Showing posts with label January. Show all posts
Showing posts with label January. Show all posts
First up are two foundations which I have been a fan of for a long time now right from when I first started wearing makeup. I have wrote a few blog posts about Rimmel foundations over the years and I had used up all my bottles in the past and hadn't repurchased any in a while. The current foundations in my collections just weren't doing it for my this past month so I used the Rimmel 2for12 pound -my pound sign on my laptop isn't working :(- promotion and picked up formulas I know work for me. The Lasting Finish 25 hour and the Match Perfection foundations are both easy to wear, blendable long wearing foundations which I know no matter what my face is doing on the day, this foundation will work. I'll keep you updated gals!
I've also picked up the Nyx Tame and Frame tinted brow pomade in Brunette to try since I think it is time I joined the pomade hype. Late to the game I know but I have never really been too fuzzed about brows since I'v had big boys for years, but lately they seem to look a little more sparse then normal so I think I need some help. I haven't tried it yet so I can't give you my opinion on it, lets just hope the the colour works for me!
I thought it was about time I started looking after my skin now I am 24 this year so I picked up the Clinique Pep Start Eye Cream to try and see if I like it. Whether or not I will remember to use it every day I don't know but I'm excited to give it a whirl.
Lastly I was given the Urban Decay Naked Flush palette from a friend for Christmas and I've been so busy this month I haven't actually took it out of the box yet... I'm sorry. I am really going to focus working this into my daily routine and see how I get on with it. I love Urban Decay's eye shade palettes so I know I will like the blush and contour shades, I just need to see if the shades work for me!
I have spoken before about how much I love a striped back skincare routine and through January I have had three firm favourites that have helped over haul my skin. Firstly I have been trying out properly the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm which I picked up back in November . I have spoke before about how I didn't like it at first as I felt you had to break the first layer of product to really be able to pick up any balm, well I have well and truly broke the seal now and I love this cleanser. I use it in the mornings to wash my face, in the evening to take my makeup off and all over my face except for my eyes. It does say you can use this product on the eyes but having sensitive eyes myself, I find it makes the area quite dry. The cleanser breaks down makeup really easily and leaves my skin feeling super clean. The product is really smooth and nourishing on the skin so my face never feels striped after using it which I can find with some balms. I got into using this product daily at the start of January and I have used it every day since and love it.
After Christmas my skin didn't want to co-operate at all and I had mountain after mountain appear on my chin so I decided to try something new. The L'oreal Pure Clay Masks have been floating around everywhere recently and having a real obsession with masks I wanted to try one of them. I opted for the Charcoal Detox Mask to really clear my skin of all the gunk that had been clogging it. Since purchasing it about 2 weeks ago I have used this mask twice a week and since then, my chin has completely turn around. The spots on my chin were big puss spots which I would pop and then they would reappear. The worst thing about them was that no amount of makeup would cover them which I hated. Since using this mask the spots have become less angry, less puss fill and are slowly going away so it has saved my skin this month.
Lastly I mentioned in my January Favourites post that I don't change up my moisturisers very much but since the start of January I have fell in love with a new moisturiser which I have now sadly ran out of. It is the Lush Gorgeous Moisturiser which I had a little tester pot for from Christmas. Since trying it at the beginning of January I have used it nearly every day since because it is the perfect moisturiser to wear underneath foundation. You don't need a lot of product for it to do its job, it leaves your skin tacky at first so doubles as a primer for your foundation and if you leave it to sink into the skin, it leaves it feeling really smooth and soft. If I wasn't on a spending ban I would go and repurchase it straight away but sadly since I am, I will have to make my way through my remaining pots first before I can justify buying any more.
Do you have any products you have tried in January you would recommend?
It feels crazy to be writing my January Favourites already when it feels like just yesterday I was writing my yearly favourites for 2016. It is scary how fast the first month of this year has gone by but it excites me so much because that means I can move into my new home sooner! Oh yeah I haven't told you that I have been accepted for a mortgage with Cal for our first home! I am beyond excited but anyway on with favourites.
