November Non-Beauty Favourites

I haven't done a non beauty favourites in a while and i've been loving a few things that I felt like sharing so i'm bringing it back this month. I've been a bit ill on and off this month, I think somewhat due to the change of weather. On a plus side it's given me the chance to catch up on a few TV shows and listen to some new music.

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Music -
The most exciting music release for me this month has been Foo Fighters Sonic Highways. I have been loving the album and the TV show that goes along with it, my brother was very nice to get me the limited edition New York cover vinyl. We also managed to get tickets to see them at Wembley next June which I am already so excited about. One of the support acts is Royal Blood who i've started listening to and i've been really liking. I think it's so good to hear a new heavier rock band that I think will be around for a while.
TV -
I've been mainly watching Sons Of Anarchy which has been so good this finale season, Homeland, again i've really been enjoying this season which I didn't expect after the big death last season. A new show i've been obsessed with is How To Get Away With Murder, if you like a show with lots of twist and to be gripped every episode watch this show. To get my nerdy comedy fix I started watching Silicon Valley which I got through so quickly and loved every minute.
Cooking -
In an attempt to eat healthier i've been trying out a few recipes. I've been having porridge everyday and making soups and homemade pizza. I've also been making a lot of healthy treats to stop me snacking on unhealthy sugary options. My favourite website for healthy sweet treats is Chocolate Covered Katie, every recipe i've used has turned out so well.
Fitness -
To go along with the healthy eating i've been doing some more workouts at home. Youtube is full of fitness videos. My favourites have the be Blogilaties who has so many different videos including a few healthy recipes for good measure. I love her 6 mins to series as the workouts are quick to do yet you can really feel it afterwards. I tend to do a couple of her videos at a time. I've also been loving yoga a lot. I love Yoga With Adriene who is really easy to follow if you're a beginner but also gives you more advanced moves.

So those are some things i've been loving this month. It's been a lot colder this month so i've been layering up a lot, especially for early morning dog walks. When we get back Rufus and I tend to fight over who gets the most blanket on the sofa! What non beauty things have you been loving lately?

November Beauty Favourites.

I find this time of year I always reach for similar types of products. My hands get drier so I need a good hand cream and I layer up with scarfs and jumper which I love to pair with a berry lip. My skin has been playing up a lot lately so i've taken things back to basics and i've already seen an improvements from some of the new bits i've been using.

Starting with my dry hand savior, i've gone back to The Body Shop Almond Hand & Nail Butter. Not only does this smell so lovely it is thick without feeling greasy and once it's absorbed into the skin my hands feel so much softer straight away. It has brazil nut oil in it as well which is great for the nails. I mentioned recently my love for the Vo5 Cherish My Colour Full Bodied Spray (review) as it is a great all in one product which I love using when I blow dry my hair as it adds volume whilst protecting my hair from the heat. 

Onto skincare, i've fallen so in love with The Body Shop Aloe range. It's designed for sensitive skin so is very gentle whilst being very effective. My new favourites have been the Soothing Day Cream which has a gel consistency so feels so light on the skin and the Soothing Night Cream which is a little thicker and feels more nourishing whilst still not feeling heavy on the skin. I also love the cleanser and serum from the range.

I've been loving a lot of berry lips this month but the old favourite that i've dug out is the Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie. It is the pink toned plum colour which looks glossy and feels moistrising on the lips.For brows i've been loving the Soap & Glory Brow Archery Pencil (review), this looks so natural on the brows, is easy to use and the shade Blonde-shell is a great match if you have lighter hair.

When my skin starts to feel a little drier I enjoy using cream blushes as the feel nice on the skin whilst adding a bit of a glow. One of my all time favourites for this is the Illamasqua Cream Blush in Dixie. It's a great pink shade which adds the perfect natural glow to the cheeks; I love this all year round but especially in the colder months. I picked up the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer this month after hearing a lot of good things and i've really been liking it. It's very creamy and pigmented so covers blemishes/redness well whilst being light enough to use under the eyes.

For most of the month whenever i've been wearing makeup i've been using the Makeup Revolution Ultra Eyeshadow Palette in Flawless (review). This is one of the best neutral palettes i've tried as there is a really good mix of shades and finishes, all of which are well pigmented and easy to blend. For the price it is amazing value for money.

So those are this months beauty favourites. I'm trying not to get too much into the festive spirit too soon but i'm definitely feeling the Christmas mood this year already. What have been some of your favourite beauty products this month?

November Empties!

