September Favourites

The Chemistry Brand Hyaluronic Concentrate
Hyaluronic Acid is still one of my favourite skincare ingredients & not a day goes by when I don't use a HA serum on my face. It's especially welcome around this time of year when it starts to get a bit colder outside, the heating goes on & skin dries out easier as a consequence. As someone with eczema-prone skin, my body also suffers from dry patches so it's really important for me to keep of all my skin hydrated. Despite the extremely low cost of The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 serum, it wouldn't last very long at all if I started spreading it over my body so I decided to try out this product from one of their Deciem sister brands, The Chemistry Brand. As stated directly on the bottle, their Hyaluronic Concentrate is literally a big tub of hyaluronic acid. It comes with a pump dispenser so that you can apply liberal amounts of the stuff where it's needed. The Chemistry Brand's Hyaluronic Concentrate boasts a 99.5% pure hyaluronic acid. This high level of purity assists the delivery of actives in other products so anything you use on top of this will be able to work better as a result. You can just use it on it's own or underneath a regular moisturiser but with continued use Hyaluronic Concentrate will help skin to retain its own moisture, reducing the need for other products in the long run. Compared to the liquidy texture of the HA facial serum, this product is much more gel like in consistency. When it comes to body products I'm not a fan of anything creamy or sticky that takes ages to dry down so I really enjoy using this fast absorbing gel. I've been slapping it on whenever my skin has felt a bit irritated or dry & now everything looks so much healthier. It started working really quickly too as I saw results in less than a week. The areas I apply it to most are my hands, legs, knees & elbows but you can use it absolutely anywhere. This stuff is a godsend if you suffer from dry skin.

The Chemistry Brand Hand Chemistry
The Chemistry Brand also specialise in hand creams so I bought one in my desperate attempts to find something that would soothe the horrible eczema flareup on my right hand. They have a few different ones but I decided to go for the original Hand Chemistry. There's something rather special about this hand cream, it's easily the most effective one I've ever tried. Our hands are one of the first places to show signs of aging as we use them all the time & they get a lot of sun exposure compared to the rest of our bodies. This product was designed to combat 8 signs of hand aging simultaneously. It promises to improve the firmness, elasticity, density, evenness, brightness, texture, smoothness & hydration of your hands within 11 days. I noticed a difference right away as it visibly brightens & smooths the skin almost immediately. I love the texture of this hand cream, it absorbs quickly & almost coats your hands so they still feel soft hours after application. This cream works really well on your nails too & nourishes the cuticles whilst promoting nail growth. It has a sweet fruity scent which makes it a pleasure to use. It's also a great partner product for the Hyaluronic Concentrate. I layer them together for the ultimate hand hydrating combo. These products provide instant relief for any scaly, itchy areas & after just a few weeks my hand eczema was history! I keep a smaller tube of this stuff in my handbag at all times because nothing else compares when your hands are feeling worse for wear.

Swell Ultimate Volume Dry Shampoo
A few years ago I tried some hair products by Swell & loved the voluminous results on my fine, flat hair. My only gripe was that the products are incredibly expensive & I simply cannot afford to spend that much on shampoo. Luckily my local Boots decided to get rid of all their Swell stock & heavily reduced their entire product range. I managed to pick up a full size bottle of the Advanced Volumizing Conditioner for £8 instead of £28 as well as their Ultimate Volume Dry Shampoo for £5 instead of £20. Boots' clearance aisle is literally the best thing ever! I had never tried the dry shampoo before but I remember reading some rave reviews when it first came out. What makes this product stand out from other dry shampoos is the fantastic pump dispenser. It's not as harsh as blasting your hair with a can of Batiste but still manages to really freshen up second or third day hair. You're not left with the weird dull look or gross feeling that some dry shampoos can give you, your hair simply looks clean again. The ultra fine nozzle is very precise so you can target the roots easily & add volume exactly where you want it. Best of all, it doesn't leave any powdery residue in your hair! The Swell Ultimate Volume Dry Shampoo is brilliant for those of us with fine hair that needs a bit of lift & it's discreet enough to slip into your handbag for on the go freshness.

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
I love a bit of Charlotte Tilbury & her Hollywood Flawless Filter is by far the most exciting release she's come out with. This product has completely revolutionised my foundation routine. The Hollywood Flawless Filter is basically a tinted liquid highlighter but there's one available to suit every skin colour. It gives you a soft focus, airbrushed appearance by smoothing out fine lines & texture whilst illuminating the skin. There's just so many different ways to use it & each one will leave you looking like a glowing goddess. You can use it as a primer, mixed with foundation or as a regular liquid highlighter. My preferred method of application is to sweep some over the high points of my face & then mix it in with my foundation using a Beautyblender. I'm obsessed with how radiant my base looks paired with this illuminator. It also looks stunning on completely bare skin as the flesh coloured tint does give a small amount of coverage. It subtly evens out the complexion & reduces redness for a naturally flawless look. I often use it like this with just a bit of concealer under my eyes when I want a low effort, quick base that still looks fabulous.

