get out a bit more. Friends and family have also been visiting, so I get to do lots of stuff I wouldn’t usually do.

I’ve been visiting lots of museums, restaurants and art galleries. I live for culture, probably even more than I live for beauty products – shock, horror! It’s been fun being able to indulge in that particular passion, and I know it won’t end soon. I’ve also been receiving some exciting items in the post, which I’m sure you’ll see on here, no doubt. I thought my love of photography might suffer, what with my camera being sent back for repairs. Luckily that hasn’t been the case, and even though my iPhone 5s isn’t as good, it does the job.

You can follow me on Instagram @bloomzy

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Review: Collection Extra Volume Waterproof Mascara

Collection Volumising Mascara – Extra Volume Waterproof*
I’ve never been a mascara addict, unlike a lot of my friends. I have such tiny lashes that I know nothing is going to work a miracle. It seems like everyone has more luscious lashes than me, even my dad. Still, it’s fun to try different mascaras, and hope that one may come close. My recent mascara trial was with the Collection Volumising Waterproof Mascara. This mascara claims to add up to 10x more volume with an extra thick easy-to-use wand.
Left eye: no mascara, Right eye: Collection volumising mascara

Pros:
+ Waterproof
+ Doesn’t clump
+ Cute packaging
+ Love the thick brush
+ Wand doesn’t use too much product
+ Doesn’t smudge or come off during the day

Cons:
– Didn’t give my lashes the volume I’d hoped for

Notes:
I didn’t have any massive expectations for this mascara, I just hoped that it would add a bit of volume to my meager lashes. First off, I have to say that I really love the packaging. It’s fun, cute and has a good shape to it; which also makes it easier to hold when applying. The application is easy thanks to the thick brush. This is the thickest wand/brush I’ve seen on any mascara I’ve used and I really quite like it. It meant that enough product came out on the wand, and you weren’t left having to wipe away any excess. This also means that the mascara doesn’t clump, which is great as I hate battling with a cotton bud and my eyelashes to remove any hazardous dots of mascara. Unfortunately it didn’t leave me with Betty Boop-like enviable lashes, however it did make them seem a bit longer and more prominent. It also didn’t smudge at all, and stayed on all day. For £3.99 I think this is a good everyday mascara, that someone who is slightly more endowed than myself might have more luck with.
You can purchase Collection Extra Volume Waterproof Mascara at Superdrug.
bloomzy /

Tutorial & Review: Collection Eyebrow Kit

Collection Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit*

My eyebrows haven’t seen the light of day since I was about 10 years old. Due to having a full fringe (and loving it) I’ve never bothered with primping them either. For me, there just doesn’t seem much point. Did I just revoke my beauty blogger membership? Well Collection, and a wonderful MUA by the name of Francesca Neill, were about to change all that. Phew! Now you can stop screaming at your computer screen and wondering what’s wrong with me. Seriously though, if you’re like me and don’t want to touch your naturally gorgeous brows, don’t worry about it!

Collection will be releasing their new Eyebrow Kit in April, and I thought I’d show you how it works. I took inspiration from Francesca, who showed us how to use the kit at the Collection S/S 14 press day. It’s pretty simple and everything is laid out for you, making it super easy for a beginner like me to use it. I found that the shadow stayed on my brows all day and kept the shape and style after using this little kit. The shadows have are highly pigmented but blend well. Francesca even recommended paler ladies use the lightest shade for contouring – and she used it on me to show me how it would work. So if you want perfect brows in just a few easy steps, take a peek below and you’ll find out why this is for you! Please note I am a complete beginner so this is a very simple tutorial to show how the kit works, and to help anyone else out there who may want to have a go.


1. Use the angled end of the brush to apply the darker shadow to the middle/outer part of your brow.

2. Whilst still using the angled end of the brush, apply a lighter shade to the inner part of the eyebrow.

3. Use the other end of the brush to blend the shadow together and, if needed, to help shape the brow.

4. Finally use the clear brow mascara to define the brow and lock the look in place.

This can be done to match the natural shape of your brow, or to create a more angled & defined look. You can also use the clear brow mascara separately on your untouched brows, to define and shape them. It’s also important to remember that you should use the shadow/s best suited to your natural brow colour.