Some months all the products you use seem to come to an end all at once, this month was definitely one of those. I've been working my way through my skincare stash recently so i've finished a few more of those products along with a good mix of body and haircare.

I'm definitely a big dry shampoo fan so i'm not surprised i've managed to use up two cans this month. This first one was nearly empty so didn't take a lot of finishing. The Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo smelt lovely and felt nice in the hair, it's definitely one of the best i've tried as it doesn't leave any residue in the hair. I would get this again however I think it is a little pricey. Next is my all time favourite, Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo, I think this will always be my favourite as it is the most affordable, although they have put the price up and it does the job very well.

Onto the first set of body products, starting with the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser in Pampering Honey. I've fallen in love with these whenever I have showers as they smell amazing and leave my skin feeling so soft. I will definitely being getting this scent. Another product I love is the Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter and Warm Vanilla Bath Cream. This stuff is really cheap yet feels like a spa product, it smells amazing and is very pampering on the skin.

I mentioned before that I can be a bit picky when it comes to deodorants, one I do really like is the Nivea Stress Portect Anti-Perspirant. This smells nice and does the job without irritating my skin. I'll definitely get it again. Another old favourite is the Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion in Light. I always have a bottle of this in stock as it is moisturising to the skin whilst being perfect at adding a little colour and glow which is definitely needed in the colder months. I've already started using my next bottle of this.

Onto skincare, first up is the Garnier Soothing Vitamin Enriched Toner which I go through all the time as it is my favourite basic toner to use after cleansing morning and night. I've already repurchased. Next is the Caudalie Vinosource SOS Thirst Quenching Serum. I was so sad to see this finish as I loved how light yet nourishing it felt on the skin. I think it's an amazing product for dehydrated skin however it is expensive so I won't be repurchasing straight away. Finally I finished the Soap & Glory Puffy Eye Attack Turbo-Boost Hydragel. I wasn't expecting much from this but ended up really liking it. It's a gel based cream so feels very light on the skin making it perfect to use in the morning and helps to soften the skin and make the eyes look more awake. This little pot lasted ages so I would definitely consider picking it up again.

So those are this months empties, i'm proud that i'm still managing to make my way through a good amount of products. Have you used up any of your favourite products this month?

Vo5 Cherish My Colour Full Bodied Spray - Reviewed!

I can be a bit picky with what I want when it comes to haircare. I want to protect my colour, add volume all without weighing down. I've become a big fan of Vo5 styling products so when I was looking for a new heat protector I spotted this and it claimed to do everything I wanted.

The bottle is in a hot pink colour like most of Vo5 haircare products and comes in a spray bottle making it easy to use the product. The first thing I like about this is that it doesn't drench the hair when you spray it giving you a good amount of control with the product.

The product claims to protect colour from fading for up to 2x longer, add volume when blow dried whilst acting as a heat defense. The product has a lovely sweet scent which lingers in the hair making it smell lovely and clean. It doesn't feel sticky and heavy in the hair and applied to damp hair then blow dried gives a nice amount of volume to the hair. I've been using it for a couple of weeks and I can say that my colour seems to be still looking vibrant which could be down to adding this into my routine.

I think it's a great all round product and if you have fine hair especially I think this would be perfect as it doesn't feel like you have any product in the hair. For the price and all the benefits that it has I think it is a great product worth giving a go.

Vo5 Cherish My Colour Full Bodied Spray retails for £4.19.

What are your favourite Vo5 haircare products?

Soap & Glory Brow Archery - Reviewed!

When you have blonde hair it can be a bit of a pain finding a good brow product that matches and looks natural. I had heard so much about this recent Soap & Glory release and how similar it was to the high end options which i've been tempted today. When I finally tracked it down; I had to go to two different Boots as it was out of stock, I couldn't wait to give it a go.

Soap & Glory do also do a brow pencil that comes with a felt tip on the other end which i've tried before and I did like but it was a little pricey and I found I only used the pencil end. This version is cheaper and comes with a brush on the other end, I also find the nib of the pencil to be smaller so you can be more precise.

The packaging is very sleek and compact which I like, the wax of the pencil is definitely on the the dry side however I find this makes it easier to use and I make less mistakes. Even though it has a waxy texture it is still soft to use. The pencil twists up so requires no sharpening, I haven't had it break on me yet which has happened in the past with other products.

I have the shade Blonde-shell which is a good match for my blonde hair, it isn't too warm and has just the right amount of ashy tones to it so it looks natural. The pencil sadly only comes in two shades, the other being hot chocolate, a deep brown. If you can find a shade that matches well I would definitely recommend giving this a try as it looks natural, is easy to apply and wears well. If you have been tempted to try the much raved about high end brow products, like I was, I would recommend giving this a try first since it might be just as good yet a lot cheaper. 