Makeup Revolution Fast Base Foundation Stick
Makeup Revolution have been coming out with new products non-stop recently & I think that they're one of the most innovative beauty brands on the market today. Not only are their products amazing, they're also amazingly affordable & to be honest I'm struggling to keep up with the constant barrage of new stuff! I can't wait to pick up their new Conceal & Define Foundation as I'm a huge fan of the concealer but for now I'm still loving their Fast Base Foundation Stick. One of the reasons that I love their foundations & concealers is the vast shade range. All other beauty brands should take note because Revolution are one of the few brands with a truly inclusive range of colours to suit every skin tone. I have the shade F1 which is spot on for my complexion as it's pale with yellow undertones. This foundation provides medium to full coverage & it builds really well without looking cakey. Stick foundations are notoriously difficult to get right as they're often too dry & drag on the skin or too greasy & melt off your face. The Fast Base Foundation Stick formula is superb & sits right in the middle. It's so quick to draw on your face & blends out effortlessly. It doesn't highlight skin texture or cling to dry patches, it just smooths over everything & makes my skin look flawless in no time at all. The foundation feels really lightweight on the skin & provides a fresh dewy finish. Once set with powder, it lasts really well & doesn't break down on my skin. It doesn't transfer much but if I scratch my face it can come off quite easily. I normally use a Beautyblender to do my base but I actually prefer a brush for this foundation. I've been using the Real Techniques Mini Multitask Brush with it & they're the perfect team. I think it'd be a great product to pop in your bag if you do your makeup during your daily commute or need touchups throughout the day. For just £5 I didn't know what to expect from this foundation but it is unbelievably good & has only further cemented my love for Makeup Revolution.

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January Favourites

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Light Therapy Targeted Acne Spot Treatment
LED light therapy is one of the most innovative skin treatments around. It's based on the idea that coloured wavelengths of light have the ability to induce a change within the skin. Red light therapy is mainly used to stimulate collagen & elastin production whereas blue light therapy is an excellent acne solution. These treatments used to be exclusively available as part of professional facials but then Neutrogena brought out a full light therapy mask for use at home. I read loads of good reviews about the skin benefits that this mask provides but the downside was that it only works for 30 ten minute sessions. After that you have to keep buying £15 'activators' to make it work again. Considering that the mask costs £60 to begin with I decided that investing in this device would be far too expensive. A little while ago Neutrogena came out with a much smaller pen version designed for treating individual blemishes. The pen is a much more affordable device & only requires AAA batteries to work. It's very simple to use, you just have to hold the light pen up to one of your spots for two minutes & it will kill any acne causing bacteria. It also helps to reduce inflammation & speed up the skin healing process. I'm really pleased with this light therapy pen. It has definitely helped to banish unruly blemishes & prevent them from scarring my skin.

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow
As much as I try to resist buying new Charlotte Tilbury products, she just keeps drawing me back in! One of her latest launches is this Brightening Youth Glow primer. It's very similar to her original primer Wonderglow but it imparts more of a pearlescent sheen than a golden glow. The pearlescent pigments immediately make your skin look healthier & more luminous. It does a great job of keeping your makeup on for longer & blurring imperfections. This product also has some skincare benefits as it contains anti-aging & anti-redness ingredients to even out & brighten your complexion without makeup. I really like that it has an immediate effect on your skin as well as long term benefits. I find the texture of this primer to be a bit thicker than Wonderglow & I don't have to use as much product as a result. It makes my skin feel silky smooth & perfectly prepped for foundation. I love that I can still see the glow through my makeup which is the whole point of illuminating primers. I've been using this every day, regardless of whether I'm wearing makeup or not & I've already noticed an improvement in my skin tone. It's helped my complexion to look more even & gives me the fresh, dewy looking skin of my dreams.

Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer
Tarte Shape Tape is one of my favourite concealers of all time but I was dreading having to repurchase it. I order mine from QVC where you can only buy it alongside a makeup sponge & QVC always charge extra for delivery. It can get quite expensive & although I do think it's worth the money, I can't always afford to spend £32 on concealer! Makeup Revolution recently brought out their Conceal & Define Concealer which is basically a £4 dupe for Shape Tape & I'm a huge fan of this product. It took me quite a while to get my hands on it because my local Superdrug still haven't restocked it & they kept selling out of my colour online. Eventually I managed to buy the shade C1 which is the lightest colour available & a good colour match for Shape Tape in Fair. The shade range is truly inclusive & better than that offered by any other drugstore brand. Actually it's a lot better than the shade range offered by many high end brands too! The coverage that this concealer provides is incredible & the consistency feels a lot creamier than Shape Tape. It blends out beautifully without reducing the coverage & feels really lightweight on the skin. The concealer doesn't settle into fine lines or pores, you're just left with a really smooth perfected base. It's such a brilliant product & if you see your colour in stock, do not hesitate to buy one!

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask*
Winter weather really takes it's toll on my skin & my lips end up suffering most of all. Sleeping masks are a fantastic way to give your skin an intense hit of hydration so I was really excited to try out this Lip Sleeping Mask from Laneige. This thick & creamy lip balm is packed full of ingredients that literally wrap your lips with moisture. It's enriched with hyaluronic acid & a special berry complex to gently remove dead skin cells overnight, leaving behind a softer, smoother & fuller looking pout. I can still feel the mask on my lips when I wake up in the morning & it has helped to keep my lips feeling soft in the long run. It comes with a cute little applicator which is both hygienic & fun to use. You can also wear this mask during the day as an intensive lip treatment. It's a great base for lipstick & stops my lips from getting dry when I'm walking out in the cold. The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask has single-handedly saved my sore, chapped lips & I can't recommend this product enough if the cold weather is ruining your lips too.




