As a self-confessed beauty addict I'm always looking for the latest thing or the newest brand. The only downside to exploring the latest products is that they are often accompanied by a hefty price tag.
So when I was contacted to try out one of Superdrug's newest brands, Trouble Maker, I was intrigued - particularly after seeing the prices of their products start at just £2.
Designed to be fun and experimental with gentle formulas for all ages and skin types, the brand offers everything from base products like primer, foundation and concealer to vibrant eyeshadow palettes, plumping lip glosses and highlighter.
I picked a range of products for a full face of makeup, starting with the Get a Grip Gift Set, which includes the Genius Grip Primer and Genius Grip Setting Mist with Snug for £10.
The primer is clear with a tacky texture - ideal for sticking down foundation and arming it with staying power. I wasn't overly enthusiastic about the scent, which smelled a bit like plastic but it worked well under makeup and did appear to have the desired effect.
I also used the blurring primer in the Trouble Maker Stick Together Gift Set, which is an excellent kit with five great products retailing at £15). I used it on my T-zone and areas with visible pores and it reminded me of the Benefit Porefessional Primer.
Next, inspired by South Korean beauty with a concept designed to mimic natural skin, I tested the Button Pusher Air Cushion Foundation, formulated with niacinamide, blueberry extract, ginger root extract + aloe juice for balanced, radiant, protected + hydrated skin.
I found the coverage pretty light but buildable. I wasn't keen on the puff included in the compact but found that the foundation applied well with other brushes in my kit.
For extra coverage I layered on the Ditto Radiant Concealer, which retails at just £4! I was really impressed with the concealer, it was creamy and buildable, and also had a great shaped applicator to apply the product.
I gave my whole face a dusting of the Overcooked Baked Bronzer and found it to be really forgiving, in that it gave my face a healthy glow and appeared to help cover and blur any imperfections. With my face sitting nicely, I used a cream blush stick from the set mentioned above and loved the shade. As sold on the website, it blended really well and I tried applying it with both a brush and my fingers. It melted onto my cheeks and left a healthy glow, I also applied a little on my nose for a rosy look.
For eyes I was testing out the Love Note Little Trouble Eyeshadow Palette (£4) and I was pretty blown away for the price. The shadows were a great range and could be used to create a subtle or more extravagant look using the glitters. They blended excellently and worked well together. I think if they were in different packaging the eyeshadows could easily pass for something much more expensive.
The mascara defined my eyelashes well but didn't do much in terms of lengthening or thickening - but for £2.50 and a teenager who is experimenting with makeup for the first time it's perfect. I'd rate the eyebrow pencil pretty highly, with a spoolie and great colour it will be a permanent new addition to my makeup bag.
Trying out the lip products I discovered a new favourite lip balm. The Peculiar Peptide Lip Balm is glossy with a great amount of colour while also being really wearable and non-sticky. I tried a few shades but my favourite had to be Vanilla Nude.
I also tested a couple of the Feral Teddy Mystery Lip Glosses and was pretty impressed - the colours look quite vibrant but were really wearable. I enjoyed the tingle of the lip plumping ingredient too!
Overall I was genuinely shocked by the quality and value of the products I'd tried from Trouble Maker. The youthful packaging and cheeky naming of the products almost undersells and limits it to a younger audience than me but it needn't have to - it was really great and I'm officially a convert.