Collection’s Eyebrow Kit will be available from 9th April in Boots and the 16th April in Superdrug for £3.99.

bloomzy /

Review: Collection Work The Colour Nail Polish

Collection Work The Colour – Raspberry Pink & Sonic Blue*

I can never have too many nail polishes. In fact last week I received 5 new ones to add to my collection. 2 of those were these lovelies from the new Collection range coming out in April. The new Work The Colour range by Collection will feature 24 new nail polish shades. I was lucky enough to receive a manicure with a couple of the colours during the press event. So I thought I would give my views on the new polishes and colours coming out soon.
Swatch of Raspberry Pink & Sonic Blue.
Along with swatch on nails of Baby Blue & Fairy Dust (layered).

Pros:
+ Opaque in one coat
+ Great range of colours
+ Applies easily – good size brush
+ Love the new packaging
+ Good price point

Cons:
– Chipped after a day or so
Notes:
I am so excited by this range because the shades and colours they have coming out are wonderful. There’s a great variety of colours, and the polish itself isn’t too bad. The polishes apply easily, mainly thanks to a very good brush. Apart from the shimmer/glitter polishes in the range, these are opaque in one coat – two coats gives an even better colour pay off. The colours were pretty much exactly what you see in the bottle, although the raspberry pink looks slightly red when photographed. Unfortunately though these chipped after a day or so, but I am putting that down to the top coat that the manicurist used. It wasn’t bad, but I think we all have our own tried and tested ones that we love. I think these would last fine with a better top coat. Priced at £1.99 these won’t break the bank and will easily work their way into your collection.
The Collection Work The Colour Nail Polish range will be available in Superdrug from 9th April.
They will also be available in Boots from 16th April.
bloomzy /

Review: Little Mix Collection Jade Lipstick

Collection x Little Mix Collaboration – Jade’s Lipstick*

You all know by now that red is my signature lip colour.
In fact it got to a point where it felt odd for me to wear another colour.
So I took a plunge and decided to try out this lipstick from the Collection Little Mix range.
I loved the look of it and it gave me that push I needed to try something different.
Swatch on hand in natural light, and on lips in artificial light.

Pros:
+ Creamy formula
+ Soft and smooth
+ Good application
+ Didn’t dry my lips out
+ Great price point

Cons:
– Packaging could be better

Notes:
I was very, very surprised with this lipstick. I didn’t think it would be easy for me to switch to wearing colours other than red, but I really liked this one. It has a red-brown base, and came out as a darker neutral shade on my lips. It applies easily and has a very creamy texture to it, so it feels quite hydrating. I have found in the past that cheaper lipsticks dry my lips out, however this didn’t dry them out at all. It didn’t last through a meal, but then I’ve come to realise that only a miracle can make that happen. However I didn’t use a seal on top as I wanted to see how it stayed by itself first. 
I am really won over by how good this lipstick is, and at only £2.99 it’s a steal! 
You can buy Jade’s Lipstick at Superdrug and Boots.
bloomzy /

Press Event: Collection Spring Summer ’14 Range


Yesterday I woke up bright and early for a very colourful breakfast with Collection.
I was excited to hear all about their Spring/Summer 2014 collections, and to check them out.
Amongst the adorable mini eggs florentine, and the delightful macarons was something even more wonderful.

The new Collection range for Spring/Summer 14 features a whole new range of products.
The most inciting for me is the new range of 24 nail polish shades that will hit stores soon.
With neons, pastels and colours ranging from sea green to nude, there’s a colour for most tastes.
I was really impressed with the selection of shades and the colours they had chosen to work with.
There are some great fun, basic shades but there are also a few gorgeous hard-to-find shades included.
It’s always good to see on-trend colours, but I like unique shades too, and Collection have delivered.
The Lasting Perfection range was also on show, and I got to find my foundation match – not easy!
I have used the concealer and powders before, so I have a lot of faith in this particular range.
The new Bronzer range, will leave you looking super sun kissed, even if we don’t see the sun.
The stand-out product for me though is the soon to be released Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit.
The set includes 3 eyebrow shadows, a combo angled/blending brush and a clear eyebrow mascara.
The possibilities are endless with this little kit and the demo held by Francesca Neill sealed the deal.

These are products to keep an eye out for, and I know I can’t wait to try them all!
The Lasting Perfection range is in-stores now, as are the Work The Colour Eyeshadow palettes.
The Work The Colour Eyebrow Kit, nail polishes and bronzers will be available from March/April.

You can find Collection products in Superdrug and Boots.