Makeup Geek In The Nude Eyeshadow Palette
Even though they've been slightly overshadowed by cheaper brands such as Morphe & Colourpop, I still love Makeup Geek eyeshadows. Their mattes are intensely pigmented yet blend like a dream & their foiled shadows are just pure eye candy. As soon as I saw this palette I knew that I would get a lot of use out of it. In fact it's the only eyeshadow palette I've reached for all month. There's such a gorgeous collection of warm browns & neutral shades in this palette. My favourite combo is to use So Pale as a base, Buffed as a transition shade, Tan Lines to define the crease, Cabin Fever to add some more depth to the eye & finally In The Spotlight all over the lid. The makeup world is currently flooded with neutral eyeshadow palettes but this is one of the prettiest around with the ideal ratio of matte & shimmery shadows. I can honestly see myself hitting pan on every single colour!

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October Favourites

The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%
My latest purchase from The Ordinary has fast become one of my all time favourites. Resveratrol & Ferulic Acid are two highly potent antioxidants with anti-aging properties. These particular ingredients help to boost the efficacy of Vitamin C & sun protection so they work really well with the rest of my skincare routine. They are suspended in propanediol which has quite an oily texture but it doesn't feel greasy on the skin. Since I started using this serum every morning my skin has looked so fresh & youthful. It gives me such a healthy looking glow & has helped to refine the texture of my skin. I have less congestion, my pores look much tighter & my fine lines are diminished. It sits really well underneath my makeup & gives my base a super smooth, radiant looking finish.

Glossier Birthday Balm Dotcom
When I heard that Glossier were coming to the UK, I actually wasn't that excited. To be honest I think a lot of their products are overhyped & overpriced but FOMO led to me ordering a few things just to see what all the fuss was about. One item I knew I had to try was their Balm Dotcom. It was a tough choice between all the different tints & flavours but in the end I went for the Birthday variety. I read that it had been made in collaboration with Christina Tosi who owns Momofuku Milk Bar. I love watching her on Masterchef USA & have always wanted to try one of her cakes. A trip to New York isn't on the cards anytime soon so I settled for this cake flavoured lip balm. The texture is nice & thick so it feels really moisturising on the lips. This one also has some shimmery particles in it which makes your lips look really pretty. I love the scent & taste of it and the holographic packaging is super cute too!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Breathable Foundation in Light Porcelain*
I received this product in my latest VoxBox from Influenster. In the past I've struggled to find good drugstore foundations but recently both Maybelline & Rimmel have been knocking it out of the park. This is the new Breathable version of Rimmel's Lasting Finish Foundation. It provides long lasting medium coverage in a lightweight, hydrating formula. I was sent the shade Light Porcelain which is slightly too pink toned for my skin but used together with the more yellow toned concealer, I can make it work. I really love the huge applicator wand as it makes it so quick & easy to put on your foundation. The coverage is very nice & it evens out my skintone well. It gives my skin a smooth flawless finish without looking like a mask. It doesn't cling to dry patches & never looks cakey no matter how much you apply. I was really impressed with the wear time as one of the main reasons I tend to go for more expensive foundations is that they last longer on my skin. This stuff looked just as good at the end of the day as it did in the morning. I highly recommend checking it out if you can find a colour match.

Soap & Glory Spritz Me Quick Hydrating Moisture Mist
I'm quite happy to dedicate time to doing my facial skincare routine but the same cannot be said for my body. I hate moisturising after a shower & can never be bothered to wait around for a cream to absorb before getting dressed. That's why I love lightweight moisturising sprays like this one from Soap & Glory. Spritz Me Quick sprays your skin with a super fine mist of body lotion. It's easy to apply & quick to sink in so it's perfect if you're in a rush. You can spray it from every angle to reach all those areas you can't normally get to. It smells absolutely gorgeous as it has that classic Soap & Glory scent which lingers on your skin for hours. It's a beautiful blend of rose & bergamot and I can't get enough of it. This lovely product leaves my skin feeling really soft, smooth & hydrated all day long.



Charlotte Tilbury Instant Eye Palette
Charlotte Tilbury has some kind of strange power over me. I've spent hundreds of pounds on her makeup range & I told myself I wasn't going to buy this palette but I did it anyway. I just love her products so much! Anyway the eyeshadows in this palette are truly stunning. You get four different trios with a Prime, Enhance & Smoke shade to create four different eyeshadow looks. My favourites are the Desk Eye & Date Eye sections. I'd say that it's a great palette for beginners or for those who don't want to do complicated eye looks. You could easily just sweep one of these colours over your eyelids & you'd be good to go. However I do have a few issues with this palette. It's not quite as pigmented as her eyeshadow quads. The shimmers are incredibly pretty but some need a little help from MAC Fix+ to actually show up on the eye. I don't think it was worth the whopping £60 price tag, especially when the first shade in the palette has literally no pigment whatsoever, but for some reason I love it all the same!

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August Favourites

Dermasuri Rice Milk Brightening Face Exfoliator
My mum knows all about my addiction to trying out new exfoliating products & she kindly bought me a couple of Dermasuri products for my birthday. This gommage style gel gently creates rolls when massaged onto damp skin. These rolls lift away dead skin cells, polishing the skin & leaving it feeling baby soft. It's a very similar product to the Ginvera Green Tea Exfoliating Marvel Gel but it uses rice milk as the key ingredient instead of green tea. Rice milk has been used for centuries in Japan. The enzymes in rice milk have brightening properties & it's a beauty secret of the Geisha to keep their skin smooth underneath their heavy makeup. This exfoliator also features hyaluronic acid & vitamin E to keep the skin hydrated & nourished. The gel is so gentle on the skin but it still manages to remove all those dead skin cells. It's fascinating to see & rolling them off your face is incredibly satisfying! If you want to move away from using face scrubs but your skin is too sensitive for acids then this would be a brilliant alternative.

