August Beauty Haul | Spectrum, Nip + Fab, NYX & more

Unusual for me, I know, but I wasn't sure if I'd be doing a beauty haul post this month! Last month I picked up quite a few things and was a bit spendy, so this month has been quieter.

Although I picked up two little bits from Beauty Bay right at the start of the month and then a couple more things when the NYX stand opened at my local Boots store, it didn't seem enough for a post.

But then, I was lucky enough to win a competition on Twitter from Leah of Devoted to Pink and suddenly I had enough goodies for this post! So here is my August beauty haul...

Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day Setting Spray

This was what I purchased from BeautyBay (along with a Makeup Geek single shadow in 'Shimma Shimma', which I depotted straight into my Mac custom quad) and I have to say, it's literally the best new beauty item I've tried for ages.

At the moment I'm cycling to work, and although it's not a massive distance, I can be pretty dishevelled by the time I get there! This stuff makes sure all my handiwork with the makeup brushes doesn't go to waste. It's the best setting spray I've tried.

There are four or five different scents available and this one is Jasmine. It's normally a scent I love but I find it a bit overpowering here so next time  I'd be tempted to go for one of the fresher variants, like Green Tea.

But this stuff is so amazing and I already know I'll be repurchasing as soon as it runs out.

Bumble and Bumble Pret a Powder

I've been curious about this for a while, so I got myself a travel size version to test out. It was another love at first use situation!

This is a fine powder that you massage into the hair. It gives great volume, mops up any greasiness at the roots and adds a bit of texture. It's invisible when rubbed in, so even dark-haired girls like me don't have to fear that dreaded residue!

What I love most about it is that it doesn't leave any kind of a coating on the hair. I've used a similar product from Batiste before, but although I really liked the effect, it left a horrid sticky residue behind that made me feel like I needed to wash my hair again. I can't stand anything that leaves a sticky feel.

So this stuff is a lot better and performs really well - plus a little goes a very long way.

NYX Micro Brow Pencil - Expresso

So I was overjoyed when the Boots in my home city FINALLY got a NYX stand - it must have been one of the last in the country. I like NYX and have ordered online in the past but with things like this, I never know what shade to order, so I wanted to try them out in person.

This brow pencil is a renowned dupe for the Anastasia Brow Wiz, and I think it's every bit as good. One end houses an ultra-fine pencil which is amazing for outlining and drawing very precise, realistic hairs, and the other side is a spoolie for grooming.

It just works fantastically well, especially if you have sparse brows like me and struggle to make some brow products look natural.

There is a huge range of shades available as well, so it's easy to find a perfect match. An excellent product and well worth a go if you like the Anastasia version or are just looking for a great brow pencil.

NYX Dark Circle Corrector

A lot of people suffer from dark circles and I'm certainly one of them!

Even though Theo sleeps through the night now, I'm still a very light sleeper and so is Seb so it's not unusual for us to be up in the night. I bought this not knowing what to expect, but I'm really impressed with it.

It's an orange tinted cream formula that cancels out the purplish colour of your dark circles, and the formula contains coconut oil to moisturise and ensure it doesn't go cakey and China clay. It really perks up the eye area and lasts well without creasing.

I love to layer this with my Mac Pro Longwear Concealer and then you'd hardly know I'd had less than a perfect eight hours!

NYX Macaron Lipstick - Violet

You might have seen this in my recent post on what I wore to the East Mids Meet Up. It's a bit of a bolder choice than I'm used to, but I absolutely love it.

Somehow, I'd gotten it into my head that I really wanted to try a bright purple lipstick. The trick was finding one that hit a balance between bold and wearable.

I found a shade Mac did called 'Asian Flower' that looked perfect, but when I went into the store they said that was a limited edition from a while back. None of the purples they had in the permanent collection seemed right - I wanted something really bright.

So when I found this shade on the NYX counter it was a definite must-try. The Macaron collection has some really wild shades like grey, turquoise and bright yellow- this is one of the less challenging ones!

The formula is really pigmented and very creamy, so it's nice to wear. I've dyed my hair a bit darker so I think the colour really pops.

Ardell Baby Wispies

I found my new everyday lash! Yes - I am one of those sad people that wears lashes almost every day, but I don't like them to look too over the top.

Some of my favourite lashes are the Ardell Demi Wispies and these are a shorter, more understated version that are perfect to wear when you want to pretty up without looking too dramatic.

They have a clear band, which I much prefer as you don't need to disguise it with eyeliner. The finish is soft and feathery and adds a really nice amount of definition.

I've ordered several pairs now through my favourite website for lashes to keep me stocked up!

