Christmas Presents

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup
What can I say? I've gone a bit Charlotte Tilbury crazy lately! I guess it's because it took so long for a counter to open up North and as soon as I visited one I was instantly hooked. Everything is just too pretty! I've wanted the Filmstar Bronze & Glow for ages so I got that with the Powder & Sculpt brush. I've really gotten into contouring lately & that sculpt shade looks gorgeous. I also purchased the limited edition Fallen Angel eyeshadow palette which is absolutely stunning. The buttery soft texture makes these a dream to apply & blend. They are super pigmented and have a wet to dry formula so you can amp up the colour even further. I'm a blush fiend so I got the Cheek To Chic Love Glow blusher. It's a soft peachy pink with a beautiful golden shimmer running through it. I also got the Rock 'N' Kohl eye pencil in Bedroom Black. The texture of this is fantastic, it glides on and stays put all day. I've heard so many good things about her lip products so I bought the Pillow Talk lip pencil & Bitch Perfect lipstick. Nude pink perfection! I love everything I got & I've already started planning my next Charlotte Tilbury purchases. I'm even considering replacing most of my makeup with her products. This is gonna be an expensive addiction!





Makeup Brushes
Illamasqua make some amazing makeup brushes. I bought their Highlighter Brush a few months ago & now I use it every day to apply my foundation. It makes my base look flawless. I saw this cute mini brush set on their website which comes with a little makeup bag & thought it be great to travel with. The brushes feel so soft & I'm so happy I finally got my hands on one of their Angled Brushes as I've been on the waiting list for it for months! I still love my Real Techniques brushes & really liked the look of the Nic's Picks set. Plus it was only £20 in Superdrug so I thought I'd treat myself! I especially like the two face brushes as they'll be great for bronzer & blusher.



Caudalie Products
My friend got me this cute set of miniature Caudalie products including a shower gel, body lotion, hand cream & Divine Oil. Caudalie remain one of my favourite skincare brands so I'm always excited to try some more of their products. You can never have too many bottles of Divine Oil! The pattern inside the bag is really cute too.




Sarah Chapman Facialift Massager
I didn't show anyone in my family my Sarah Chapman wishlist nor did I even mention any of her products to anyone & yet my mum got me this facial massager! Is she psychic or what? I'm really pleased with this as I have the worst double chin ever. Even at my thinnest it still didn't look great. I'm sure I'll have gained a few more after Christmas too! This scary looking contraption is supposed to help tone your face, reducing puffiness & sagging. I'm gonna roll it over my jaw every night & hopefully it'll get rid of my many chins. I gave it a quick go earlier & it definitely packs a punch. Despite it's appearance it actually feels really relaxing to use.




GlamGlow Masks
Although I wasn't a huge fan of GlamGlow Youthmud, earlier this year I fell completely in love with their Supermud. For Christmas I got a cute mask sample set as well as Brightmud Eye Treatment & Powermud Dualcleanse Treatment. I love trying out new face masks & I can't wait to give these a go!



NutriBullet
My family bought me this at the beginning of December & said it was my Christmas gift. I think they're paranoid things won't arrive in time for some reason! I've been using it a lot & it's such a cool blender. I've always loved making smoothies but I hate washing everything up afterwards. The NutriBullet makes the whole process a lot easier as you blend & drink everything in the same cup so there's only one thing to wash up when you're done. It came with some of their Superboost powder & a huge book of recipes. I normally go for kale, banana, pineapple, coconut water & chia seeds. I think I might start drinking two NutriBlasts a day to kickstart my fitness regime in 2015. I highly recommend getting one of these, they're simply amazing!



iPhone 6
This is another present that I got at the start of December but that's just because my phone contract had expired. I was desperate to upgrade from my iPhone 5 because of the 128GB capacity of the iPhone 6. I have a huge iTunes library of about 9000 songs and there just wasn't room for even half of them on my old phone along with all my photos, videos, apps etc. Now I can fit everything on with ease & I love how thin the phone is. I wish it was slightly smaller though as it no longer fits in my bag zip pocket! There aren't many nice cases out for the iPhone 6 yet so I just got this pink gel case from eBay. It was only £3 but it seems to do a decent job of protecting it from scratches. Anyway I think the iPhone 6 is an incredible phone & it's definitely worth upgrading to.

I had a really great Christmas this year. I got such lovely presents & we all had lots of fun on the day. Andy didn't get me a material gift but he's booked a little trip for us next month so I'm really looking forward to that! Christmas dinner was totally delicious, if I do say so myself haha. We got Chloe so many presents this year and pretty much all of them were My Little Pony related. She was really happy to get some more of the Equestria Girls dolls & we all played My Little Pony Monopoly Junior. I'm glad she's at that age where we can play games that are enjoyable for adults too. The day didn't drag on like usual as we were just so busy having fun. I hope you all had a brilliant Christmas & got everything you wished for! If you've done a Christmas presents post then please feel free to link it in the comments below as I would love to see it!