The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil
After testing out a million different actives from The Ordinary I decided to buy a few more of their hydrating products. I really like Trilogy's Rosehip Oil but the cost has increased quite a bit over the past few years. The Ordinary's Rose Hip Seed Oil is about half the price & yet it manages to do exactly the same thing. Funny that! Rosehip oil is truly wonderful stuff. This lightweight facial oil is rich in linoleic acid, linolenic acid & provitamin A. Like most oils it helps to moisturise the skin but it is especially good for those with acne-prone or oily skin types. I use it underneath my moisturiser at night & it really helps to combat scarring, fine lines & blemishes. It brightens & evens out my complexion whilst keeping it well hydrated. It can also be used to treat stretch marks & wrinkles. I'd definitely recommend picking up a bottle of this oil, it's yet another triumph for The Ordinary.

NYX Total Control Drop Foundation in Pale
Despite being a huge fan of NYX Cosmetics, I'd never actually tried any of their foundations before. I started seeing so many people using this foundation on YouTube & the whole custom coverage thing really intrigued me. The consistency of this foundation is very thin & watery but the coverage can be built up as you continue to add more drops to your face. It's very buildable & blends like a dream, giving my skin a flawless finish. I ordered this online so I didn't get the chance to swatch it first & the shade Pale is actually a bit too light for me! The colour might not be quite right but it has a really nice pale yellow undertone much like NARS Siberia. I was previously using NYX's Pro Foundation Mixer in White to lighten up any foundations that were too dark for me but I now prefer to mix in a bit of the Total Control Drop Foundation. It lightens, adds more coverage & corrects the undertone so it's perfect for creating a custom foundation that I love.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk
I seldom buy traditional lipstick bullets anymore but I will always make an exception for Charlotte Tilbury. Her Lip Cheat lip liner in Pillow Talk is one of my favourite lip products of all time. It goes well with so many lipstick colours & also looks gorgeous worn on it's own. When I heard that she was turning the shade into one of her Matte Revolution lipsticks I knew I had to get my hands on it. This medium nude pink is the ultimate MLBB everyday lip colour. It matches the colour of my lips exactly making it easy to fake a fuller pout. I love the Matte Revolution formula which is matte but not flat; lightweight & hydrating. I don't find the lipstick to be as long lasting as the lip liner but the two products pair together beautifully. They're a must-have duo for anyone who likes nude pinks.

Bluebird Tea Co. Earl Grey Crème Solid Perfume
I am still obsessed with Bluebird Tea Co's delicious tea blends. In fact I have a whole kitchen cupboard filled with their tea bags & loose leaf teas! Earl Grey Crème is one of my absolute favourites & I repurchase it constantly. Their award-winning blend of classic Earl Grey tea with creamy vanilla is truly delightful & I love to indulge in a cup of this to get me through the mid-afternoon slump. When I placed my most recent order I noticed that they had started selling solid perfumes inspired by some of their most popular teas. I simply had to add the Earl Grey Crème one to my shopping cart! Although it doesn't actually smell like tea, the solid perfume is still beautifully fragranced. The scent has been influenced by the tea, rather than being a exact replica of it's aroma. The blend of vanilla & citrusy bergamot is wonderfully fresh & zingy. It's packed full of natural essential oils, balms & butters and was created in collaboration with Flowery Whiff. It feels quite moisturising & lasts a really long time on the skin. Basically if you like zesty citrus scents, you'll love this solid perfume!

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Three Good Things: Nude Eyeliner Pencils

Today I wanted to pen an ode to what I consider to be the ultimate multi-tasking makeup item - nude eyeliner pencils. Back in the day people would use stark white eyeliners in the waterline to make their eyes appear larger. I remember being obsessed with MAC Fascinating Eye Kohl & although it did make my eyes look bigger, it didn't look natural. Then some genius (I have no idea who, but thanks!) came up with the idea of using a nude eyeliner, the same colour as your skin. This has the same eye brightening effect as white eyeliner but it looks a lot subtler & you can use them on more things than just your eyes. They are a staple in my makeup bag & I use them all the time in so many different ways. I wouldn't be surprised if you hadn't used one before as they do seem like quite a boring product but for me they're a complete necessity. First let's compare three of my favourite flesh tone pencils.



MAC Studio Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20 - £14 / 3g
The product that first started off my love affair with nude eyeliners was MAC's Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20. This used to be a limited edition product but I do believe it was made permanent last year. I think it's pretty obvious how much I've used this pencil as it's been sharpened down to a tiny nub. This is the cheapest pencil & you get the most amount of product so it's very good value for money. Surprisingly, out of these three eyeliners the MAC one is the darkest & has the creamiest formula. The creamy texture can be somewhat detrimental as it often mixes in with my black liquid liner, creating a grey smudge near my tear ducts. Apart from the greyness, it lasts really well on my waterline but is too dark to use elsewhere on my face.



Illamasqua Eye Colouring Pencil in Vow - £16 / 1.4g
Illamasqua are known for their more out-there products & colours but they do the basics extremely well. In terms of colour this pencil is my favourite as it is the lightest & yellowest in tone. It's a good match for my NARS foundation in Siberia so I can use it anywhere on my face as well as for it's intended purpose. It's definitely the most versatile of the bunch. The pencil blends in seamlessly but it's nowhere near as long-lasting as the MAC or Charlotte Tilbury liners. It also has the hardest & driest formula but that isn't a bad thing at all. It's still fairly creamy but the harder pencil nib delivers precise results & doesn't need to be sharpened as often so you won't need to repurchase it for a long time.



