Monday 30 December 2013

Beauty Products of 2013 - Skincare

The other day I shared with you my favourite makeup products of the year now I have my skincare favourites to share. I've tried lots of skincare this year and in the Summer I treated myself to a good few items whilst in Paris so picking out just a few products was pretty hard. 
Starting with a more recent favourite in the L'oreal Absolute Makeup Remover Eye & Lip, this removes eye makeup so fast and well without leaving any residue behind. The other cleansing favourite is The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, a great affordable cleanser which removes makeup and leaves my skin feeling lovely. 
The stand out favourite which I picked up whilst I was in Paris is the La Roche Posay Serozinc, a great basic toner which really seems to help calm down blemishes and doesn't irritate the skin. The other being the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, leaves leaves the skin feeling smooth and looking glowing without being harsh.
I finally discovered a great affordable eye cream in The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream, this is a great basic eye cream which leaves the skin feeling soft. A stand out product for me at the start of the year was the Origins Vitazing SPF 15 moisturiser, leaves gives just the right amount of moisture and leaves a slight tint to the skin. 
I've been really into oils this year and I can definitely see the difference they have made to my skin. One that i've been loving the most is the Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil, this makes my skin feel so soft and seems to be helping even out my skintone. For face masks a true stand out has been the Super Facialist By Una Brennan Pore Purrifying Face Mask, this really clears out the skin without being drying, it's definitely the best affordable clay mask i've tried. The finally favourite isn't so much a skincare product; the Origins A Peace Of Mind, this is great for using before bed to leave me feeling relaxed, it is effective and a great product. 

So those have been my favourite skincare products this year. What have been some of your favourite skincare products this year?
 

Friday 27 December 2013

Beauty Products of 2013 - Makeup

Another year is coming to a close we means I have rummaged together my favourite products from the year into today post. I've decided to separate makeup and skincare into different posts, this one will be my makeup favourites from the year. 
First up foundations, i've tried a good few this year but one of the true stand outs has been the Bourjous Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix foundation. This is like if the original healthy mix and the serum version had a baby and made the perfect glowy, long wearing foundation. The other foundation that has been a stand out is the L'oreal Lumi Magique foundation, this is like the Bourjous one but a more semi matte finish which lasts a touch longer, both are lovely and great drugstore finds. 
In last years Products of the Year I mentioned my love for the Real Techniques brushes, this year they brought out the Miracle Complexion Sponge which has become one of my favourite ways to apply foundation, it creates a lovely flawless finish. I've discovered a great drugstore primer this year in the Bourjous Happy Light Matte Serum Primer, this leaves the skin matte but not tight or silicone feeling, as you can see i've used a good amount of this. 
Seventeen have had some great releases this year, especially on the concealer front. Both the Stay Time 18 Hour Concealer and the Phwroarr Paint are amazing products and very comparable to some high end versions. 
One of my favourite products during the Summer was the Bourjous Bronzing Primer, this is a great cream bronzer that contours the skin perfectly without looking orange. I fell in love with cream blushes this year and the stand out has definitely been the Stila Convertible Color's, I have Lillium and Gladiola both look lovely on the cheeks and wear really well. 
The last Bourjous product I have to mention is the Colour Boost Lip Crayons, this are long wearing and give a lovely glossy finish to the lips, they keep adding new shades as well so I can see my collection growing quickly.
For nail polish the Barry M Gelly Hi Shine Nail Paints have been worn a lot this year, as great as the original Nail Paints but with an added glossy finish. Essie brought out a glitter collection near the end of the year and the shade A Cut Above is a true gem, a lovely rose gold chunky glitter, perfect. 
A great higher end product find is the Clinique Chubby Stick for Eyes, the shade Fuller Fudge is the perfect bronze colour, great for doing your makeup in a rush. A cheaper find is the Soap & Glory Lid Stuff in What's Nude, a great neutral quad, the shadows are creamy and easy to blend too.
My last favourite has been my MAC palette which i've been very slowly adding to. Some stand out stands for me are definitely Ricepaper, Soba and Petina. I'm hoping to fill in the last 4 spaces soon. On a side note if you have any recommendations for shadows I must try leave them in the comments. 