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British Summer Essentials

There's nothing quite as unpredictable as the Great British Summer. One day the sun will be shining brighter than ever before... then the next day we'll get non-stop wind & rain. If you're having a UK staycation this year then it's best to be prepared for every eventuality. I've teamed up with luxury accessories brand Folli Follie to give you a few ideas of which things to take with you, whatever the weather. Last month they sent me the most amazing selection of goodies & I'm over the moon with everything I received. Here are my British Summer Essentials...





First of all you'll need a bag to carry around all of your belongings. You'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful one than the Heart4Heart Shoulder Bag*. I was so excited when this arrived in the post, this bag is just incredibly stunning! It is available in five different colours but I think the red looks best. It's so bright & Summery but will look stylish all year round. I love pairing monochrome outfits with colourful accessories like this. I adore the rose gold hardware, especially that clover shaped lock. Everything about the bag just screams quality. Not only does it look gorgeous but there is tons of room inside & plenty of compartments to keep everything organised. It feels sturdy yet lightweight so it's a brilliant choice for your travels.






I was also sent these awesome tortoiseshell effect wayfarer sunglasses. How cute is the little orange case they came with?! The attention to detail is phenomenal. I really like how the four leaf clover theme is carried through their designs. The glasses feel very comfortable to wear & the lenses offer 100% UV ray protection. The wayfarer style is a classic & again the quality is top notch. Something else I've loved wearing this Summer is my black straw fedora hat from River Island. It's helped to protect my bleached hair from the sun & provide some shade for my face. I think it finishes off an outfit rather nicely too!



BRONZE
Although the UK weather is capable of doling out some wicked sunburn, we often don't see enough sun to develop a real tan. Even if you want to catch some rays you still need to wear some form of protection. Shiseido make some truly lovely sun protection products. I really like their Protective Tanning Cream N SPF 10*. It offers light protection & imparts a beautiful glow to the skin. The formula is very lightweight so it absorbs quickly & the tanner gives you a healthy looking natural golden colour. In a similar vein the Nivea Sun Protect & Bronze Spray SPF 10 contains a natural plant extract which helps support the production of melanin. Using this spray lotion will help to protect your skin & boost your ability to get a tan. If you're too busy for sunbathing then you can't beat a bit of fake tan. Admittedly I'm not a self tanning connoisseur but I've been very impressed with Lauren's Way Glam Tan*. The thought of tanning my whole body is quite scary to me but I've been using it on my legs to give them a bit of colour. The spray makes it very easy to apply & the colour is deep yet natural looking - not orange!



PROTECT
If you're incredibly pale like me then you should probably stick to using products with a high SPF. Most people seem to forget that your lips can actually get sunburned so it's important to use a lip balm that can protect your lips. I love this strawberry lip balm from EOS*. This flavour doesn't have sun protection but their lemon drop lip balm boasts SPF 15 so make sure you get that one! The formula is deeply hydrating & feels lovely on the lips. My favourite facial sunscreen is Soap & Glory's Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50. I use chemical exfoliants all year round so I always wear SPF 50 but it's especially important to protect your face during the Summer. I like this one because it doesn't leave a white cast, it doesn't feel greasy & it doesn't break me out. Check out my full review here. I always use this Nivea Sun Protect & Refresh Spray on my body. It offers SPF 50 & the spray is invisible so it won't leave horrid marks all over your clothes. It's easy to apply & feels cooling on the skin. I highly recommend it!



REFRESH
I love spending time in the sun but sometimes the heat can make you feel gross & uncomfortable. To make things a little more bearable during the recent heatwave I relied on these few products. The most important thing to carry with you is a bottle of water. It'll keep you hydrated and stocking up on them at home will save you a few pennies when you're out & about. It's a good idea to carry a dry shampoo with you during the Summer months. Sweaty hair is never a good look. I always buy Batiste products because they're cheap & get the job done. I hadn't tried their Pretty & Delicate Floral Dry Shampoo* before but the scent is really sweet & feminine - a new fave! I love the packaging too. I couldn't live without a bottle of Caudalie Beauty Elixir in my handbag. It's the perfect facial refresher with an addictive herbal scent. I use it throughout the day to perk up my skin & clear my mind. After a few hours in the sun my body starts to feel overly hot & sticky. Arran Aromatics have come up with the best solution for this short of taking a cold shower. Their Aloe Vera Energising Gel* is a wonderful quick reinvigorator for the body. It instantly cools down the skin & works well on sunburn. I always carry a bottle of hand sanitiser with me. If you're eating on the go or having a picnic then you don't want mucky hands. I really like the ones from The Body Shop. They come in loads of different scents but I'm currently using the Pink Grapefruit Hand Cleanse Gel. It smells so nice! A little pocket fan like this one can feel terrific when you're getting hot & bothered. Spray the Beauty Elixir or rub on some of the body gel first then use the fan on those areas. Say hello to instantly cooler skin.