Charlotte Tilbury Rock 'N' Kohl in Eye Cheat - £19 / 1.2g
My most recent flesh tone pencil purchase is this luxurious little number from Charlotte Tilbury. I adore her Rock 'N' Kohls as they glide onto the skin like a liquid & do not budge whatsoever! If you're quick you can smudge them out but after just a couple of minutes they set into place & wear for up to 14 hours with no transfer. As you can see in the swatches at the beginning of this post, I tried rubbing all of the eyeliners five minutes after application. The MAC & Illamasqua pencils blend away with little effort but the Charlotte Tilbury pencil is both smudgeproof & waterproof. It is very pigmented so you only need a little bit but the pencil is super soft & creamy so it does need sharpening quite frequently. This is the most expensive pencil & you get the least amount of product but it offers immense durability.



Each of the pencils has their own strengths & weaknesses but I do use them pretty much interchangeably. To be honest I tend to use the first one that I can find in my makeup bag! The one thing I use them for every single day without fail is to brighten up my waterline. It reduces redness, opens up my eyes & generally makes such a huge difference. I have quite small eyes so if I use black kohl in my waterline it just emphasises their piggy nature. Once I started using nude eyeliner I realised how much bigger & brighter it made my eyes look so now I feel really weird all day if I ever forget to apply it. Another great use for flesh toned pencils is to conceal blemishes. It allows you to be precise & just cover the bits that need to be covered. Many people use brown pencils to drawn on fake freckles, well I use nude pencils to hide the freckles that regular foundation & concealer leave behind. The final reason I love to use nude pencils is to clean up other parts of my makeup. Need to carve out your eyebrows? Got uneven eyeliner flicks? Overdrawn your lips too much? Simply use a flesh toned pencil to correct all of your mistakes & no one will ever question your makeup skills.

Are you a fan of nude eyeliner pencils? If not I hope this post has made some of you realise just how brilliant & useful they can be. I know I certainly couldn't be without one!

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February Favourites

House Of Lashes Dark Eyelash Adhesive
I've always used Duo Lash Adhesive to apply my falsies & in general I was pretty happy with it. However I didn't really like the squeezy tube or how long it would take to become tacky & I would often jump the gun trying to apply false lashes before the glue was ready. There's nothing more annoying than spending ages perfecting your eye makeup just to mess it up with lash adhesive. I adore the eyelash styles from House Of Lashes (Iconic lashes are my fave!) & had heard so many good things about their lash glue. I got the dark version because it's easier to blend in with my eyeliner & I absolutely love it! It gets tacky right away & keeps my lashes in place all day. The glue is latex-free & completely waterproof but that can make it difficult to remove. It comes with a brush-on applicator which is less messy & very precise. The only thing I'm not so keen on is the scent. It's got a slight floral fragrance which is certainly better than the fishy odour of Duo but still a bit weird. It soon goes away after the glue dries though. Overall I really like this lash glue & it makes applying false lashes a breeze.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Between The Sheets
My obsession with Charlotte Tilbury's makeup range knows no bounds & whenever she brings out something new, I have to buy it immediately. I'm a huge fan of the Matte Revolution lipsticks & couldn't resist snapping up her new rose petal pink shade called Between The Sheets. The last thing I needed to buy was yet another pink lipstick but I fell in love with her first date makeup look & the model's lips looked so pretty in this tutorial. I really love the Matte Revolution formula as the lipsticks are creamy & don't dry out your lips. They don't look flat either as they contain 3D glowing pigments which give the appearance of wider & fuller lips that almost look lit-from-within. The square tip is also fantastic for precision application. The longevity isn't great for a matte lipstick but the romantic pink colour of Between The Sheets is too dreamy to miss out on.

Maria Nila Luminous Colour Shampoo
My hair is currently a gorgeous shade of grey all thanks to my new hairdressers. To keep it that way between hair appointments I use various silver shampoos but I felt that the rest of my haircare routine was slightly lacking. I was using some Alterna & Tresemme products to wash my hair but they weren't that great for maintaining the colour or the condition. Instagram is full of people with fabulous locks & I noticed some of my favourite pink haired ladies posting about these Maria Nila products. So I went to Sally's & bought a few items from the Luminous Colour range. These products are specially designed for coloured hair as they boost softness & shine whilst rebuilding the hair structure. They feature pomegranate extract and a colour guard complex which protect hair & reduce the loss of colour associated with washing, heat styling, UV rays & free radicals. They are also sulphate & paraben-free. Not only do they smell incredible but my hair has never looked better! I still have a few broken pieces from excess bleaching but this stuff smooths them down beautifully so my hair looks much fuller & healthier. My hair feels super soft & light after washing but it's completely frizz-free. The condition of my hair has improved so much since I started using this range & I've had hardly any breakage as a result. Maria Nila's Luminous Colour Shampoo & Conditioner are hands down the best products I have ever washed my hair with. You need to try them!

Superfacialist Probiotic Skin Recovery Day Cream
In my opinion Superfacialist By Una Brennan is one of the very best drugstore skincare brands. Their products combine potent natural extracts with high performance active ingredients which is something I tend to look for when buying new skincare items. You get the best of both worlds that way & in my experience, the best results. A few months ago they brought out a product range harnessing the healing power of probiotics. This range claims to gently yet effectively hydrate, balance & rejuvenate sensitised, stress damaged or overly treated skin. A couple of the products I tried were complete duds but the Skin Recovery Day Cream has fast become my go-to moisturiser. It has such a lovely texture that feels light yet nourishing & immediately calms down any irritation or redness. It deeply hydrates the skin & features a small amount of lactic acid for a softer, smoother complexion. I think it's a brilliant moisturiser & a great base for longer lasting makeup.

