Luxury vs Affordable: Ysl 'Touche éclat' vs 'Wow Concealer' by Seventeen Cosmetics

Hello Gorgeous! 

When it comes to buying makeup , Do luxury products really perform better than those at the drugstore?

That's what we are about to find out!
It has been so long since I last posted (Moving house is a big bag of stress balls) but Im back with a new mini series and we are going to be putting make-up to the test! Im going to be breaking down both luxury and affordable products to see which performs better according to lasting effect, colour, blend ability and all round fantasticalness.

Over the years, I have been a massive fan of 'Touche éclat' by YSL and it soon became one of my holy grail handbag go-to's that I just could not live without. But at £25 a pop, I was on the hunt for a drugstore dupe that could work just as well to brighten and lighten those dark circles. Luckily,  I recently came across the 'WOW' Concealer from Seventeen Cosmetics, and at a fraction of the price (£4.99) I was eager to give it a go. 

Highlight/Concealer sticks are perfect to use on the go and are great to apply under the eyes for an extra brighten boost. They are also really handy to slot into your makeup bag and handbag and can be used over and underneath your makeup.

At first glance, both products look similar.
The first thing I noticed was the difference in weight. The YSL highlighter was significantly heavier than the more affordable alternative making it feel more luxurious. I think it would also be good to mention that you get the same amount of product in each bottle (2.5ml). When it comes to the brush, The YSL brush is slightly shorter and the bristles are also somewhat more densely packed than Seventeen's.

As we can see from the pictures (below) both products are different in terms of tone. I picked up the shade number '1' in the 'Touche éclat' and the lightest shade 'Fair' in the Wow Concealer. The luxury option is a lot more pink in tone which helps neutralise any blue or purple under the eyes compared to the affordable option which is more of a yellow base to help brighten and cancel any redness.

When applied, both products are applied in the same way, by using the pump up applicator and is then applied straight to the eye area.  During application, The consistency of the 'WOW' concealer is certainly a lot thicker and also dries very easily on the skin. This needs to be blended quickly so that  it doesn't turn patchy. If left for too long, I found that I ended up having to heavily drag the product around the eye area in order to try and blend it out properly . In Contrast, The YSL Concealer is light in consistency which is super easy to work with, blends seamlessly and it didn't cake or dry out.

In terms of coverage, I would say that both are pretty equal however the WOW concealer did have that edge. It proved to brighten my under eyes a little more compared to the other which gave more of a natural look. 

Throughout the course of the day, both concealers did last pretty well! I did notice however that the Seventeen Concealer stick did crease after a couple of hours and I did have to blend it out with a beauty blender to try to combat concealer lines.  On the other hand, Touche éclat was long lasting and I was able to apply it hours later without the use of a mirror and still blended out beautifully.

Overall, I would say that both products didn't disappoint but personally 'Touch éclat' will always be my favourite. For those who want good coverage and an affordable option,  I would absolutely recommend anyone to try out the Wow Concealer from Seventeen Cosmetics. But in Terms of performance and how easy the product was to apply, YSL wins it for me! 

Keep an eye out for the next Luxury VS Affordable post as it will be coming VERY soon!

Stay Golden! 

Love

Paige
xxxx 

Disclaimer:
This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% Honest and my own.  The Seventeen Cosmetics Concealer was sent as a PR sample. 

Learning To Love My Body: The Good. The Bad And The Ugly.

Dear,
 This old picture of me in a bikini.
You are capable of loving your body,

Its time to start believing it. 

You may not be six foot tall or have an eight pack or only eat kale for breakfast lunch and dinner but its okay, Ive got your back.

......

Growing up, I was never scared to get my kit off.

 Now that may sound a bit of an eyeopener but it is true.
As a performer,  I was surrounded by people who wouldn't think twice about changing infront of each other and would never shy away from getting the old bits and bobs out and we would be proud to show them off!

These pictures are from when I was probably the happiest with my body..... I have never been stick thin or had super hot pins but I was confident in my own skin.
 So what changed.....

Ever since the good old hormones kicked in and my body was changing, I have always been subconscious about my legs. They were always very muscular and they were always referred to by others as 'tree trunks'. No matter how much I would try laugh it off,  but It would still eat away at me.

 My legs have always been a part of my body that I have always wanted to hide. 

When it comes to style picks, my favourite friend has aways been the trusty maxi dress. For years, I have been tucking my body into a maxi- pretending that I actually made an effort when all I did was to hide the part of my body that I hated the most. Don't get me wrong, that wasn't the only reason, but it did make me feel a lot more confident with my body hidden.

It became increasingly apparent that I hated the way my body looked.
My instant reaction was...

 'Well....If I could just loose a couple of stone then I would be so much happier'.

That is bullshit....
don't ever listen to that little demon in your head.
If I've thought this once, Ive thought this a thousand times over.  If weight is the only thing that is getting you down, then yes, absolutely, find a healthy way to get fit but to think that by being thin, this will make you somehow a happier person... I am not convinced.. even though I have tried to believe over the years that it was true. Its not.