So that was all I bought myself this month - it's not a lot for me! But then I was lucky enough to win these items as a prize.

St Moritz Tanning Mousse

I'm very shy about tanning products and I've only ever really used wash off ones as I'm so terrified of going orange and streaky! However, I have heard good things about this range. It's supposed to perform as well as quite a few high-end tans and to develop into a realistic colour. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and try it in a few weeks when the last of my summer colour has faded away!

Chupa Chups Lip Smacker

How cute is this? No, it's not a lollipop, it's a lipgloss. Inside the 'stick' is a wand, and the 'lollipop' is full of a fruity clear gloss. It's a really sweet novelty, and for those of us who grew up with Chupa Chups as kids it's a big dose of nostalgia too.

Barry M Coconut Infusion Nail Paint 

I've tried and really liked the Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine polishes before - Lychee and Almond were two of my most worn shades last summer - but I haven't tried this new formula before.

These polishes contain a blend of coconut water and coconut oil to keep nails hydrated while delivering a glossy finish. It feels like a lot of companies are jumping on coconut as a buzz ingredient but I haven't seen it in a nail polish yet and I'm excited to try this out properly.

The shade is 'Sunkissed', a beautiful beige that's ideal for that clean, mannequin nails effect. nude nails are one of my favourite looks, so I'll definitely be putting this to great use.

OGX Nourishing+ Coconut Milk Shampoo

Continuing on with the coconut theme, my prize also contained this shampoo. I have heard amazing things about the OGX brand and I know some are real devotees of their products.

This formula also contains ultra whipped egg proteins, which really help to strengthen and rebuild damaged hair. In fact, one of my favourite hair treatments is to apply a couple of raw eggs to my hair. It's very messy and when a friend first introduced me to it as a teenager I was so sceptical but it made a massive difference to my hair- much more so than the expensive conditioners and masks I had been using!

So I know the power of eggs on the hair, but this is a much nicer, less messy way of using them. I'm looking forward to giving this a go.

Nip + Fab Soften Kale Fix Clay Mask

Is there no limit to the super powers of kale and coconut? These two ingredients seem to be taking over the world of beauty at the moment, and the good green stuff has made it into this face mask as well.

It's a purifying mask that's also hydrating, which I like the sound of as clay masks can sometimes dry my skin out too much. The Kale Fix Clay Mask is enriched with Witch Hazel and minerals while an advanced moisture complex restores the skin's barrier function and regulates water loss to leave soft, glowing skin.

I love a good face mask on a Sunday night in the bath and Nip + Fab is one of my favourite skin care brands, so I'm looking forward to trying this.

Spectrum Brush Set

I've seen and heard so much about Spectrum and marvelled over their super pretty brushes on social media, so it's great to be able to try them for myself.

These brushes are from the forthcoming 'Bombshell' set, which features a brush set with pink handles, gold ferrules and pink ombré brush heads in an iridescent clamshell carry case.

These brushes are all super quality. There's a dense, slanted face brush, an oval contouring brush, a dense shading brush for eyes and a fluffier blending brush for eyes. They're very pretty and girly but all very functional too.

MUA Luxe Whipped Velvet Bronze Majestic Gild 

I was just saying I wanted to try out a cream-based bronzer, so this was a lovely thing to receive. It feels very soft and lightweight to wear, but gives a beautiful gilded finish to the cheeks. Ideal for sculpted looking cheekbones!

It looks quite dark in the pot, but sheers out beautifully when applied. The texture is gorgeous and although I don't usually wear shimmery bronzer this is so nice for summer, it may well change my mind.

Best of all, despite being a really nice formula, this is only £3 which is insane!

Soap and Glory Gloss Stick 3D Volume Lip Shine 

Trying new lip products is one of my favourite aspects of beauty, and this Gloss Stick didn't disappoint. I know it's all about a matte lip at the moment, but I will always prefer a satin or a gloss - it's just so much more flattering.

These are a new offering from Soap and Glory. They promise 'a push up bra for your lips' with creamy, moisturising colour and 'shine & shaping technology'. Pre-peptides and a plumping complex makes lips appear bigger with none of the 'tingle' I know some people really dislike in a lot of lip-plumpers.

I find this formula really lovely to wear - hydrating, non-sticky and a lovely colour. This shade is 'Pink-A-Boo' and it's a really easy to wear pretty shade.

I'd definitely collect more of the colours as this feels and looks great, plus the angled-tip crayon is super convenient.

So, I ended up having quite a haul despite thinking I didn't have much! What have you been buying this month? X