Viridian 100% Organic Raw Coconut Oil*
After 10 years of having stretched ear lobes I finally said goodbye to my tunnels last month. I still loved them & was very sad to get rid of them. I would've gladly worn them forever. Unfortunately for some reason my ears had gotten really irritated & no amount of salt soaks or oil massages would calm them down so long as I continued to wear earrings. I hadn't stretched them recently or done anything differently so I don't really know what happened there. I finally admitted defeat & took them out which left me with some rather fetching holes in my ears. Stretched lobes look kinda gross if you're not wearing earrings in them so I needed to shrink them down as fast as possible whilst soothing the inflamed skin. In order to do just that I decided to try massaging them with this coconut oil from Viridian Nutrition. Any coconut oil would do but this adorable little pot is the perfect size to keep on my bedside table as you only need a small amount of oil for your ear lobes. I started massaging them about three times a day which reduced the redness, removed the dead skin & most importantly healed up my holes. It's been about three weeks since I took the earrings out & they already look pretty much back to normal. I don't think I would stretch my ears up again even though I do really miss my sparkly white tunnels!

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Christmas Presents

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup
Just like last year, the main thing that I wanted for Christmas was some more Charlotte Tilbury makeup. I just love everything about Charlotte as a person & I can't get enough of her products! As soon as I laid eyes on her latest rose gold & night crimson makeup bag I knew that I needed it in my life. It's such a beautiful bag with plenty of room inside to store all of my CT goodies & I adore the little lipstick zip charm! I'm obsessed with the Matte Revolution lipsticks so I got Very Victoria along with the Iconic Nude lip liner. The lipstick is a soft rosy brown nude inspired by Victoria Beckham. It's one of Kim Kardashian's favourites & I'm sure it'll become one of mine too. I also got the Feline Flick liquid eyeliner & a couple of eyeshadow brushes. Compared to the Real Techniques Bold Metals brushes, Charlotte's collection isn't much more expensive but applying your eyeshadow with these feels like your eye is being stroked by a tiny kitten. They're the softest brushes I've ever touched & I'm completely enamoured with them!




Lingerie
I always ask Andy to get me some new lingerie for Christmas & he did very well with both of these. I've wanted a harness bra for so long as I think they look really cool peeking out from under your clothes. This one was from an Etsy shop called ColieCo & it can be adjusted to fit anything from a 28 to a 38 back. He also got me this gorgeous red glittery set from Boux Avenue. Their lingerie tends to fit me really well & I love their overall aesthetic.




Audio Equipment
I've had a few failed attempts at making YouTube videos already but it's something that I do want to persevere with in the coming year. Personally I currently find watching videos more engaging than reading blogs & I think many other people feel the same way. I plan on doing some makeup tutorials & I wanted a mic to record a voiceover with. One of my favourite Let's Players said that he uses this Samson mic for his voiceovers so I got the same one. I can plug the USB cable straight into my Macbook Pro & record without any hassle. The sound quality is excellent & it came in a set with these headphones which will be perfect for video editing. I might try my hand at podcasting too!



Kindle Paperwhite
I bought myself a basic Kindle for Christmas a few years ago but I always regretted not getting the Paperwhite version. My mum kindly treated me to an upgrade & having a light built into the screen is infinitely better! I can read a book anywhere without having to disturb other people & the new display is super sharp. The battery seems to last longer too which was a pleasant surprise. I kinda miss having buttons on either side of the device as I find myself touching the screen & turning pages by accident but it's all worth it for that wonderful built-in light!



Marc Jacobs Daisy Gift Set
Having never owned a Marc Jacobs perfume before I was pleased as punch to be given a bottle of the Daisy eau de toilette. It's such a classic fresh floral fragrance & the bottle looks totally stunning on my dressing table. It's sophisticated & feminine without being too sweet. The perfume came with a Daisy Bubbly Shower Gel & a Daisy Luminous Body Lotion. Normally I don't care for the other products that come in perfume gift sets but these two are genuinely lovely & smell almost as good as the real thing.



Soap & Glory Products
My in-laws got me this cute box of goodies from Soap & Glory. I've previously bought & loved all four of the miniature products in this set so I was very happy to receive some new supplies. Who doesn't love Soap & Glory products?! Their shower gels are fantastic & Clean On Me is one of my favourites. The best product from this set is definitely Hand Food which I'll be keeping in my handbag for some much needed hydration on the go.




Birth Chart T-Shirt
I find astrology to be really interesting and love learning about things like horoscopes & tarot cards. I religiously check out my monthly forecast on Astrology Zone & I would really like to get a proper birth chart drawn up some day. In the meantime I can just wear this awesome birth chart t-shirt to show that I'm a proud Leo. As part of Selfridges' Christmas grotto, The Numinous collaborated with YRStore to create these custom astrological t-shirts. The shirts are unisex so if you're planning on ordering one I would recommend sizing down. Each design features symbols related to your star sign including an astro glyph, colour, planet, birth stone, the Chinese animal you were born under & your life path number in numerology. It's an entirely unique present & the finished design looks really cool!



Alice Bow Insoles
My mum has always been obsessed with the Royal Family & if Kate Middleton buys something, she has to buy it too. She told me about an article in the Daily Mail which said that the reason Kate can spend hours at all these royal engagements wearing high heels is because she puts these Alice Bow insoles in all of her shoes. So my mum went a bit crazy and bought two pairs for herself, me & my sister. The insoles are specially designed to cushion the ball of the foot & boast high-quality padding wrapped in premium Italian leather. They have different padding depending on whether you're wearing flats or high heels & I have to say that they definitely do make a difference. The pink & gold leathers look lovely inside my footwear whilst adding comfort & support to the cheapest of shoes.