A friend of mine gave me a sample of the Mac's Prep and Prime Skin Base to try this month and I haven't used anything else since trying it. This has become my favourite ever skin primer and it makes me quite sad that my new favourite product is a £23 primer but it is worth it. It leaves my skin super smooth, super healthy and glistening with sparkles which you might think isn't what you want on a day to day basis but it works. It works more like a moisturiser than a primer which is why it works so good everyday.
It is very hard for me to change up my skincare routine as I am a creature of habit but the Lush Gergous Moisturiser has stolen my heart. This again is a little pot Callum got me for Christmas to try out and it become part of my daily routine. A little goes a long way with this moisturiser so even though it is a tiny pot it has lastly me longer than I would have imagined. It leaves my skin quite tacky which makes it great for wearing under makeup to help it last all day, this moisturiser plus the Mac primer is the perfect combo underneath makeup.
A base product that I have been wearing none stop during January is the Bourjois City Radiance Foundation in Vanilla. At first I wasn't a fan of this foundation but it wasn't until I sprayed my beauty sponge with Newlook Fix Makeup Setting Spray that I really started liking the finish of this foundation. This foundation gives me a lovely healthy glow when I wear it which I have fell in love with, I usually go for matte foundation for everyday but this has changed my opinion of dewy/healthy formulas. It also lasts all day on my skin while I'm at work so its duration is amazing. I also can't use my beauty blender without spraying it with Newlook's Fix Spray as it gives the best finish with all my favourite foundations.
I have been loving the Revolution Ultra Bronzer this month which has been in my stash for years now but I only fell in love with it recently. First of all the pan is huge, this product is going to last me for even more years. Secondly this shade which annoyingly has no name looks good on any skin tone. I can be tanned or as white as a ghost and the colour still suits me.
I've mentioned the Pippa Palette by Blank Canvas Cosmetics before in a post about it here and it is in my favourites for the month too because I have been wearing it non stop. The palette has everything you need in it including a bronzer, blush, highlight and eye shadows. If you want to know more about it then read my post about it here.
My last make up favourites are the Newlook Matte Velvet Lipstick in the shades Toffee Apple and Heather. I have spoken about these before in my Newlook Makeup Haul post and I still love two months later. They don't dry out my lips at all and the colour lasts all day if I don't eat but if I do, they re-apply non patchy and no crust in sight.
I have three random favourites for the month too and the first are my two new harry potter books that I got for Christmas. I read Fantastic Beast and Where To Find Them first and absolutely loved it, I loved the story, the cover, the characters and surprisingly I loved reading it as a screenplay. Couldn't recommend this book enough. I then read Harry Potter and The Cursed Child and I didn't enjoy it as much as the first seven Harry Potter books to be completely honest. Don't hate me hardcore HP fans but I am just a lover of the old school books.
Lastly I have been obsessed with Gossip Girl since Christmas and am currently starting series three. I used to watch it while I was at school but I can't remember half the stuff that actually happened. I know who Gossip Girl is but I'm enjoying going through it all again.
- These are the flowers Cal got me for Valentines day. We don't celebrate valentines day really all we usually get each other is a card but he got some flowers delivered to me as a little surprise which was really cute.
- For valentines day we just drove to Peterborough for the day and had lunch at the Homemade Burger Co which do the best burgers ever!! If you have a Franks near you then I am telling you they are better than Franks. Plus they serve huge chunky chips.
- Me and Cal are trying to eat better and starting this year have vowed to cook for ourself's once a week together since we are rubbish at cooking right now. We both live at home so we can get away with not cooking. One night we made an amazing homemade toad in the hole with mash and carrots and believe me, it was incredible.
- I can't do one of these posts without including a face mask selfie! Here I am with my all time favourite Lush mask, the mask of Magnaminty.
- This month I had a Five Guys for the very first time, yes I know I am seriously late to the party. I had a strawberry milkshake with my meal and it blew my mind. Hands down one of the best milkshakes I have ever had.
- In January I took the plunge to get false nails for the very first time. I just got french tips nothing to fancy but I fell in love with them. I thought I wouldn't be able to do anything for myself in them but after the first day, I was moving trends and changing bars at work and they didn't even get scratched! They lasted about four weeks and I probably should have got them off a week earlier as they were so out grown but I didn't want to get rid of them. They are off now sadly and I decided to give my nails a rest before I get some more at the end of march for a wedding I am going to.