So those have been my favourite makeup products for 2013, lets hope 2014 is also filled with great beauty products! What have been some of your favourite makeup products this year?


Tuesday 24 December 2013

Top 10 Albums of 2013

Today I thought I would take a break from all things beauty related and share with you my favourite albums of the year. I think 2013 has been a really good year for music, lots of great debut albums, narrowing it down to 10 was kind of hard so there might be a few honorable mentions at the end.

10. Tom Odell - Long Way Down. 
There seems to be a lot of great young talents coming out recently and Tom Odell is definitely one of them. I think my favourite thing about this album is Tom's voice and the lyrics it sounds a lot more mature than you would expect. This just sounds like a well put together album and a great debut. 
Stand out tracks - Another Love, I Know, Till I Lost
9. The Strokes - Comedown Machine.
The album was a bit of a weird release, no interview, no promo pictures or tour. All that put aside I think this was a great effort from The Strokes. It is probably not there best but I do enjoy is that they keep changing as a band yet still sound like The Strokes. This album has a bit of an 80's feel to it which I love and I hope The Strokes keep creating new music. 
Stand out tracks - Welcome To Japan, 50/50, Chances.
8. Bastille - Bad Blood.


Bastille have had a pretty great year and this album has some really good songs on it. I really enjoy the lyrics on this albums, and the almost orchestral feel to certain songs. A great easy listening album from a great new British band.
Stand out tracks - Bad Blood, Laura Palmer, The Silence.
7. London Grammar - If You Wait.
London Gramar are a trio which I can see going on to great things. The stand out of the whole album is definitely lead singer, Hannah's vocals. She has an incredible voice as well as her lyrics being great. There's a great relaxed feel to this album and certain songs on the album build really well. 
Stand out tracks - Wasting My Young Years, Nightcall, Metal & Dust
6. Foals - Holy Fire.
 Foals are one of those bands i've been meaning to check out for a while and after hearing good things about their latest offering I thought I would check it out. The opening of this album is so good, the best songs are definitely at the start but the final song Moon is a great, chilled album closer. 
Stand out tracks - Prelude, My Number, Bad Habit.
5. Haim - Days Are Gone.
I'm always glad to see more women making there way into the music industry, especially when they can rock out just as well as the men like these girls can. It took me a while to come around to the hype around Haim but after giving this album a good listen I got it. Each song on the album is great, there's no fillers here. It just good, easy listening with each of the sisters having great voices. 
Stand out tracks - Forever, Days Are Gone, Running If You Call My Name. 
4. The 1975 - The1975.
Another great debut album, The 1975 have been a band for nearly 10 years and have had a pretty amazing year in 2013. The deluxe version includes the 4 EP's the released throughout the year before the release of their debut. If you're a fan of rock music with a pop twist to it you will love this. There such a good mix of songs on hear, this band is definitely one to watch. 
Stand out tracks - Sex, Menswear, You.
3. The Neighbourhood - I Love You.
 The way I discover The 1975 was actually through them supporting this band in the US. The Neighbourhood mix so many different genres together to create some great music. All of the members are in their early 20's yet the music sounds mature. I love the whole black and white theme with this band as it really adds to the music. 
Stand out tracks - Sweater Weather, Alleyways.
2. Arctic Monkeys - AM.

 This one was only just beaten as being my favourite album of the year. I personally think Arctic Monkeys get better with every album. AM is so easy to listen to in one go, each song flows so well. Alex's lyrics are on top form as always and it is just pretty darn perfect.
Stand out tracks - Arabella, Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?, I Wanna Be Yours.