Of course if everything goes wrong & the rest of the Summer is a washout then you'll need a good umbrella. I really like cute bubble ones like this as they seem to keep the rain out much better than your average brolly. Even if it doesn't rain then an umbrella can double up as a parasol so you can chill out in the shade no matter where you are.

What are your British Summer essentials?

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Skin Soothing Sprays

Caudalie Beauty Elixir / La Roche-Posay Serozinc / Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner / Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner

For some reason toners are oft-neglected as part of a skincare routine. Just because it doesn't feel like they're doing anything for your skin doesn't mean that they aren't beneficial to it. In fact many toners that feel like they're 'working' on the skin have a high alcohol content. Alcohol is something you really should try to avoid when choosing a toner. It may look & feel like it's shrinking your pores when in reality it's just drying out your skin. If you're a fan of chemical exfoliants like me then it's important to keep your skin balanced by following up with something gentle & hydrating. This helps to maintain the skin's pH level which is important for preventing everything from eczema & redness to acne & wrinkles. Toner helps to bridge the gap between cleansing & moisturising so that your skin feels prepped for the products to come. Personally I prefer using spray toners as they feel so much more refreshing upon application than swiping your toner on with a cotton pad. In the Summer I also like to pop one of these sprays in my handbag as a quick pick me up for the skin. Keeping your toner of choice in the fridge overnight will further enhance it's cooling powers, leaving it perfectly prepped for a day out in the sun.

I've used various different spray toners over the years but the first one that I truly fell head over heels for was the Caudalie Beauty Elixir. I will never get tired of it's wonderful scent. It imparts a minty tingle to your skin, perking it up & making it glow. I tend to keep this one exclusively for my handbag as not only does it freshen up your face but it helps to calm & clear your mind too. Ever since I tried La Roche-Posay Serozinc it has been a staple in my skincare routine. This is the one I reach for on a daily basis as it contains a zinc sulfate solution which can reduce redness & irritation. Zinc also has acne-busting properties so I use it to keep my blemishes in check. Combine this spray with a Zinc + Copper supplement to give cystic acne the boot. It's criminal that La Roche-Posay haven't brought this to the UK yet but it's well worth hunting down if you're holidaying in France. Alternatively you can get it on eBay.

I remember when I first started blogging that Liz Earle was the biggest thing in skincare. I subsequently went out & bought practically every product they made. Since then I've obviously moved on to other brands but there's still a few key products that I would recommend. I always pluck my eyebrows using the Instant Boost Skin Tonic. It makes it easier to wipe away the strays hairs & immediately calms down any redness in that area. The ingredient list is full of soothing ingredients including cucumber, chamomile & calendula. I enjoy it's soft botanical scent, it kinda reminds me of baby powder. I also used to really be into Dermalogica & have spent a small fortune on their products over the years. Their Multi-Active Toner remains a firm favourite due to it's skin balancing properties. It doesn't contain any alcohol yet it manages to keep excess oil production at bay. It also features arnica, cucumber and moisture-binding humectants to hydrate & smooth the skin. My latest toner love is the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. This toner is incredibly hydrating & smells amazing! It makes my skin feel really soft & look beautifully radiant. The formula is very gentle making it a great choice for those with sensitive or irritated skin. Use it sparingly as it can feel a bit sticky if you go overboard with it. Elemis make so many lovely skincare products, I want to try them all!

What's your favourite spray toner?

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March Favourites

Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask*
If you struggle with dull skin or post-blemish scarring then this mask could solve all your problems. It's a thick & creamy hydrating mask that promises radiant skin in just 10 minutes. This mask works as a skin peel so it will speed up the skin renewal process for healthier & brighter looking skin. It uses papaya enzyme & glycolic acid to dissolve dead skin cells, refine pores & resurface the skin. Caudalie's patented Viniferine has an exceptional effect on radiance & scarring. It feels so comforting on the skin and the subtle fragrance of galbanum essence, caraway & spearmint is very refreshing. Using this mask a couple of times a week will soon sort out your skin & get it back to looking it's best. Full review here.

HealGel Intensive*
HealGel is one of my favourite skincare brands & this original Intensive version is such a brilliant product. It's an all rounder really as you can use it for a multitude of skin ailments. This aqueous gel can be used to treat acne, eczema, burns, bruises & sunburn. It's basically a little miracle worker for skin problems. It really helps to speed up the recovery time of scarring. HealGel Intensive is best used on specific areas. For example I use it on my face if a nasty blemish has left a scar. It works well as a follow up to the Caudalie mask to make my skin look as clear as possible. I've also successfully healed up a burn mark on my hand using it. Chloe's been a bit accident prone lately and she ended up with some grazes on her face when she fell over outside. I applied HealGel Intensive to these twice a day and the marks cleared up in no time. It feels really soothing too so it's suitable for all the family. This is a must-have product for all households as it can be used on everything! Full review here.

Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil
I'm a big fan of Bumble & Bumble products. The only bad thing about them is that they're pretty pricey. This hair oil has been on my wishlist since forever because I felt bad about spending £30 on such a small bottle. I kinda wish I'd gone for it sooner though because it is worth every single penny. I personally like to use it on wet hair. Running a couple of pumps through my hair before blowdrying is all I need for super soft & shiny locks. It's hard to describe quite how soft this makes your hair. It's almost too soft if you know what I mean so I always pair it with a volumising spray to stop my hair from looking flat. It adds a beautiful shine, completely transforming my damaged bleached hair into healthy natural looking blonde lengths. Moroccanoil has got nothing on this. Best hair oil ever!

Revlon ColorBurst Lacquer Balm in Demure
I love the formula of these Revlon lip balms. The combination of shea, mango & coconut butter makes my lips feel perfectly hydrated. The minty fragrance smells delish & lightly freshens up your lips. The Lacquer Balms have a glossy finish & small glittery particles to help plump up the appearance of your pout. I've been wearing the shade Demure non-stop as it's such a lovely peachy pink lip colour that's perfect for any Spring makeup look. You can see how it looks on my lips here.

Peptalash
I got this ages ago as a freebie in Boots when I bought a tube of Hydraluron. I tried it once & then it pretty much got tossed to the side. Picking off my mascara is a terrible habit of mine & it does impact upon the appearance of my lashes. A noticeable gap appeared along my bottom lashes so I decided to give this product a proper go. I've tried several eyelash growth treatments & I tend to prefer ones that use a mascara wand style applicator. Peptalash has a small eyeliner style brush so you can run it along your eyelids. This method of application is a little annoying but it doesn't change the effectiveness of this product. After just a couple of weeks of using it I saw a change in my lashes. They became longer, thicker & the little gaps had begun to fill in again. Peptalash is surprisingly good & fairly cheap compared to products like RapidLash.

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Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask

Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask* - £29

At the moment the biggest problem I have with my skin is scarring. For once I am totally blemish-free (touch wood!) but I'm still having to wear quite a bit of foundation & concealer to cover up those pesky dark marks. Something that has really been helping to fade these post-blemish scars is the Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask. If the thought of using a skin peel is scary to you, don't worry your skin won't suddenly start falling off. It simply speeds up the skin renewal process to reveal a clearer & healthier complexion. This thick & creamy white mask promises to deliver radiance to your skin in just 10 minutes. It uses papaya enzyme to naturally exfoliate the skin. At this point you might be thinking 'hey this sounds pretty similar to the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel!' and in some ways you would be correct. Both offer a gentle skin peel in a creamy base that will brighten & exfoliate the skin without drying it out. If you tried them both once they would yield very similar results. However I prefer the ingredients in the Caudalie mask & for the purpose of lightening my scarring I feel that this one is the superior enzyme peel.

The Elemis peel has a focus on natural ingredients using papaya & pineapple enzymes to dissolve dead skin cells. The Caudalie peel also uses papaya but then they invited some glycolic acid to the party which is something that always works wonders on my skin. It tightens pores, gets rid of all kinds of blemishes & resurfaces the skin. Both peels are equally suitable for even the most sensitive of skin, it just boils down to which ingredients you prefer. Caudalie are known for their use of grape extract & this product is no exception. It features their patented Viniferine which is a natural active ingredient found in grapevine sap that has an exceptional effect on radiance & dark spots. Pro-vitamin B5 & grape-seed oil help to comfort the skin leaving it feeling soft & smooth. This mask is such a pleasure to use. I apply a thick layer with a flat foundation brush, leave it on for 10 minutes & then remove it with a muslin cloth. It has a pleasant scent & makes my face feel really fresh. As soon as I wash it off my skin looks so much brighter & the tone is more even. This peel mask is such a brilliant quick fix for dull skin. Using it twice a week has rapidly helped to fade my scarring so hopefully I'll be back to using a lighter makeup base again soon.

Thanks to Escentual's wonderful French pharmacy offer you can currently pick up this mask for just £23.20! You'll have to be quick though as the discount is only valid until the end of March. Don't forget to check out my French pharmacy product guide for some more purchase suggestions.

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French Pharmacy Picks

There's no denying the outstanding quality of French skincare products. I've been to Paris twice but that was in my days as a young'un when I only cared about going to Disneyland so I never visited any of the amazing French pharmacies. Luckily the Internet solves all problems & nowadays you can very easily order French pharmacy products online. For some items I stick to eBay because you can find things pretty cheap on there. Plus you can get your hands on products that aren't available in the UK yet. Otherwise Escentual is always a good place to pick up things. Throughout March you can get up to 1/3rd off selected French pharmacy brands on their website. Boots & Space.NK carry a lot of these brands too. I've put together a list of some of my favourite pharmacy products. Vive la pharmacie Française!