- Now another food photo... Cal and I have our own favourite curry house which does the best curries so when I had a weekend off we went out for a little date night there. My curry (which is the best) was a Chicken Tikka Masala (left) and Cal's curry was a Dansakk.
- Two friends and I spent a random day in London in January and we done loads! We went to the typical sightseeing places, went to oxford street and went shopping, went to the ice bar on regents street and finally had a late meal at TGI Fridays. We ordered cocktails like true Londoners.
- Here is my Ice Bar selfie! The capes weren't too amazing but they kept us warm for sure! You pay £15 to enter the bar for 45 minutes and for a free cocktail. We lasted about half an hour before we got too cold and left to feed our bellies. It is beautiful inside though and worth a look if you are in London.
It is crazy to think that it is the end of January already and I have a few great products to talk to you about today.
Starting with skincare, I have been using the Lush Eau Roma Water Toner no stop since I purchased it this month. I was having a few skin problems at the time when I purchased this and I hoped it would fix my face with its magic and I'm happy to report it actually has. I spray two pumps of this toner onto my hands and then smooth it all over my face. It leaves my skin super soft, moisturised and feeling clean.
Another product I have been using non stop since I purchased it is the Newlook | Pure Contour Palette in the shade Brown Pattern. I saw this palette open on the counter in Newlook and knew the light contour shade would be perfect for me and it was! It is my perfect shade to contour with and has brought the fun back into powder contour. Everyone is commenting on my contour game recently and most people are shocked to know the product in question is by Newlook.
On them days when I'm being really lazy and want a more casual look, I use my trusty Revolution Contour Stick. This is my favourite cream contour shade ever! I have quite a few cream contour sticks in my collection but I always reach for my Revolution stick over all the rest recently!
My next favourite is a new lipstick of mine by the Bodyshop which I have reached for most days since Christmas. This was one of my Christmas presents from my sister and it is a perfect shade for me. I have never owned a Bodyshop lipstick before now and since trying this product, I want to expand my collection. The formulation is so creamy and moisturising on my lips, they leave my lips healthy even when they are having a dry day.
Lastly I have a product which has become a staple in my makeup bag this month. The Lethal Length Mascara by Sleek is great for big individual leashes. This is the only mascara I have been using on a day to day basis this month and if I do go out anywhere fancy or want to make more of an effort, I can up my mascara game but going over my lashes again with the mascara to add even more volume.
It felt so weird putting '15 at the end of this post title, I am so used to seeing '14 everywhere. It is a bit of a wake up call that it is a whole year since I started this blog which feels crazy to me! Time flys when your having a good time I guess...
My favourites for this month are actually favourites for December as well but I felt like I hadn't used them enough to include them in my Favourite Makeup Products From The Year post so they have made their way onto this list instead. Some of these I have already done posts on because I loved them so much so I wont dwell too much on them.
The first is the Kiko Universal Fit Hydrating Foundation which has become a favourite of mine. Its a lovely tanned peachy shade and looks great on the cheek bones over lighter foundations. My post on this foundation can be found here.
The second is another purchase I made in December which I loved a lot. It is the Revolution Fluid Blushes which are super pigmented and easy to blend into the skin. Again my post on these can be found here.
Next is something I got in my last Birchbox, the Eyeko Fat Eye Stick Smoke which is surprisingly easy to use. I was a bit anxious to start using it as the pencil is huge! But I needn't of worried as the tip makes a perfect thin line on the top of my eyes which I wasn't expecting. I have been using this non stop through out December and January.
Next is something I never have thought I would have put in my favourites but it has now become something that I love using. It is a Beauty Blender that has changed my opinion on using sponges completely. You can read my post about it here
Lastly is something that myself and my boyfriend have been loving for maybe more than 2 months now, we (or maybe I just have) become obsessed with George Clarke and his shows The Restoration Man and George Clarkes Amazing Spaces. It is something that just came about by accident one night when there was nothing on tv. Since that first night we watched all the last episodes of Amazing Spaces before Christmas together and now we've gone onto The Restoration Man. We find them so interesting and we love the designs of all the houses that are shown. It has given us some ideas on what we want in our future house (not to jinx anything touch wood) and I look forward to the episodes every week.