1. Queens Of The Stone Age - Like Clockwork...
 The minute I heard this album I knew it would be my favourite album of the year, it's a bit of a masterpiece. It had been 6 years since their last year, it that time members did other projects, Josh died during surgery for a few minutes, they lost a drummer and Josh had a baby (well his awesome wife Brody did!). All of these really seem to have influenced heavy on this album. The lyrics on this are pretty dark, there's some really deep slow songs and them some classic rock songs. This album is just flawless and the songs sounds even better live.
Stand out tracks - I Sat By The Ocean, Fairweather Friends, If I Had A Tail.


 Honorarable Mentions - 
Thirty Seconds To Mars - Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams. 
Albert Hammond Jr - AHJ.
Jake Bugg - Shanri La.
So those have been my favourite albums of 2013. I can already see 2014 shaping up to being a good year for music with two bands I love, Warpaint and Broken Bells both coming out with new albums at the beginning of the year. What has been your favourite album of 2013?

Sunday 22 December 2013

December Empties!

I'm definitely on a huge use up beauty products rush at the moment because I have far too much stuff, and with Christmas coming up I already know I will be getting a few beauty bits which I need to make space for! 
Starting with bath and body products. The first being the Radox Eastern Spirit Bath Therapy, this smells lovely and is a great cheap bubble bath which  is really lovely to use. I will definitely be picking up another bottle of this, maybe in a different scent to try. I've used up some products from The Body Shop Coconut products, the first being the Body Scrub, which was nicely and moisturising whilst being exfoliating. It's not my favourite so I don't think I will be repurchasing, however it is a good product. The next is the Body Butter which I love the scent of and it makes my skin feel so nice. I would definitely repurchase this. Finally i've finished the Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash, I got this free with Glamour magazine a few months ago and I wasn't really impressed, the scent is okay but I just didn't find it did anything special. I wouldn't repurchase this. 
Onto haircare, I finished the Batiste Dry Shampoo Monochrome scent, I totally bought this for the packaging but it is actually really nice, I good change from my normally tropical scent. I would repurchase this. I finished the John Frieda luxurious Volume Thickening Hairspray, i've had this for ages, it was okay but nothing amazing and didn't seem to thicken my hair. I wouldn't repurchase this. Finally i've used up the Klorane Shampoo with Chamomile, I love this shampoo as it makes my blonde hair look more vibrant, I have already repurchased this.
I've had this perfume for so long, it's the Next Just Red scent, this is actually a lovely spicey Winter scent. However they don't do this anymore so I can't repurchase it. The only makeup product i've finished this month is a mini of the Urban Decay Primer Potion, I do like this eye primer however i've been using the ELF one recently which I think is just as good but a lot cheaper so I won't be repurchasing this.
Finally onto skincare, i've finished a big bottle of the Bioderma Micellar Water, this is my favourite makeup remover and I will always repurchase this. Next is the Amie Morning Clear Purifying Facial Wash, this was a lovely cream cleanser that left my skin feeling clean and fresh. I would consider purchasing this again. I've used up a face mask by Montagne Jeunesse, the Manuka Honey Peel Off mask, this felt lovely and cooling on the skin, I got 2 uses from this and would purchase it again. Finally I have a deluxe sample of the Origins Make A Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion, this was a nice toner to use after a face mask, it was hydrating to this skin however I don't think I will be repurchasing although it was a nice product to use.

So that's this month empties, have you managed to use up any of your favourite products this month?

Friday 20 December 2013

December Beauty Favourites!