CAUDALIE: Everyone should try their Beauty Elixir. It's a cult toner/refresher for a reason. It helps to calm & hydrate my skin after cleansing. I adore the smell of this stuff & it always perks me up when I'm feeling a bit tired. I also love Divine Oil. I do appreciate an oil that comes with a spray pump. It makes it so easy to get the right amount of product. I like to spray this all over my body after showering for some lazy girl moisturisation. It's great at sorting out any dry patches. I also use it on the ends of my hair to add some healthy shine. A lot of oils can be too heavy for my hair but this is just right. It works on dry hands & cuticles too. Although you can use this on your face, I prefer to stick to just using it on my hair & body. The best part is it smells absolutely incredible!

I originally tried the Vinosource S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum in an old Glossybox and it was the only product I received that I went on to buy a full size version of. This serum features organic grape water & hyaluronic acid to deeply rehydrate your face. The texture is quite creamy & it really helps to soften your skin. If you're not a fan of Hydraluron you might like this instead. It works brilliantly with the Vinosource Moisturising Sorbet. This is such a lovely moisturiser for sensitive skin. It immediately calms & soothes my skin leaving it feeling perfectly hydrated.

LA ROCHE-POSAY: By now you should all know how much I adore Redermic R. This is a retinol product so we're getting into hardcore skincare territory here but it treats my blemishes better than anything. Not only does it help to either brings spots to the surface or dissipate them, it heals any scarring too. It puts paid to any congestion or bumps under my skin and makes everything feel super smooth. If you don't suffer from spots then you can use this as it was intended - as an anti-wrinkle treatment. This is one of the best retinol products you can get without a prescription & it is contained within a moisturising base so it won't dry out your skin. So many of my friends have bought this & all of them love it!

If you want more of a regular spot treatment then I would recommend Effaclar Duo. It's one of those 'you either love it or you hate it' products because it will either sort out all of your skin problems, do nothing or make things worse. I've only tried the old version but they've recently brought out a new & improved version which now helps to prevent scarring as well as treating spots. Oh Serozinc, how I love you. This product is a little awkward to get hold of as you'll have to order it off eBay but it's well worth it. This is a hydrating spray toner that contains a zinc sulphate solution. It helps to calm down any redness, irritation & blemishes. You can even use it to treat razor burn & nappy rash. Brilliant stuff! Cicaplast Baume B5 is a multi-purpose soothing & repairing balm. It features a winning combo of copper, zinc & manganese to aid skin recovery. It is suitable for even the most sensitive skin & can help treat a number of different ailments. I mainly use it on my eczema as it offers instant relief to any itch & adds some much needed moisture to those areas.

NUXE: The Reve de Miel lip balm is one of the best I've ever come across. It makes your lips feel amazingly soft & hydrated. It's one of the few things I can rely on whenever I get dry & cracked lips. I love the matte finish & it has good staying power for a balm. It comes in both stick & pot form. I would recommend picking up both - one to keep in your handbag & one to keep with the rest of your skincare. I get a lot of use out of both of them. Another star NUXE product is their Huile Prodigieuse. This is a lightweight dry oil that you can use on your face, body & hair. It is incredibly moisturising without ever looking greasy. I like to mix this in with thick foundations like the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer to give my face a natural dewy glow.

LIERAC: I always spot Lierac products in TK Maxx and that's where I picked up two of their eye creams - Diopticerne & Diopticalm. I'm more into eye gels these days but if you prefer a cream formula then Lierac's offerings are some of the best. Diopticerne is a hydrating eye cream that intensively treats dark circles. Diopticalm is a soothing eye balm that will calm & de-puff your eyes. You can also apply a thick layer of it as an eye mask.

BIODERMA: No French pharmacy list would be complete without the inclusion of Bioderma Crealine H20. If you need a good makeup remover then this is the one to get. Micellar waters are far more effective than regular makeup removers as they use tiny oil molecules suspended in water. These molecules grab onto makeup & dissolve them without leaving any residue. It removes even the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup & is very gentle on the skin. Nothing compares to you Bioderma.

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Skincare Haul

Sometimes everything seems to run out all at once. That's exactly what happened to me last week so I did a bit of a restock of some of my most essential skincare products. Me being me, I couldn't resist adding in a couple of new things as well. Here's what I purchased:

Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturiser / Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins

I was using the Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment but that product is more targeted towards people with combination/oily skin. My skin isn't really oily, more blemish-prone so I sometimes felt like my skin needed something more moisturising even after layering it up with some Hydraluron. But I did really enjoy using it & after applying it day and night for four months it finally ran out. I figured this was the perfect time to try out the proper moisturiser version of this product which is better for combination/dry skin. Its a bit thicker but sinks in just as nicely & really hydrates my skin. I'm using this as my day moisturiser when I don't want any SPF. To make it last longer than my old pot I decided to buy a separate dedicated night cream from Origins. I went for the High-Potency Night-A-Mins which is a really thick & luxurious feeling cream. This stuff is really amazing & leaves my skin feeling softer & looking brighter when I wake up in the morning.