Soap & Glory 2 in 1 ArcheryBrow Filling Pencil & Brush retails for £8.00.

What is your favourite affordable brow product?

Haul | The Body Shop

My skin has definitely been playing up with the change of weather, i've been trying to use less product and once that are more suited to sensitive skin. The Body Shop then had an amazing offer online where if you spent £50 you got £25 off so I added a few things in my basket to help sort my skin out.

Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil - £10.00.
I love the Camomile Cleansing Butter and already have a back up waiting to be used so after hearing such good things about the oil I really wanted to try it. I've recently gotten more into cleansing oils so i'm excited to try this and see if it's as good as the other bits i've tried from the range.

Soft Facial Sponge - £4.00.
I've been hearing a lot about using gentle sponges when cleansing so I wanted to try one. I spotted this one on a whim when I was trying to make up the last few pounds I needed to spend. The sponge is really soft and gentle and works really well with the cleanser I picked up and helps to deeply cleanse the skin.

Lipscuff- £8.00.
I haven't heard much about this product but it sounded interesting to me and seemed to have good reviews online. It comes in a lipstick style packaging and not only moisturises the lips but exfoliate at the same time. It is gentle on the lips yet leaves them feeling smooth. It is a little pricey but if you can get it on offer it is a really nice, handy product.

Aloe Soothing Day Cream - £11.00 and Night Cream - £12.00.
I have loved the serum from the Aloe range so I wanted to try some more bits to help my skin out. The day cream is very light and gel like meaning it feels lovely on the skin, sinks in quickly so feels great under makeup. The night cream is a little thicker and feels more nourishing on the skin yet still isn't heavy. I've been using these for a couple of days and my skin already seems to be reacting well to them.

Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser - £8.50.
I wanted to add a gentle cream cleanser into my morning routine that doesn't dry out my skin. I thought I would stick with the aloe range and this is very gentle and basic which is what my skin needs. I've been using it with the sponge and it just refreshes the skin and removes any dirt from the skin.

So those are my recent skincare purchases from The Body Shop. As I mentioned i've only been using these for a couple of days but I already think my skin is improving already with using a few more basic products and sticking to them. What are your favourite skincare products from The Body Shop?

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation - Reviewed!

I think Rimmel have really stepped up their game when it comes to foundation. They've finally brought out some paler shades in all of their foundation and added a nude version of their lasting finish foundation. I tried the original version a long time ago and I remember it having good coverage but felt heavy on the skin so a lighter version sounded like it could be perfect.

The packaging is very simple and the same as the original lasting finish instead this time with a white lid. It has a glass bottle so feels very sturdy as well as having a decent pump which makes dispensing the product easy.

The foundation claims to contain a moisture serum gel which is meant to make the product feels lighter on the skin and as if you aren't wearing any product. It definitely does feel lighter on the skin, and the texture of the foundation is more creamy and gel like so it doesn't cling to any dry patches on the skin.

It blends very easily on the skin; a small layer can be applied to create a light coverage or it can be built up to create a more medium to full coverage. I tend to apply a medium coverage of product and then apply a light concealer where needed. The finish is semi-matte whilst still having a bit of a glow to it. I think this would be best suited to those with dry or combination skin, those with very oily skin may prefer something more matte. I have the shade Ivory which is pale but isn't the palest shade they do, so if you have very pale skin you will definitely be able to match your skintone. Sadly there is a good range of darker shades.

I've been really impressed with this foundation, the wear time isn't amazing, however I do find it lasts most of the day on my skin and doesn't look overly patchy. It also as an SPF 20 which is a nice added bonus. If you are looking for a good all round affordble foundation that feels light on the skin I would definitely recommend checking this one out.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation retails for £7.99.

Have you tried any of the foundations from Rimmel?

Lipstick Week | MAC Lipstick Collection

Saving the best till last. I thought the only way to end a week of lipstick themed posts would be to share my MAC lipstick collection. Now my collection is fairly small compared to others i've seen, however i'd like to think I have a good mix of shades in there. Although I do think I need to get a good red to finish things off nicely.