This months beauty favourites is a little bit early because I am planning on doing my favourite products of 2013 at the end of the month but didn't want to miss out on sharing what products i've been loving lately because I have a few good bits to share. 
First up skincare, I have dug out an old favourite which has been a must have for my Winter skin. The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, the name sums this one up pretty well. It's a gentle exfoliator which makes the skin look so smooth and fresh. The next product is the L'oreal Absolute Make-Up Remover Eye & Lip, i've heard good things about this lately so decided to give it a go, it is the perfect product for removing heavy eye makeup in seconds without leaving any residue behind. I would definitely recommend it. 
A product I love whenever Christmas is near is The Body Shop Cranberry Joy Body Butter, it has a lovely fruity scent and makes my skin feel super moisturised. It also makes your whole room smell lovely once you've used it. Something I picked up recently which has been helping me have a good nights sleep is the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray, this has mixture of a lavender and camomile scent to it which once sprayed on your pillow smells so relaxing. 
My skin always seems to look a little tired in Winter, to help get rid of this i've been applying the Revlon Photoready SkinLights Face Illuminator in Bare Light underneath my foundation. It adds a lovely sutble glow to the skin without looking over the top. I've been using a few different foundations this month, a stand out has been the Bourjous Happy Light Foundation, this is the perfect light to medium coverage with a semi matte finish. The shade 50 is a touch dark so i've been mixing it with a lighter foundation which works really well. I picked up a new under eye concealer this month; the Bourjous Touche Healthy Mix, which covers really well but feels light on the skin and doesn't crease. Perfect. 
I've definitely been having a thing for Bourjous products this month, the next one is the Cream Blush in 03 Rose Tender, this is a lovely light pink blush which has a lovely brightening effect to the skin. This month if you spent £15 on Bourjous in Boots you got a free gift. One of the product was the 3D Effect Gloss in 06 Rouge Democratic, I'm definitely not a gloss person but this one feels like a balm on the lips and isn't sticky, the colour is a lovely plum red shade with a slight shimmer to it, perfect for this time of year. The last product is one I picked up when I was in America and i've only just got round to opening. It's the Almay One Coat Get Up and Grow mascara, this is the perfect all round mascara as it adds length and volume whilst being super black. Definitely one to pick up if you live or are visit the States.

So that's this months favourites, as you can see i've had a thing for Bourjous recently, their base products are definitely my favourite from the drugstore. What have been your favourite products this month?

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Must Have Winter Bubble Baths

It is safe to say i'm a firm bath person, even in the warmer months. When Winter does hit my obsession for baths goes into full force, so today I thought I would share with you my three go to bubble baths at the moment. 
The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt £8.00 - This has a lovely honey scent with a hint of floral to it. It's a thick gel so you really don't need a lot of product to fill the bath with bubbles, this stuff is great at getting lots of bubbles! It isn't the most moisturising of bubble baths but it does make my skin feel soft, this one I think would be great to use all year round. 

Waitrose Essential Chamomile & Vanilla £1.43 - This one is such a bargain and a great product. The scent is so relaxing and not overpowering. It creates and good amount of bubbles and makes your skin feel lovely. There are lots of scents to chose from but this one is definitely my favourite. If you pop into Waitrose I would definitely recommend picking this up since it is such a good deal. 

Botanics Rebalance Rejuvenating Bath Elixir £5.49 - This stuff is a most have for me in Winter. It is such a rich formula that you only need a small amount. The scent is a rich spicey scent which fills the room and is so relaxing, perfect if you've had a long stressful day. This one creates a good amount of bubbles and feels so luxurious but won't break the bank. 

So those are my favourite bubble baths to use in the colder months. I would definitely recommend all of these. Feel free to share your favourite Winter bath products in the comments. 

Saturday 14 December 2013

Top 5 Red Lips for Winter

I never used to be a red lip lover, I honestly thought I just didn't suit them. However much has changed and I seem to have got a nice little collection of red lip products so I thought I would share my top 5 with you all today. 
Chanel Rouge Coco in Cambon - Starting off with the most luxe option. This is my first Chanel lipstick and it is just beautiful. The formula feels creamy on the lips. The shade Cambon is a lovely pink toned red, the wear time isn't amazing, I probably get about 2-3 hours. The packaging is lovely and I think this will be my Christmas day lipstick for sure.
Revlon Lip Butter in Candy Apple - If you're not brave to rock a bold red lip this one is worth trying. The lip butter feel lovely and moisturising on the lips and the shade Candy Apple is the perfect sheer red shade. Great for wearing during the day. 
Miners Matte Factor in Warm Red - The perfect matte red. The formula isn't drying to say it is matte and the shade warm red is a great classic pillar box red shade with a slight pink tone to it. The wear time is great on this one too, I would say a good 4 hours as it leaves a stain to the lips.
Topshop Lip Bullet in Joyride - This is a lovely bright pinky red shade. The formula is creamy so feels lovely on the lips but can be a little messy to apply and does transfer a little. However apart from that it is a great product which again lasts well due to it leaving a slight stain to the lips. 
Bourjous Colour Boost in Red Island - One of the newer shades from the Colour Boost range and it is definitely one of my favourites. A classic red shade which can be worn sheer or bold. It feels like a lip balm on and has a great glossy finish to it. It also lasts well too and like the two above leaves a slight stain to the lips.