Why do we criticise ourselves so much? Why do we pressure ourselves in getting that perfect 'Summer Body'

Do you think the lady sat with her boobies out on the lounge chair cares? Or the man in the tight pair of Speedos over at the bar drinking Stella Artois? 

I dont think so. 

I began to realise that we don't seem to notice other peoples body hangups because are so caught up with our own insecurities. I may not look like a complete supermodel in a bikini but who cares?

Its all about acceptance!

Accepting that as someone who is 5ft 2 and a half.....Im never going to look like Gigi Hadid or Kendall Jenner and I may never be able to wear a pair of jeans, that I won't need to roll the legs up a few times over but thats the beauty of it... We are are different for a reason.

 If we were all the same that would be boring and we need to start realising it.
We are all special!
So from now on I'm setting myself and everyone reading this right now a challenge.... Its time to start loving ourselves and treating our bodies with respect.

To kick off the challenge, Mention one thing you like about your body everyday. Whether it's just a mental note to yourself or write it down somewhere so you that you can look back at it and it make you smile.

You are capable of loving your body! You just have to start believing it.

Thanks to Kim Kardashian.....my big arse is now a fashion statement,  So today I'm embracing my wobbly bits and I'm proud of my curves......first note written down.

'Does my bum look big in this' is a question I am no longer afraid of.  Cheers Kim.

So for the future...

Do I continue to search for longsleevedwideleglegturtleneckjumpsuit when looking online for a night out outfit or do I buckle myself in and jump about the Self love, get your body out train

 ( I don't quite mean your lady bits) but a little more skin wouldn't hurt.

I know which train I'd like to be on!

Stay Golden!

Love

Paige 

xxx

How To Get Your Life In Order Over The Weekend

                                                                 

Thank Goodness its Friday!

 For a lot of us the weekend is a time that we can wind down after what may be a stressful week at work.

I always feel like the weekend flies by and before you know it its Sunday night again and you are having to prepare for the week ahead. This post will hopefully make things a little easier and help you get on top of things over the weekend!

Pamper yourself

Start with whats most important. yourself of course!
Take a bit of timeout and indulge. Whether that's having a warm candlelit bubble bath, getting round to painting your nails or drowning yourself in moisturiser, you deserve it!

Write a set of daily goals no matter how big or small

Are you a Procrastination King or Queen?
Writing down goals and to do lists can help to motivate and do things you can easily forget about or leave until last minute. Got to put that Pile of Laundry away? Got errands to run? Fancy escaping to a dessert island for a month?
Write it down!

Get some fresh air

 Taking 20 minutes out of your day to get outside and go for a walk or a run or a skip (whatever your into) is an effective way to reflect on the previous week. This is also a great time to relieve any stress as exercise releases Endorphin's which makes us feel instantly happier! Yipeee!

Get the tunes on!

Music can be a great motivator!
Sick of Cleaning up? Cant really be bothered? Create a playlist. Just think about it... 5 songs into your playlist....that's over 15 minutes of Cleaning Time! Tidying up may not be that bad after all!

Lets Meditate

Meditation is a fab way to unwind and leave all of your worries behind.
 It only takes a few minutes and can help boost your focus, attention and your ability to work under stress as well as many other benefits!

Reward Yourself 

Had your eye on that dress in the window? Fancy a cocktail (or mocktail) or two with your nearest and dearest? Go For it!
 There is nothing more satisfying than rewarding yourself for all the hard work you put in! Go on your worth it!

How do you stay motivated? Comment below! 

Paige xxx

My Top 5 Xmas Make-up Gift Sets

Happy Monday! Christmas is almost here and if you are like me and leave Xmas shopping until last minute then take a little look at this! I have put together my top 5 favourite make up gift set's which you can buy for a loved one or as a little treat for yourself!

All links to products are included below!

xXx

Yves Saint Laurent Gift Set

£50.00

This gorgeous gift set is perfect for a lady who loves luxury makeup. This set contains three must-have products including the cult favourite 'Touche eclat' as well as a mascara and serum.

Loreal Smokey Gift Set

£20.99

This set is a great for those party girls among us! This pretty much includes everything you need for Christmas party season and for the price tag.....its definitely worth it!

Charlotte Tilbury Miss Kensington Set

 £190.00

For those who love to splurge on make up and lust over luxury, look no further than Charlotte Tilbury. This limited edition gift set is sure to put a smile on a loved ones face......or yours!

Benefit Gift Set

£33.00

Get those heels on and get your hands on this cute gift set from Benefit. Party all night long with peoples favourite 'Hoola Bronzer' and the award winning 'They're Real' mascara. 

Soap and Glory gift set

£40.00

This is the perfect gift for all you Soap and Glory lovers out there! What more could you want?


Xx