One of my pet hates as a beauty blogger is when I see people saying things like "you have to use high end brands to have your makeup look good". I'm not saying that high end brands aren't amazing. I have and use a whole lot of them myself. I just hate people thinking that they have to spend huge amount of money to look good. I've picked out five of my favourite bargain beauty buys to prove that being on a budget doesn't mean looking bad!

1. Models Prefer Matte Nude Shadows ($10.00)

There's no denying that the Urban Decay Naked palettes had a huge influence on these Models Prefer Palettes. The style is almost identical but at only $10, the Models Prefer versions are definitely friendlier to your bank account. These usually get released around Christmas but you can usually find them all year round, especially in the quieter Pricelines. This one is full of lovely warm nudes and although the quality isn't quite on par with the Urban Decay ones, they aren't bad at all!

2. Essence Make Me Brow ($5.10)

I probably spend as long doing my brows as I do on the whole rest of my face sometimes! I love brow products and Make Me Brow is no exception. It's a great dupe for the famous Benefit Gimme Brow (which I also love) but for a fraction of the price. It comes in two shades and the formula contains micro-fibres to give brows volume and fill in any patches. Well worth the $5!

3. Maybelline Master Precise Liner ($15.95)

I am a slave to winged liners and this one is my old faithful. I know that I can always pull off a sharp wing in seconds. It's easy to use, easy to clean up and stays put all day. I've heard some negative reviews of this but for me, it's always been a winner and it still comes in under $20. 

4. Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick ($13.95)

Rimmel always kill it when it comes to lipsticks. They're well-priced, come in an enormous range of colours and look amazing on. My personal favourites are the Lasting Finish ones, just because they do have slightly better staying power. The Limited Edition Rose Gold Anniversary lipsticks are out at the moment with three reds and three nudes, if you needed any more motivation to buy!

5. Rimmel Scandaleyes Reloaded Mascara ($17.95)

I wasn't too much of a fan of the original version of this mascara but the Reloaded one is so much better. The brush is really fat and fluffy so it gives loads of volume without looking too overdone. I really like how full it makes my lashes look and it doesn't clump up or flake off. It's one of my current favourite every day mascaras.

What are your favourite budget beauty buys?

Dani XO

Products in this post were provided as PR samples but, as always, my opinions are my own. 

I won't bore you again with how much I love Rimmel. Instead, I'm just going to launch straight into the lastest Rimmel releases and what I love about them.

Moisture Renew Sheer & Shine Lipsticks ($13.95)

These new lipsticks are a sister product to the original Moisture Renew Lipsticks. The original lippies were super bold and pigmented where the new range is sheer but they're both amazingly moisturising with a whole bunch of vitamins for hydration. I honestly didn't think I would like these at all but the colour are amazing and easy to build up. They're glossy and last surprisingly well, even leaving a little hint of colour once the gloss has gone. The only thing I don't like is the strange scent, it's quite a strong floral type scent that I'm personally not a fan of. Apart from that, these are real winners for me!

Dani the Girl XO gives the Moisture Renew Sheer & Shine Lipsticks:

Good to Glow Highlighter in Soho Glow ($12.95)

I love a good multi-tasker and this new illuminator and highlighter is a new favourite for me. You can use it as a glow base, highlighter or even eyeshadow. You can even mix a little into foundation for a dewy finish. Soho Glow is a warmer, bronzy tone whereas the other shade, Notting Hill Glow, is more of a pearly pink. Both shades are gorgeous but I think Soho Glow works a little better for my skin tone. 

Dani the Girl XO gives the Good to Glow Highlighter:

Brow this Way Highlighter in Pink Matte ($9.95)

THe absolute creamiest brow pencil I have ever come across! This is meant to be a brow highlighter but I've also been using it as an eyeliner in my water line for the days I don't get enough sleep. It's so easy to blend and just brightens everything up. It does come in a Gold Shimmer shade too but I think the Pink Matte shade is a lot more versatile. 

Dani the Girl XO gives the Brow this Way Highlighter:

Have you been keeping up with the Rimmel new releases?

Dani xo
 

Products in this post were provided as PR samples but, as always, my opinion is my own. 

I don't think it needs to be said that I am a big Rimmel fan. Alright, a HUGE Rimmel fan! I was really excited to hear about this new offering because it's something quite unique. I'm pretty lucky that I have nice lashes to start with but everyone can use a little help, right?

Rimmel Wonder'full Volume Colourist Mascara ($18.95)

This looks pretty much like any other mascara you might come across in Priceline (or Walgreens, Boots, Superdrug etc). It has a really nice tapered brush, making it easy to get right into the corner lashes and fully coat the bottom lashes too. The formula is quite wet but applied nicely. It doesn't give a huge amount of volume but looks good for everyday makeup.

The big selling point for this mascara is that it actually tints your lashes! I thought this was a pretty unique feature as I hadn't heard of anything similar before. I was pretty skeptical, especially as my lashes are black anyway. I decided to give it a go and wear just this mascara for two weeks to see if the claims were true. By the end of the two weeks, I was blown away. The very light tips of my lashes were definitely darker and even without any mascara, my lashes looked amazing. 

The only downside I found was that this mascara is quite easy to smudge. I almost never have problems with smudging, so I was quite surprised to find how easily I moved this around. Hello, panda eyes! 

Dani the Girl XO gives the Rimmel Wonder'full Volume Colourist Mascara:

Have you tried this tinting mascara yet?

Dani XO

Most ladies know the struggle of trying that is get ready in the morning with minimal time and effort. I've managed to get my morning routine down to a fine art. Even though I do occasionally switch things up and try new products, I've put together a few products that are pretty much fail-safe.

Benefit Porefessional License to Blot ($35.00)

A fool-proof way to prime! Simply open, wind up, swipe over your face and use your fingers to blend.

Rimmel Insta Flawless ($13.95)

Whether you only want a light base or whether you want something more robust under your BB cream or foundation, this tinted moisturiser covers imperfections and gives a healthy glow. Maximum results with minimum effort.

Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream ($15.95)

For a BB cream, this gives amazing coverage and lasts all day. It's specially designed for oily to combination skin. It's my favourite drugstore BB cream, you don't even need a brush to apply it, although I do prefer to use one. 

Rimmel Clear Complexion Powder ($12.95)

Not only does this keep your skin fresh and matte all day, it also adds just enough extra coverage. It's a mineral based powder that's excellent for anyone who suffers from breakouts.

Thin Lizzy 6-in-1 Powder ($49.95 for kit)

The perfect multi-tasker, this powder can be used for everything from contouring to eyeshadow to bronzing. Saves time and saves having to use different products! 

Rimmel Sculpting Palette ($16.95)

Another excellent multi-tasker, this palette contains a blush, bronzer and highlighter AND you can also use the colours for eyeshadows if you're in a rush. 

Maybelline Colossal Extreme Leather ($19.95)

Big lashes in one swipe with the least amount of effort possible. 

Maybelline Brow Satin ($16.95)

Creamy pencil on one end to outline and define, powder in a foam dispensed on the other to fill in. The easiest, quickest way to get great eyebrows, fast!

Essence Make Me Brow ($5.10)

This gel is tinted and contains tiny fibres to help plump out your brows. One quick swipe of this is all you need to fill in and keep your brows in place all day.

What are your everyday favourites?

Dani XO