So those are my favourite red lips for this time of year. There something about a red lips which feels extra festive. I think I will be wearing the Chanel one on Christmas Day. What is your favourite red lip product?

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - Reviewed!

I never thought I would be a fan of using a sponge to apply my foundation. None of the ones had taken my fancy but when Real Techniques brought out their offering my ears pricked up due to them being my favourite brand for makeup brushes, especially when it comes to face ones. I've been using this for a few weeks now so I thought it was about time I shared my thoughts. 
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
The sponge claims to give high definition results and a flawless base. The sponge feels dense and has a flat section on one end a point on the other. Meaning you can use different parts of the sponge to get it harder to reach place, such as under the eyes and around the nose. 
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
To use, you dampen with water and squeeze off any excess. By doing this the sponge expands to about 2x it's original size. I've tried this with a few different foundation and BB Creams, the best way is to apply the product to the back of your hand them using a dabbing motions apply the product to your face working from the center outwards.
Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge
The results are definitely flawless, this makes all my foundations look nicer on and more natural. It is also great for blending in concealer over the top of foundations. I would say that using this to apply my base products even improves the wear time, you can really blend in the product so it looks almost like skin. 

I've been really impressed with this, my main concern would be how you clean this. I've found using a bit of soap or baby shampoo works really well and it cleans as easy as normal brushes. I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a new way to apply your foundation because it is perfect for creating a flawless finish. 


Have you tried this? What is your favourite way to apply your base products?

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Battle Of The Drugstore Concealers

Over the past few months i've been trying some of the drugstore concealers available on the hunt for the perfect high coverage, natural looking, non cakey, long wear concealer. Today I thought I would share my thoughts on the ones i've tried and which I would recommend. 
Battle Of The Drugstore Concealers
Battle Of The Drugstore Concealers
Seventeen Phwoarr Paint - £5.49 - One of Seventeen's new product release and it is some serious good stuff. Comparable to highend concealer such as Benefit Erase Paste and Laura Mercier Secret Concealer but without the hefty price tag. It has good coverage, doesn't crease or look cakey and stays put pretty well. Sadly there's only two shades; light and medium but if you can find a match this is worth trying. The compact also comes with a mirror, great for touch ups on the go. Great for all skintypes.
Seventeen Stay Time 18 Hour Concealer - Another Seventeen product, this one is a perfect all in one concealer. Great at coverage redness and blemishes but also great under the eyes. This one can seem a little greasy on first application but once it has 'set' it doesn't budge all day. It isn't drying or cling to dry patches. It is fast becoming my favourite concealer. Again not the best shade range, but fair is perfect for us pale skins! Great for all skintypes, especially oily/combination.
ELF Maximum Coverage Concealer - £3.75 - I'm normally not a fan of ELF concealers but this one is pretty decent. The shade Porcelain is a tad yellow but perfect for covering redness. The coverage, I find is medium and blends nicely however the wear time is okay. I bought this around the time of the Seventeen on which I prefer so haven't reached for this as much, but it is definitely ELF's best concealer as it isn't drying. There's six shades available, so most skintones should be able to find a match. Great for all skintypes, especially normal.
Bourjous Healthy Mix Concealer - £7.99 - This has to be one of my all time favourite concealers, it is just perfect. Good medium but buildable coverage, blends a dream, great under the eyes and on blemishes whilst not being drying. As with all drugstore concealers it seems the shade range isn't the best with there only being three shades to choose from which are all fair to medium. Not the cheapest available but definitely one of the best. Great for all skintypes, especially combination/dry.
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19 - I feel like everyone and there mother has tried this concealer by now and for a while it was the only one I used. The coverage is high and great for redness and blemishes, not so great under the eyes as I find it does crease a little. The wear time is very good, however if not blended well can look a little cakey. The big downside is that it is a little drying and clings to dry patches. Again the shade range with only four available and even the shade Deep is more medium. Great for oily skintones.
Revlon Colorstay Concealer - £6.99 - Unlike the others mentioned this one has a pretty decent shade ranges, with there being five shades available. I find this again to be a touch drying especially under the eyes. However it is great for coverage redness. I found it works best applied under foundation to cancel out redness or acne scarring then a light base can be applied on top. Not amazing at covering active breakouts but good as I said for scarring.Great for all skintypes especially oily/combination.