Sailor Moon Merchandise
I'm a diehard Sailor Moon fan so I was really pleased to get this mug & coaster set as my present from Chloe. In fact I often consider getting a Sailor Moon tattoo! The artwork on these two items is so cute & I love drinking my nightly rooibos tea from this mug. I was in need of a coaster too as I normally end up leaving my tea on the floor to protect my desk & inevitably forget about drinking it!

I got so many lovely presents for Christmas this year & I'm incredibly grateful for every single one. The Charlotte Tilbury makeup bag was my absolute favourite though <3 This Christmas was a lot of fun as I made sure to buy Chloe games that we could all play together. We got a few board games & she asked for Mario Party 9 for the Wii as she loves watching videos of it on YouTube. We played it for hours on Christmas day & we got so into it that I nearly forgot to cook Christmas dinner! It all went to plan in the end though & tasted delicious. Pigs in blankets are literally my favourite thing about Christmas, I ate six of them haha! I must've been fairly good though as I still managed to lose 0.5lb at Slimming World this morning. I hope you all had a brilliant Christmas & got everything you wished for!

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September Favourites

Bee Good Raspberry & White Chocolate Lip Balm*
One of Bee Good's latest releases is this delectable lip balm & I can't get enough of it! Raspberry & white chocolate is such a classic flavour combination. The velvety sweetness of white chocolate complements the flavour of fresh fruity raspberries so very well. To me it tastes a bit like artic roll which is one of my favourite desserts! It feels like such an indulgent treat to pop this on my lips. It instantly soothes & hydrates dry chapped lips with a clear glossy finish. The formula includes many natural ingredients along with Bee Good's signature beeswax & honey which are well known for their healing properties. It really is good enough to eat!

Superdrug Simply Pure Hydrating Serum
Superdrug have some amazing own brand skincare products that should not be ignored. You might think that something costing only £2.69 would be a load of rubbish but their Simply Pure Hydrating Serum is one of the best things I have ever put on my face! This silky serum features a wonderful blend of hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, ceramides & Soothex®. Together these ingredients help to nourish, soften, exfoliate & calm the skin. It's very gentle but can make a huge difference to the texture of your skin. Most people suffer from dehydrated skin without realising it so it's important to include something like this in your skincare routine. As long as you know what ingredients to look out for, good skincare products needn't cost you the earth & this serum is a great place to start.

Claudia Louch Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish*
I still maintain that chemical exfoliants are better than physical ones but if your skin is intolerant of acids then you can't go wrong with this lovely facial polish from Claudia Louch. This is a gentle sugar-based scrub with a whole host of plant extracts to nourish your skin naturally. The inclusion of apricot oil allows the scrub to smooth & cleanse the skin without drying it out. It sloughs off any dead skin to create a flawless base for makeup. You can use it directly on dry skin or mixed in with your regular cleanser. I prefer to mix it with my gel cleanser as it gets cleansing & exfoliating out of the way in one fell swoop. It has a gorgeous minty scent & really makes your skin feel tingly fresh. After washing it off my skin is left feeling velvety smooth & my complexion looks much brighter. It's a great way to improve your overall skin texture without the use of acids. The Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish is yet another truly brilliant product from the Claudia Louch Natural Skin Clinic.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation
Ever since trying her Light Wonder foundation I've been waiting for Charlotte Tilbury to come out with a fuller coverage option. Magic Foundation has been five years in the making & believe me, it was well worth waiting for. First off Magic Foundation comes in many more shades than Light Wonder with lighter lights, darker darks & plenty of others in between. I bought Shade 1 which is a neutral beige for very fair skin with cool undertones. The coverage is very buildable & no matter how much of it I slap on, it never looks cakey. The texture is quite thick but it feels weightless on the skin & perfects my complexion all day long. It immediately gives the appearance of smoother skin & contains several skincare ingredients to improve the condition of your skin in the long run. I much prefer this foundation to Light Wonder so kudos to CT for finally bringing us a high coverage base product. Magic Foundation is a fab addition to Charlotte Tilbury's ever expanding line up. It's not quite 'magic' but it certainly comes very close.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Illuminator in So Hollywood
Highlighters are totally my thing. I'm obsessed with the way they make my skin look & I cannot apply my makeup without sweeping a bit of shimmer across the high points of my face. I just don't feel right without it! Anastasia Beverly Hills is one of my favourite makeup brands so when they recently launched their powder Illuminators, I was all over it. Starlight is the shade recommended for pale skin but for some reason I really dislike white highlighters. I decided to get So Hollywood as the colour looked pretty similar to my bae, theBalm's Mary-Lou Manizer. Despite what others have said I think that this shade is perfectly suitable for fair skin. It looks incredible & gives me the most beautiful golden glow without being too yellow toned. I love this product so much! The Illuminators are supposed to be limited edition in the UK so make sure you don't miss out!

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Birthday Haul

ZOEVA Rose Golden Complete Eye Set Vol. 2
It seems like everyone in the beauty blogosphere owns the ZOEVA Rose Golden brushes & it's with good reason. The quality is exceptional & they're well worth the investment. I already have the original brush set but I needed some new eye brushes so it was a no-brainer to ask for this set. You get loads of blending brushes in different sizes so you never have to worry about having a clean one to spare. The crease brushes are my favourite as they fit my eye socket perfectly. They come in this pretty rose gold pouch so they're great for travelling with too. I think that the ZOEVA Rose Golden brush sets are excellent value for money & they look gorgeous to boot!



Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Red Carpet Red
I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Charlotte Tilbury's makeup range! Her Matte Revolution lipsticks are a more modern take on the matte lip. The formula doesn't feel drying or look flat & the all of the colours available are totally stunning. My mum kindly bought me the shade Red Carpet Red. It's a true ruby red colour brimming with Hollywood glamour. I really love the packaging too. This kind of colour will suit everyone & no girl should be without a classic red lippie in their collection.



Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil
As someone who loves her retinoids I was absolutely desperate to try this stuff out! I'd never really felt compelled to try any Sunday Riley products before because they are ridiculously expensive & I'm pretty happy with my skincare routine as it is. Luna really intrigued me though because the idea of an oil-based retinol treatment is pure genius. I use retinol to help clear blemishes but it can be quite harsh on the skin, leading to dryness & irritation. In theory a facial oil should negate all the bad side effects of retinol so I cannot wait to see what Luna can do for my skin!




Daisy London Heart Chakra Chain Bracelet
Daisy London make some truly beautiful pieces of jewellery & this heart chakra bracelet has been on my wishlist for so long. I used to be really into crystals & chakras so when I discovered their chakra collection it was love at first sight. Wearing chakra jewellery is supposed to help balance your energy flow. The heart chakra is associated with love, self-control, forgiveness & the colour green. The bracelet even has a little green gemstone on the chain. I've been struggling to accept myself & others recently so this bracelet really means a lot to me. Much love to Andy for buying me the most perfect birthday present!

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January Favourites

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Sultry
I would have to say that these Revlon chubby lipstick pencils are my favourite drugstore lip products. I really liked both the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains & the ColorBurst Lacquer Balms but at the minute I'm really into matte lips. They tend to last a lot longer throughout the day and they never transfer onto my wonky teeth which is always a hazard with any other kind of bright lipstick. I decided to get one of the Matte Balms in the shade Sultry & I couldn't be any happier with it. I'd been wanting to add some deep berry shades to my collection but sometimes they can look a bit harsh for everyday wear. Sultry is basically the perfect Winter berry lipstick for me. This colour is a dark pink with brown & plum tones. However on my light complexion it transforms into a rich burgundy shade. It's vampy without looking too gothic & it has a soft velvety finish that doesn't look flat. It doesn't feel heavy or dry out my lips either as it features a triple butter complex of shea, mango & coconut butters. I'm completely obsessed with this colour & I've pretty much been wearing it non-stop since I bought it.

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Primer
My favourites list for this month could've easily been made up of just Charlotte Tilbury products. The obsession is real! After getting tons of her products for Christmas I actually went out and bought some more. This time I got a few of her base products and I've been particularly impressed by the Wonderglow primer. This product is a peach-toned liquid illuminator that instantly perks up dull skin. It can be used underneath your foundation to give you that lit from within look, on top of foundation as a traditional liquid highlighter or on it's own as a quick pick me up for the skin. The finish is quite sparkly so if you're not a fan of glitter then you might wanna give it a miss. I like to use Wonderglow as a primer before foundation because it has loads of amazing skin benefits. It feels really light on the skin whilst still delivering a hefty dose of hydration. I love how beautiful & radiant it makes my skin look. It really is an incredible product!

The Pro Hygiene Collection Antibacterial Makeup Spray
I have terrible hoarding tendencies & I like to hang onto my makeup products a little longer than I probably should do. I figure that if the smell, texture & function of the product remain the same as when you first purchased it then it's a bit of a waste to get rid of it. The main thing to consider is bacteria growth. This wonderful antibacterial spray from The Pro Hygiene Collection will remove 99.99% of bacteria from your cosmetics & doesn't affect the products in any other way. Thanks to this product I've been able to keep hold of all my old favourite powders, blushers & eyeshadows without fear of giving myself spots or eye infections. Just spray it on something once, wait for it to dry and you're good to go. It will also inhibit future bacteria growth on anything you use it on so it's a really good way of keeping all your products clean & sanitary.

Sarah Chapman Intense Hydrating Booster
My favourite kind of serums are ones that contain hyaluronic acid. It all started with Hydraluron and the obsession went on from there. I'd been wanting to try some Sarah Chapman products for ages & when I spotted her Intense Hydrating Booster in the Feel Unique sale I knew it was time for a splurge. I'm so glad I bought it because this is one of those products where your skin looks 100x better from the first time you use it. It has a light watery consistency and feels really silky & comforting on the skin. My complexion instantly looks brighter & plumper when I use it. This product deeply hydrates the skin & makes it feel super soft. It has fast become my favourite hyaluronic acid-based serum & words cannot express how brilliant it truly is.

MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC15
It's been quite a while since I've bought a MAC base product. Back in the day I tried out all of their foundations before realising that they oxidised really badly on my skin & always broke me out. But I've been hearing so many good things about their Pro Longwear Concealer, mainly that it doesn't crease around the eyes which is really important to me. I decided to get it in NC15 & I am completely loving it! It feels lightweight despite it's long lasting nature & extremely high coverage. It doesn't crease on me at all & it also works well as an eyeshadow base. The packaging makes it a little awkward to use but I appreciate how hygienic the pump is. It works well under the eyes as well as on blemishes without ever looking cakey. Pro Longwear is definitely my favourite out of all the MAC concealers & I can't recommend it enough!

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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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