Behold, Ladies and Gentleman, for I am here to discuss a blusher that cost ONE POUND. Yes, really...


...Poundland have their own cosmetics range. Who knew?! Chit Chat is the seriously premium cosmetics brand from the chain where everything costs the hefty price of £1.

It's not actually that bad. That's a compliment. I really didn't expect a great deal from a product that cost so little, but it's not bad at all.

It really isn't the most pigmented of blushers available, but for a pound, what do you expect? That does mean that you have to use a little more to get a visible effect... But again, for a pound, is that really such a terrible thing?

The shade I tried is 'Blossom'. It's really subtle, quite shimmery and has a bit of a highlighting effect; which is great if you're looking for something a little less 'matte'.

When you look at it, it's deceptively pale. My photo definitely fails to give the paleness justice. I thought that such a light shade would struggle to stand out at all. However, as you can see from the extreme close-up*, it's definitely visible.

Poundshops and I have a bit of a tenuous relationship because they're brimming with bargains, which is great, except I'm a bit of a snob... But I'm definitely willing to swallow my pride if products like this are on offer. It's honestly quite good for the price and I am considerably more impressed with it than I thought I would be.

I do believe that there are an array of different shades; so there's plenty to cater for everyone, regardless of skin tone!

Get yourselves down to the pound shop and grab a bargain! (If you're not a massive snob too, that is...)

*Where I appear to be pulling a weird face. I'm blaming my LED camera light; it's way too bright to be able to pull normal faces in photographs.

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*I lied. Sorry.

Surely you've heard of this? I've been meaning to mention this in my monthly favourites for ages, but keep on forgetting! So, here is a proper post all about it...


Real Techniques are a brand that I am really beginning to love and trust. I've already mentioned the sponge in my June Favourites. Which, if you've not already read, you can find here.

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that this makes your foundation look amazing. Products which you'd usually apply with your fingers look ten times better when applied with this brush. According to Sam Chapman, one of those behind Real Techniques, you can use this to apply powder and blusher too.

The brush is made from synethic bristles, which are 100% cruelty-free, just in case you were worried about having animal testing on your conscience. The bristles are also firm and broad, which makes it perfect for applying both liquid and cream foundations. It seems to be really soft and gentle too, which ensures that it doesn't aggravate any dry or sensitive skin patches.

The handle's quite chunky so it's relatively easy to grip; and it's made of Aluminium, so isn't heavy at all. Just in case you were previously struggling under the extreme weight of your old makeup brushes...

You can really buff the product into your skin without it looking 'cakey' by the time you've finished. (I don't want the nickname 'Cakey Katie'...) This brush is absolutely great for preventing over-application of foundation, which is so easy to do with your fingers. The finish it leaves is beautiful and this is the only foundation brush I've ever used that doesn't leave streaks!

Granted, it looks quite small, but you can quickly apply product across your whole face with ease. It's also not like traditional foundation brushes: The bristles are a rounded bundle rather than a flat bunch of lacklustre fibres.

Back in the day, before I discovered Real Techniques, I applied foundation with my fingers... A sin, I know... However, I've used this pretty much every day since I picked it up in July. I wash it weekly and it's still in perfect condition. Bristles aren't falling out (which is one of my pet hates) and it's not deteriorating in any other way.

Brushes from the Real Techniques range are colour-coded too, which is really handy!
Gold = Base brushes. 

The brush costs £9.99 in Boots, which I know is quite pricey; and that's what initially dissuaded me from buying it, but... Once you've tried it, you realise it's genuinely worth the price!

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This is pretty much a self-explanatory post, to be honest! You can now become a fan of Katie Writes on Facebook! How exciting is that?

(Not very, you could argue, but please don't; because I'll cry if you do).

So, those of you who aren't on Bloglovin', Instagram or Twitter can now get updates straight through Facebook. Become a fan and get my incessant ramblings delivered straight to your news feed...


Go on! You know you want to!

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 On Friday when I reviewed some foundation I called it 'Foundation Friday' and I'm not ashamed to call today 'Mascara Monday' either...


To call this an understated product is such an understatement. It's one that I've overlooked for years, if I'm honest. It's one of those great 'traditional' mascaras that's been on shelves for as long as you can remember and that's really stood the test of time.

The packaging, for starters, is something that's really quite hard to miss. It's a bit...garish, potentially? Bright pink and lime green...? Although, maybe I shouldn't be judging this book by its cover.

Maybelline have a good history of making bestseller mascaras. Great Lash is cheap, it's good and it does exactly what it says on the tin... Even if that 'tin' is so brightly coloured that you practically need sunglasses just to glance at it.

The brush is pretty bog standard. (Not bog brush. Don't apply your mascara with one of those, please. Imagine the germs, not to mention the panda eyes.) It's fibrous, not a 'show-off-y' plastic one and the shape is pretty standard too. As you can see from the third picture, I've compared the wand with Max Factor's False Lash Effect. The MF one has plastic bristles, as opposed to Maybelline's traditional fibre ones.

If you prefer a chunkier wand, you might be better off with a different product. Although, this would be great for coating your lower lashes, even if you don't use it for anything else.

There aren't even weird or science-y boasts about this product and with some of the stuff that cosmetics companies come out with nowadays, maybe that's a breath of fresh air?

I've been using the shade Blackest Black, but you can also buy Black/Brown, if that's more your cup of tea. There's also a waterproof option on offer too, for those who prefer that! They like to call Blackest Black 'Ultra Noir', because it sounds quite posh.

It's not going to leave you with lashes that look too dramatic, which makes it great for using as a daytime mascara. Like with Rimmel's new Wonder'Full mascara, you might need something with a little more 'oomph' for nights out. Also like Wonder'Full, it also promises to condition your lashes. I'm not sure whether or not it's worked for me...

There's nothing special about it and maybe that's what makes it so good? Brand after brand bring out new mascaras that claim to do all these fancy things for you and sometimes they fail to deliver. With this you're unlikely to be disappointed because it doesn't bang on needlessly about giving your lashes loads of volume or making them look false.

Now I will admit that I did suffer from a little bit of smudging under my eyes after a few hours. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know how much I despise smudgy mascaras... It wasn't too bad and seeing as the mascara's so cheap, I'm willing to let it off. I even managed to get away without suffering from the dreaded 'clumpiness', which is brilliant for such a budget mascara.

Great Lash retails for £4.99 and it is a little smaller than your average mascara tube... Size isn't everything, after all. You can pick it up in drugstores and probably even the odd supermarket too!

If you're looking for a good mascara that's not going to cost the earth, then this is one to seriously consider.

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