This months post is only small but I expect with all the new products I have to use this month that February's favourite post is going to double the size of this post :)
I have yet to review the products that I got in my January Birchbox so I thought I'd roll the two months together in a blogpost for you and tell you whether I would purchase the products myself. There are quite a few products so lets get started...
All the views I share of these products are based on my own preferences in products and my skin type, everyone's skin type and opinions are different, I'm just sharing my experiences with you :)
Januarys Products
Philip Kingsley moisture balancing conditioner £18I liked this conditioner, it made my hair look really shinny and soft but its not completely amazing and I don't think I would buy a bottle for £18 when there are cheaper options that do the same like my favourite at the moment VO5.
Purchase myself? No
Benefit POREfessional primer £24.50
Well well well here we go, this is one product everyone and their mum raves about. Me... I don't see the hype myself. Controversial opinion I know. It might be because I don't have big pores, I might just be super strange but I don't think it is as amazing as everyone talks about. It does make my skin feel really soft I'll give it that.
Purchase myself? for the price it is and the results I've seen no
Blanc Cashemire Crème De Jour Protectrice £54.75
The smell of the cream is rather medical, its not something I'd think 'oo I want to rub that on my face' I also felt like the cream made my skin come off on my hand when I was rubbing it in, so that really put me off it. I think £55 is really overpriced for this average cream
Purchase myself? No
Lavera Basic Sensitive Hand Cream £4.45
First of all the smell of this is lovely! It is really fruity and reminds me of the Soap and Glory Candy Crush products, which I could just sit there and smell all day. For £4.45 it is not a bad hand cream at all, it dries quick on your hands so they aren't sticky afterwards and it does make them feel more smooth.
Purchase myself? Yes
Februarys Products
Beauty Protector Protect & Oil £16
This is a good hair oil that makes your hair shiny and soft. Compared to my £3 oil from body care there isn't much difference. The small bottle has lasted months with me and I haven't even made a dent in the bottle so I think that out of the two, I would probably go with the cheaper option.
Purchase myself? No
Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner £12
I was really excited to use this liquid eyeliner, I thought it would be long wearing and be good to use for drawing cat eyes but I think there are better ones on the market. This product hasn't change my opinion about liquid eyeliners.
Purchase myself? No
Purchase myself? No
Urban Veda Radiance Exfoliating Facial Polish £8.99
For £9 I think this a good exfoliator, I can feel it working on my skin and I find it rough enough to actually do something to my skin. Facial scrubs are my favourite so this product is definitely up my street!
Purchase myself? Yes
Gilchrist and Soames The London Collection shower gel £13.75
Again like the hand cream the smell of this shower gel is amazing! Very fruity and refreshing first thing in the morning. Because the formation of the gel is really runny, a little bit goes a long way so after a few washes with the gel I have plenty left in this little pot.
Purchase myself? Hell yeah!
Leighton Denny Nail Colour £11
The colour of this nail vanish is really interesting, in some lights it grey, lilac, cream, silver... and the colour changes depending on the number of coats you put on. The coats didn't last long before they chipped but at my work, I am constantly using my hands moving clothes and moving bars so my hands get pretty beat up during the day, so I wasn't surprised it didn't last that long on me. On my next week off I will see how long it lasts when I'm not battering my hands on a daily basis
Purchase myself? Yes
I'm excited for next months box after going through my first two! :)
After having a very long day at work I got home to this surprise box on the stairs, Yay! This is my first every Birchbox so I didn't know what to expect and after receiving it, I have mixed feelings. I haven't used any of the products yet but I will give a review once I have!
Firstly the box arrived only a week after I signed up for it, so I was impressed with how fast they picked the items and sent it out. Secondly the box, and more importantly the bag the products come in, is soooo cute and totally reusable. My sister has already claimed my bag for next month and I have ideas of what I'm going to use the bag for.