So there's a run down of some of the drugstore concealers available, all are pretty good but the stand outs for me are definitely the Seventeen Stay Time 18 Hour Concealer and the Bourjous Healthy Mix as both are the perfect all rounds and lasts really well on the skin whilst looking natural. What is your favourite drugstore concealer, have you tried any of these?

Sunday 1 December 2013

November Empties!

This month has been pretty crazy yet i've still managed to use up a good amount of products. I'm trying to downsize my hoard of products and I definitely seem to be making steps in the right direction. 
Starting off with haircare, the first being the Organic Surge Colour Protect Conditioner, i'm not sure they do this anymore which is a shame since it is lovely. It has a great peachy scent and makes my hair feels nice without overloading it with product. I would purchase this again. Next is the Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner, this is hands down my favourite leave it conditioner, it again doesn't leave my hair feeling like there's loads of product in it yet it makes brushing my hair so much easier. I plan on repurchasing this soon. Finally I have The Body Shop Rainforest Balance Shampoo, I love this shampoo and it make my hair feel clean yet isn't full of chemicals. I would purchase this again although I prefer the one for coloured hair. 
Onto body products, first being The Body Shop Macadamia Body Butter Duo, this smelt lovely and was really nourishing to my dry Winter skin. I would purchase this again. Next is the Natural Collection Passionfruit Body Spray, I love this stuff because it's cheap and smells lovely. I've already repurchased this. Next is the Caudalie Hand & Nail Cream, this was a lovely, light hand cream and this size was perfect for putting in your handbag. I would purchase this again. I finished my favourite deodorant which is the Vaseline Active Fresh, I have really sensitive armpits (glamorous I know) and this doesn't irritate my skin at all so I always repurchase it.  Finally I have a product I was sad to finish which is the & Other Stories Fig Fiction Body Scrub, this stuff smells amazing and leaves my skin feeling so soft. I definitely will be picking up another tub next time I make a trip to London. 
Onto skincare, first up is The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner, i've had this a while and I was surprised how much I loved it. It balanced my skin without feeling dry and contains no alcohol so isn't stripping. I will definitely be buying this again. Next is a very battered bottle of the Antipodes Divine Face Oil, I love this stuff because it feels lovely on the skin. I will purchase this again in the future. Next is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream, this is a great all purchase cream for sensitive skin. It has no harsh chemicals and feels lovely. I would purchase this again. Finally I have a sample of the REN Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream, this was moisturising yet light on the skin. It is a great all round cream. I wouldn't repurchase as there is other creams I like but I did enjoy using it.
Last but no least I have two makeup products, the first being the Seventeen Pressed Powder, this is my all time favourite powder, as it doesn't look cakey and is finely milled. I've already repurchased this. Finally I have the L'oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara, this was okay, I liked the brush but the formula was a little wet for me. I don't think I will be repurchasing this.   

So those are this months empties, most of these products I love and will be repurchasing. Have you used up any favourite products this month?