REN Micro Polish Cleanser / Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I repurchased my regular REN cleanser last month and one of the samples I received with the product was their Micro Polish exfoliating cleanser. I loved it so much I decided to order a big tube of it. This makes my skin feel much smoother & helps to reduce the appearance of pores. It also brightens skin tone & makes my skin feel really clean. I'm not normally too fond of physical exfoliating products as they can be too harsh & I often find little grains left in my hair line, annoying! This stuff is just right & I like to use this a couple of times a week when my skins feeling a bit rough. Caudalie's Beauty Elixir is still a staple product for me and I'm addicted to how refreshed it makes my skin feel. This must be my fourth or fifth full size bottle.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold / Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex / Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50+

My favourite ever skincare product, Alpha-H's Liquid Gold, finally ran out after first purchasing my bottle back in May last year! I only use it once a week now so that's probably why it's lasted so long. This stuff is really potent and has worked wonders on my blemishes & scarring. I couldn't not repurchase it. Another Alpha-H product I've heard a lot about is their Absolute Eye Complex which is a really cooling eye gel. It has had brilliant results when it comes to reducing dark circles, puffiness & wrinkles as well as milia. I'd wanted to buy this for ages and got the best deal! Salon Skincare have an offer on where you can buy full size bottles of Liquid Gold & Absolute Eye Complex for just £30! Together you'd normally have to pay about £65 for both of those products so its basically a BOGOF offer. I think its because Alpha-H have recently updated their packaging so they want to get rid of older stock but the products are exactly the same. I'm not particularly fussed about having nice looking products on my dressing table so this deal was perfect for me. I also got another bottle of their Daily Essential Moisturiser. This is my day moisturiser for when I want some SPF as it has factor 50+. It's great for my pale skin & doesn't have any of the unpleasantness that normally comes with sun protection products. It's an ideal partner for Liquid Gold as the glycolic acid in it can make your skin more susceptible to the sun. This bottle has lasted me about six months so it's well worth the money.

A ton of gift with purchase samples from Gatineau, Origins, Bliss & Caudalie

I also got a few samples with my orders from Origins & Salon Skincare. I've never really heard of Gatineau before so I'm interested to see how good their products are. I got a cute wash bag & headband with them too. I love Bliss products so I really like this little tube of their Snow Wonder hand cream. It's very moisturising! Origins currently have free delivery & two sample products when you spend £30. I got little tubes of Checks & Balances face wash & Modern Friction exfoliator. I've never tried these before either so I'm excited to see if they're any good.

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Favourite Products Of 2012

My monthly favourite posts are probably the ones I enjoy writing the most. Lots of you have told me that they're the ones you enjoy reading the most too. So today I bring you my yearly roundup of the products that I've loved using. It was really difficult to narrow the list down this year. There were so many new things that I tried & that have quickly become an essential part of my beauty regime. I'm surprised to see what things have changed & whats stayed the same from my last yearly favourites post. One thing's for sure, 2012 was a very expensive year in beauty!

Skincare
Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift & Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm / Alpha-H Liquid Gold
REN Invisible Pores Detox Mask / Hydraluron / Caudalie Beauty Elixir / Bioderma Créaline H2O

I definitely spent the most amount of money on new skincare products. I fell in love with this Emma Hardie cleanser from the moment I tried it. It removes makeup like nothing else & leaves your skin feeling so soft. I'm sure you could tell that Liquid Gold would be on my list. This glycolic acid based chemical exfoliant is something of a miracle potion for me. It resurfaces your skin getting rid of blemishes, fine lines & reducing scarring. Hands down, it is my favourite product of the year. The REN Invisible Pores is such a wonderful clay face mask. It draws out all the impurities in my skin & tightens every pore. Hydraluron is my favourite product for injecting a quick hit of moisture to the skin as its basically a super power up serum for your moisturiser. It rehydrates skin & helps keep spots at bay. I still love the Caudalie Beauty Elixir and spray it on my face twice a day. Its just so refreshing on the skin & I couldn't go without it now. Bioderma is the best thing you can use if you're feeling too lazy to actually wash your face. It just dissolves makeup so well & doesn't irritate my skin or eyes whatsoever.