I am disappointed with the size of the products especially the Benefit product, I didn't expect a full size bottle but I did think that they would be bigger than they actually are.
Now for the products...
* Philip Kinglsey Moisture Balancing Conditioner - £18
This conditioner wont last long but I am intrigued to try it and see how it makes my hair feel.
*Benefit The POREfessional - £24.50
I am really excited to use this as it will be my first Benefit product, the price of the products has put me off but if I find that they really do work I will invest in some. The size of this product is really disappointing though, after one use it will be gone.
*Blanc Cahemire Crème De Jour Protectrice - £54.75
I'm interested to see if my skin likes this day cream, I will probably use this on days when I don't wear full make up.
*Lavera Basic sensitive Hand Cream - £4.45
This product is the one that I don't mind being miniature, the size is great for my handbag.
*Beekind Body Lotion - £12.95
This product is made with honey and organic chamomile extracts so I'm interested to use it, for £13 I would rebuy it.
*ITSU Miso Soup - £2.25
This item I wasn't expecting and am not going to be using, I've already given it to my mum haha.
I do have mixed feeling about this box, I think I might wait until I get next months box, see what I get and decide whether I will carry it on then. I will review these items before the end of the month once I have used them all.
What did you get this month?
Would anyone recommend any of these items?
These are the non beauty items that I have been loving this month :)
Red Riding Hood
This is my favourite film at the moment, I bought it on DVD finally this month and I've it already a good few times. It stars Amanda Seyfried and Billy Burke (Bella's dad in twilight) but the stars of the film are Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons, my new crushes. They are both B-E-A-UTIFULLLLLL but anyway the film is really good. I would recommend it for twilight lovers, it's even better!
Usher Perfume 'She Eau de Toliette'
I got this perfume for Christmas this year from my sister after I borrowed her a few months earlier. I haven't stopped wearing it since Christmas and everyone asks me what I'm wearing when I have this on. I am very bad at describing perfumes so I am not even going to attempt to, sorry!
Minion Toy
I also got this minion toy for Christmas and it is my favourite thing ever! Super cute and I just want to cuddle it all day long. If only it talked too :(
Ted Baker Body Spray
This is another 3for2 purchase from boots and I don't regret it. It smells great and it's more of a perfume than a body spray smell.
Brown Satual bag from Primark
I bought this bag from Primark one or two months ago and it has become my favourite bag to use. I've wanted a Satual for ages now but never got round to actually buying a proper one. Then I saw this one in Primark and knew it was meant to be, it was only £10 or something so a right bargain!
Red Riding Hood
This is my favourite film at the moment, I bought it on DVD finally this month and I've it already a good few times. It stars Amanda Seyfried and Billy Burke (Bella's dad in twilight) but the stars of the film are Shiloh Fernandez and Max Irons, my new crushes. They are both B-E-A-UTIFULLLLLL but anyway the film is really good. I would recommend it for twilight lovers, it's even better!
Usher Perfume 'She Eau de Toliette'
I got this perfume for Christmas this year from my sister after I borrowed her a few months earlier. I haven't stopped wearing it since Christmas and everyone asks me what I'm wearing when I have this on. I am very bad at describing perfumes so I am not even going to attempt to, sorry!
Minion Toy
I also got this minion toy for Christmas and it is my favourite thing ever! Super cute and I just want to cuddle it all day long. If only it talked too :(
Ted Baker Body Spray
This is another 3for2 purchase from boots and I don't regret it. It smells great and it's more of a perfume than a body spray smell.
Brown Satual bag from Primark
I bought this bag from Primark one or two months ago and it has become my favourite bag to use. I've wanted a Satual for ages now but never got round to actually buying a proper one. Then I saw this one in Primark and knew it was meant to be, it was only £10 or something so a right bargain!
The Hair care and skincare products that I have been loving this month are...
Vo5 shampoo and conditioner
This shampoo and conditioner does exactly what it says on the bottle, it makes my hair more nourishing, gives it more moisture and makes it look all round more healthy. My hair is a bit funny with shampoos and conditioners, if I use the same ones more than a few times in a row my hair goes weird and dry. I don't know why, my hair is just temperamental but I can use these shampoos and conditioners over and over again and my hair still looks healthy.