MAC Hue (Glaze finish) - Described as a soft pale, pinky nude. I will admit this isn't my most used out of the bunch however whenever I want a classic nude option I reach for this. It's a little sheer which I like. It's definitely one of the more wearable nudes MAC do.
MAC Creme Cup (Cremesheen finish)- This was my first MAC lipstick and one I still reach for a lot. It's the perfect creamy, pale pink shade. It's slightly blue toned which I like. It can feel a little drying on the lips however when well moisturised is the perfect pink shade which will suit many skintones.
MAC Plumful (Lustre finish) - Onto one of my most loved out of the bunch. Plumful is a rose plum shade and do to it's Lustre finish is sheer and glossy on the lips. It feels lovely on the lips and is the perfect everyday sheer plum shade for Autumn/Winter.

MAC Craving (Amplified finish) - I'd say Craving is a plumy pink however it also has a nude feel too it. It's a lovely rich, creamy finish that looks very opaque on the lips. This is a great everyday option which is still bold and looks very polished and put together.
MAC Girl About Town (Amplified finish) - Another amplified finish which might be my favourite as they're so bright and pigmented whilst feeling creamy on the lips. Girl About Town is a bright blue toned fuchsia which is really fun to wear. It's very bold however with the right makeup looks really nice and the wear time is very good. 
MAC Rebel (Satin finish) - Rebel is a berry red shade, it does lean on more of the purple side rather than the pink side compared to other plum lipsticks. It is a little vampy but a really great bold shade to wear in the colder months. It can even be sheered out to look less bold.

L-R Hue, Cremecup, Plumful, Craving, Girl About Town, Rebel

I do love everything about MAC lipsticks, the packaging is simple, they smell lovely and there is an amazing shade range. There's something exciting about adding to my lipstick collection and I love seeing them lined up on my dressing table as I get ready each day.

MAC Lipsticks retail for £15.50.

What are your favourite MAC Lipstick shades?

Lipstick Week | Maybelline Colorsensational Shine Gloss - Reviewed!

So technically these aren't a lipstick but I thought I would break things up a bit a mention my favourite gloss. Now I am definitely not a lip gloss fan, I find it annoying to wear and much prefer lipsticks. However these are definitely different and I find myself reaching for them a lot.

The packaging is very sleek and simple which I love; you can also tell each shade apart easily which is great if you have more than one shade. These don't have a strong scent to them, however they do have a slight sweet scent to them which isn't overpowering and you can't smell it once they're applied to the lips.

They come with a sponge applicator which isn't too big making it very easy to apply to the lips. I also find too much product doesn't come out on the applicator. Each shade has a creamy formula so they glide onto the lips and there is no chunky glitter in them.

The shades I have are Glorious Grapefruit which is a lovely peach shade great for Summer or applying over a matte shade to make for a more glossy finish. The other shade is Gleaming Grenadine  which is a lovely red colour. I was surprised how much wear I got out of this shade in the Summer as it's not a bold red so looks nice throughout the year.

I find the wear time really good for a gloss, lasting around 1-2 hours on the lips. The red shade definitely lasts longer leaving a red hint to the lips. The best thing about these is that they feel like a balm on the lips and aren't sticky at all. If you on the hunt for a nicely pigmented gloss that feels nice on the lips I would definitely recommend giving these a go.

Maybelline Colorsensational Shine Gloss retail for £6.19.

What are your favourite lip glosses?

Lipstick Week | 3 Autumn Brights

To start lipstick week I discussed nude lips so today I thought I would share some of my favourite bright lips that are a few of my most reached for this time of year. My favourite types of brights are plums and bright pinks with the occasional red thrown in there for good measure.

Revlon Lipstick Cherries In The Snow - £7.49.
This is such a classic lipsticks; it's one of Revlon's oldest shades and it is just beautiful. It is the perfect cherry shade, as the name would suggest. It's very bright, but to me it is a grown up pink option and great if you want something different to the classic red shade.
Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 107 - £5.49.
This time of year I have to have at least one plum option in rotation and this one is still my favourite. Although it is a matte finish it doesn't feel drying on the lips yet looks very sleek for it not being glossy. It has just the right amount of red in it so the purple tones aren't too overpowering whilst having a really good wear time.
MAC Lipstick Girl About Town - £15.50.
My favourite MAC lipsticks in my collection are definitely the brights, this one being a new favourite of mine. Girl About Town is a lovely, fun bright pink with a blue undertone which I find makes it look very flattering on. It's a very unique shade which I think would suit a lot of skintones and once again I find this wears really nicely on the lips.

L-R Revlon Cherries In The Snow, Rimmel 107, MAC Girl About Town

There is something I just love about layering up with jumpers and a thick scarf then applying a bright lip that I can't get enough of this time of year. I can make a simple makeup look appear really put together with so little effort. What are some of your favourite Autumn brights?