Haircare
Moroccanoil / Percy & Reed Finishing Polish / Kerastase Ciment Thermique / Redken Real Control Overnight Treat
Bumble & Bumble Texture Hair (Un) Dressing Creme / Denman Dressing Out Hairbrush

I use Moroccanoil every time I wash my hair & it has definitely helped with its overall condition. I really like the Percy & Reed Finishing Polish as it gives my hairstyle great hold & successfully tames my frizz without weighing down my hair. Nothing beats Ciment Thermique when it comes to heat protection. It also makes your hair softer & has a lovely grapefruit scent. The Redken Overnight Treat is my favourite leave in product as you really do wake up with better looking hair. Bumble & Bumble products are amazing, I only wish they weren't quite so expensive. One thing from them that you should definitely splurge on is this Hair (Un) Dressing Creme. A tiny blob of this stuff ran through your roots before blow drying will give you just the right amount of texture & volume. To give my roots even more volume I use this Dressing Out brush. It is the best backcombing brush ever & can even be used to brush through wigs & hair extensions.

Base
Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Primer / Bobbi Brown Corrector / Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray / theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer / Laura Mercier Mineral Powder
Illamasqua Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Clarins Instant Smooth is my new favourite primer. It gives you such a flawless base & basically airbrushes out your pores. Nothing manages to cover my hideous dark circles quite like my Bobbi Brown Corrector. It really brightens up the under eye area and makes you look a lot more awake. For most of 2012 I stuck with Estee Lauder Double Wear because I do love the coverage & staying power. Then Estee Lauder did something stupid & got rid of their palest shade. Enter Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation. Soft Ivory is such a perfect colour for me. You only need the tiniest blob for flawless skin and I find I don't need to use concealer on my blemishes when I use this foundation. I love the Urban Decay Setting Spray as it keeps your face in place all day & stops powder from looking powdery. I have a ridiculous obsession with highlighters and I couldn't stop myself from buying new ones in my search for the perfect glow. Look no further, theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer is the ultimate highlighter! I bought this back in May and haven't used or purchased another one since. I use this every single day as nothing else can deliver such a powerful shine. For days when I'm running late I go for a quick bit of concealer under my eyes and a good dusting of this Laura Mercier Mineral Powder. It has great coverage & gives a natural glow. I'd recommend this one over the pressed mineral powder as the pressed ones give a more matte finish. My favourite product for setting my makeup & taking away shine from my t-zone is this Illamasqua powder. I'm paranoid about my mascara running & concealer creasing under my eyes. This powder sets them perfectly & doesn't look cakey at all.

Eyes
Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara / L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Superliner / Anastasia Granite Tinted Brow Gel
Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara / Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette / MAC NC15/NW20 Pencil
Maybelline On And On Bronze Colour Tattoo 24hr Eyeshadow / MAC Omega Eyeshadow

My mascara & eyeliner choices are the same as last year. I just love this combo for long, thick, voluminous lashes & that perfect black flick. Anastasia are a brand I've been excited to try for a while & their Tinted Brow Gel certainly didn't disappoint. This is such a great product for when you need your brows done fast. Something I've used for a long time is the Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara. The tiny brush is fab for getting all those little bottom lashes & as it is a tubing mascara you don't have to worry about it running. The Naked 2 palette really is the best eyeshadow palette I own with shades & textures for all occasions. My eyes don't look right if I forget to use my MAC NC15/NW20 eye pencil. It really opens them up and takes away any redness. I've bought quite a few cream eyeshadows this year but Maybelline's On And On Bronze tops the list. Its such a nice colour & works well on its own as well as under other eye shadows without any creasing. At the beginning of last year I was using the HD Brows palette but I found the shades were just too dark & it was easy to overdo it. Omega is the perfect eyebrow colour. Its dark enough to match my eyebrow hairs & cool enough to look right with my blonde hair.

Blusher
Stila Petunia Convertible Colour / Illamasqua Sophie / NARS Deep Throat

I adore the Stila Convertible Colours! I used to be quite wary of cream blushers but the formula of these is just spot on. All the colours are gorgeous but Petunia is the one I reach for most. Its a bright rosy pink & looks fab on both cheeks & lips. I love love love Illamasqua's blushers & this is one of their newer shimmer blushers. Sophie is such a gorgeous bright golden coral colour and adds a nice bit of warmth to my complexion. NARS Deep Throat is a colour I reach for on an everyday basis. Its just the perfect colour for me & I can't get enough of it. This is actually the only NARS blusher I own, I'd love to get my hands on Douceur next.

Lip Products
NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm / Revlon Strawberry Shortcake Lip Butter
Revlon Rendezvous Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain / Look Beauty Citrus Kick Double Hit Lip
MAC Subculture Lip Pencil

The only lip balm capable of saving my lips from death this year has been this lovely NUXE one. I really like the pot & the stick but the pot definitely wins when you need an intense hit of moisture as its a bit thicker. I'd never tried any Revlon products before this year & I truly loved their two very hyped products - the Lip Butters & Balm Stains. Strawberry Shortcake is a lovely everyday pink whereas Rendezvous is sexy orange number. I also really like the Look Beauty Double Hit Lips. One end is a lipstick & the other is a lipgloss. Citrus Kick is another orange but it turns into a very pretty coral when it combines with the natural pink of my lips. The scent is absolutely delicious too. MAC's Subculture lip pencil is great nudey pink shade for emphasising the shape of your lips. It works well under a variety of lip colours & gives you super pouty lips.