Argon Oil
When I come out of the shower or bath, I always use one pump of this oil in my hair to help keep it healthy. Plus it helps detangle my hair after the shower.
Natural Collection Mango and Papaya Body Scrub
I picked this scrub up on a whim really, I was buying another Boots natural collection product and there was a promotions so I picked this up. It smells amazing and because of the smell, it is really nice to use in the morning to make yourself feel fresh ready for the day. Plus the scrub isn't too harsh on my skin but still feels like it is rubbing away any dead skin.
Soap and Glory Body Milk
Firstly this moisturiser smell amazing! I want to eat myself after I've used it. Secondly it really works at hydrating your skin. It can be a bit greasy but because it is so good, I choose to look past that and just not used it in the mornings when I need to left the house soon.
Soap and Glory spray on moisturiser
This little spray is great for people like me who are too lazy to properly cream yourself every morning/evening. I try and keep up with it but I cant, sue me. This is great though because all you have to do is spray a squirts of this on your body and rub in, it moisturises your skin and makes it feel smooth and smell nice. Job done.
Vo5 shampoo and conditioner
This shampoo and conditioner does exactly what it says on the bottle, it makes my hair more nourishing, gives it more moisture and makes it look all round more healthy. My hair is a bit funny with shampoos and conditioners, if I use the same ones more than a few times in a row my hair goes weird and dry. I don't know why, my hair is just temperamental but I can use these shampoos and conditioners over and over again and my hair still looks healthy.
Argon Oil
When I come out of the shower or bath, I always use one pump of this oil in my hair to help keep it healthy. Plus it helps detangle my hair after the shower.
Natural Collection Mango and Papaya Body Scrub
I picked this scrub up on a whim really, I was buying another Boots natural collection product and there was a promotions so I picked this up. It smells amazing and because of the smell, it is really nice to use in the morning to make yourself feel fresh ready for the day. Plus the scrub isn't too harsh on my skin but still feels like it is rubbing away any dead skin.
Soap and Glory Body Milk
Firstly this moisturiser smell amazing! I want to eat myself after I've used it. Secondly it really works at hydrating your skin. It can be a bit greasy but because it is so good, I choose to look past that and just not used it in the mornings when I need to left the house soon.
Soap and Glory spray on moisturiser
This little spray is great for people like me who are too lazy to properly cream yourself every morning/evening. I try and keep up with it but I cant, sue me. This is great though because all you have to do is spray a squirts of this on your body and rub in, it moisturises your skin and makes it feel smooth and smell nice. Job done.
Do you have similar favourites to me?
What are your opinions on these products?
:)
So lets just jump into it... these are the 5 make up items that I have be loving this January :)
Revlon Photo Ready Crème blush in 300 Coral Reef
I've never been a fan of crème blushes until I tried this Revlon one. It's a great colour on my skin and looks really natural, which I found other crème blushes don't. This product has changed my opinion on crème blushes so I'm kind of excited to try some other ones, any recommendations?
Collection 2000 Extreme Coloured Lengthening Mascara in Blue2
I like to mix up my make-up some days and wear this bright blue mascara on my lashes. If I wake up in a summery mood, I wear this with some bright coloured clothes and pretend its the middle of the summer (I'm counting down the days till I can go outside without wearing a coat) This mascara isn't too in your face because in some lights, it does just look like normal black mascara.
Rimmel Scandaleyes waterproof eye pencil in 004Taupe
I love this eye pencil on my bottom lid as it opens up my eyes without making my eyes look too heavy which black eyeliner can do. Plus it looks nice on my top lid with a little mascara for these casual days.
Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 086 Sugarplum
This lipstick is in my January favourites basically because I can't get enough of this colour and it smells like sweets, what could be better!
Lumiere Lipgloss set
My sister got me this lip-gloss set from Boots for Christmas and they have become my favourite lip glosses ever. The shades are really nice and wearable during the day and they don't dry out my lips like other lip glosses. I've tried to find them on the Boots website but they seem to have been taken off, but they should come back out again next Christmas.
And that's basically it, short and sweet just like me :)
What are your favourite items this month?
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