Nail Polishes
Essie Cute As A Button / Essie Lilacism / Essie Fiji / Models Own Disco Inferno / Louise Gray For Topshop Junk Yard

I've been loving Essie polishes this year. The new brush makes them so easy to apply & they dry fairly quickly. They don't chip much either with a good coat of Seche Vite on top. Lilacism is probably my favourite one as I just love purple colours! I've also gotten into glitter polishes this year. The whole Models Own Mirrorball collection was amazing but as a gold lover Disco Inferno is the one I reach for most often. This Louise Gray for Topshop glitter nail polish is so stunning & I can't stop staring at my nails whenever I wear it.

Tools
Real Techniques Brushes / Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers / Tweezerman Tweezers

Most of my makeup brush collection has been replaced with Real Techniques brushes since they launched in the UK. I think they're amazing quality with super soft bristles that dry quickly after washing & don't shed at all. My makeup looks so much better since I invested in some of these. I use these three on a daily basis. I apply my foundation using the Buffing Brush, my blusher using the Contour Brush and loose powder with the setting brush. I can't recommend these enough and wish these were around before I wasted loads of money on overhyped MAC brushes which used to just shed all over my face. I use these Shu Uemura eyelash curlers every day without fail. They make my lashes look so much better & open up my eyes. They make such a difference. I've used these tweezers for years as you can pluck out the tiniest hairs with them. They last forever so they're definitely worth the investment.

October Favourites

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray
I'd wanted to try one of Urban Decay's setting sprays for ages and I finally decided to pick this up last month. You simply apply your makeup as usual and then spray this all over your face about four times. It really does help to keep your makeup in place for longer and leaves your face looking fresher. It also stops your skin from looking powdery. Its a godsend on nights out! It was manufactured by Skindinavia who make setting sprays that many professional makeup artists use on photo shoots and wedding days. The formula is pretty much the same as their original sprays so this is definitely something to check out if your makeup doesn't last quite as long as you'd like or you need to look perfect all day long.

Origins Clear Improvement Mask
One of my favourite things in life is trying out new face masks. Nothing makes me feel more pampered and relaxed at home. This is a bit more than your average clay mask. It contains active charcoal which really draws out the impurities from deep inside your skin. Origins recommend using this after exfoliating and steaming your face. It looks quite scary when it dries, like a matte black foundation. I feel like it really makes a difference to the amount of blackheads on my nose and dramatically reduces any painful spots. I used it again last night when I had a couple of painful red spots under the skin between my eyebrows and on my chin. They've completely stopped hurting and cleared up. It wasn't as effective on the non-painful spots but this is a good one for eliminating all the gunk thats trapped under your skin.

Caudalie Divine Oil
This multi-purpose beauty oil is nothing short of a miracle worker. You can use this literally anywhere. Personally I like to put one spray in my hair every morning to give it a quick shine boost. Its also helped to get rid of the eczema I sometimes get on my leg. Its perfect to rub on your body after a shower as its a dry oil so you don't end up feeling greasy at all. The spray top makes it easy to apply it to all those hard to reach areas. Its fab on dry areas like elbows & knees. Plus it smells... divine!

Hydraluron
As a devotee of the Caroline Hirons school of skincare I had to pick up this serum. I really like how it makes my skin feel. Hydraluron is essentially pure Hyaluronic Acid. This ingredient is capable of absorbing up to 1000 times its weight in water. This means that when you apply moisturiser on top of it, the acid keeps the moisture there resulting in soft supple skin. You have to use it alongside your normal moisturiser because its meant for below-surface hydration. If you use it alone it just makes your face feel really tight. Its pretty pricey and despite the big box, you only get this tiny tube. Although you only need a tiny blob for your whole face I feel like the tube is rapidly emptying already. I definitely feel like this is doing more for my skin than some of the other serums I've tried though so this could become an expensive new habit!

Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment
I'd heard so many good things about the original Make A Difference Rejuvenating Treatment but by the time I managed to pick up a jar Origins had changed the formula. I was bit wary of trying it out incase it wasn't as good as I'd heard the previous version was but its a really lovely product. It adds a great deal of moisture to my skin which is definitely getting dried out by a combo of central heating and icy winds. The one thing I don't like about it is that I always have to wash my hands after applying it because I hate how sticky it makes them feel. However my face feels nicely hydrated and very smooth. It sits really nicely under my makeup and feels almost like a primer. I prefer to use it at night though because it does lack SPF. This product preceded by a blob of Hydraluron is a brilliant combo for keeping dry and dehydrated Winter skin at bay.