April Favourites

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Chantilly
When it comes to base products, NARS are my current go-to brand. It mainly comes down to the fact that they really do cater for my exact skintone. I have never found a better foundation match than Siberia & I have never found a better concealer match than Chantilly. I've been a huge fan of their Radiant Creamy Concealer for quite some time now as it works beautifully as a 'no makeup' makeup product. NARS recently came out with their new Soft Matte Complete Concealer & I absolutely love it too. This concealer provides high coverage with a soft-focus blurring effect. It features a special powder complex which helps the concealer to stay in place without settling into fine lines or emphasising skin texture. I think it works a lot better on skin imperfections than it does under the eyes as it can look a little bit dry in that area. I really like to use this concealer on a MAC 242 brush to carve out my eyebrows & for creating a cut crease eye look.

Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder in Light
For the longest time I have heard nothing but praise for Kevyn Aucoin's Sculpting Powder in Medium as the ultimate contour product. However I was still never convinced that Medium would be a good shade for me personally. The same goes for those with deeper skintones. Last year they finally expanded the range to include two new shades, Light & Deep. I eagerly purchased the Light version of The Sculpting Powder & was blown away by how natural it looked on my skin. The colour is perfect, it's a cool toned matte brown which truly mimics the appearance of a shadow on the face. A little goes a long way as the powder is quite pigmented but it's also soft & finely milled making it very easy to blend out. I like to apply it with a Morphe M530 brush to carve out my cheekbones & jawline. I also use it with a Charlotte Tilbury Eye Blender Brush to contour my nose. I've never found a contour colour that looks as natural on the nose as this does. If you want a slimmer looking nose it's well worth it for that reason alone!

CosRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
CosRX are my favourite Korean skincare brand & in my opinion this cleanser is one of their best products. I use this cleanser twice a day, every day with a FOREO Luna Mini 2 & my skin has never been happier. When I started getting into Asian beauty products one thing that often came up was the importance of pH levels. I'm planning on writing a whole post about this subject but basically if a skincare product isn't formulated at the correct pH level, it can have a negative impact on your skin. This cleanser has a pH level of 5.5 which is optimal for cleaning the skin & reducing acne causing bacteria. By lowering the skin's natural pH level, BHA & AHA products will also work better afterwards so it's a win-win situation. The cleanser itself is a lightly foaming clear gel with a tea tree scent. It feels really gentle yet refreshing & doesn't strip my skin of moisture. Another good thing about this cleanser is that it's incredibly inexpensive (I paid £9 for it) & you get tons of product in the tube. I've been using it for an entire year now & only recently had to purchase a new one. It's a brilliant cleanser & a cornerstone of my skincare regimen.

Stila Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow in Kitten Karma
I'm definitely not one to shy away from a bit of glitter. However I'm not really a fan of loose glitters as they can be quite messy & I get a bit paranoid about inadvertently blinding myself! I much prefer to buy products that already have glitter in them as they're infinitely more convenient. For example I love Illamasqua's Broken Gold eye gel & Urban Decay's Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliners. I recently saw these Stila Liquid Glitter Eyeshadows all over YouTube & instantly fell in love. I wanted to buy every single one but when I saw that they cost £23 each I almost fell off my chair. It took me forever to choose which one to get but seeing as Kitten is Stila's signature shade I decided to start off with this colour. This eyeshadow has a rose gold base with tiny gold & silver glitter particles. It looks absolutely stunning & has a glamourous high shine finish. The formula is amazing, it feels so light & smooth on the eyes with virtually no fallout. It's also very long lasting & doesn't crease at all. This is the best liquid eyeshadow I have ever used. I know I shouldn't but I really don't think I can resist buying a few more of these!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel
I have been using MAC's Clear Brow Gel for well over 10 years now but I fancied trying something new as I would often end up with two tails at the end of my eyebrows no matter how much I tried to gel them down. I'm obsessed with Anastasia brow products & rarely use anything other than their Dipbrow Pomade. Having heard so many amazing things about their Clear Brow Gel I decided to give it a go & promptly destashed the MAC version. This gel really does keep every single eyebrow hair in place without looking crispy or feeling crunchy. It's yet another wonderful brow product from Anastasia Beverly Hills & I won't be using anything else for a long time to come.

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May Favourites

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
The Ambient Lighting Powders from Hourglass are the perfect finishing touch for your makeup. They feel so lightweight & help to airbrush the appearance of your skin. The one I've been reaching for most lately is Diffused Light. This is a yellow toned powder that subtly corrects redness. As I've been going for lighter bases such as the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser or Radiant Creamy Concealer I've been using this to set my makeup. It's not brilliant at oil control but that's not really a concern of mine. It just makes your foundation look a bit more flawless with a beautiful soft glow.

Sally Hansen Maximum Growth
I don't have a problem with growing my nails but they are very prone to breakage. Rather than shell out £18 on OPI Nail Envy I decided to give some good old Sally Hansen products a go. This product is basically a clear basecoat for your nails. It dries to a shiny finish and protects your nails so that they can grow without splitting. It seals any weak areas & my nails get seriously long whenever I use this stuff. It has no long lasting effects, your nails won't grow any stronger but as long as you keep applying the polish every other day they will keep on growing. I really like it as it makes my nails look strong & healthy. You can wear it alone or with polish on top. I probably will give Nail Envy a go at some point but this product is much cheaper & it works so well.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Collagen Booster*
My skin had been looking a bit dull recently so I went back to using this Ole Henriksen serum. It's packed full of Vitamin C which is brilliant at brightening the skin & gives you a really healthy looking glow. This product has won so many awards for it's ability to plump up the skin & reverse the signs of ageing. It works well on freckles, post-blemish scarring & congestion too. It feels quite sticky to begin with but once you apply moisturiser over it that soon goes away. After it has absorbed properly it leaves your skin feeling really soft & juicy. I can't get enough of that orange sherbet scent either. This is easily one of my favourite serums & it's definitely deserving of it's cult status.

MAC Ever Hip Lipstick
Sorry, this lipstick is a limited edition one but if MAC ever bring it back again, you need to buy this! It's hard to find flattering peachy shades when your skin is so pale but this lippie is the ultimate peach for fair skinned girls. It's more of a pink toned coral but it looks peachy on me. It's very 60s-ish & looks gorgeous combined with a lipgloss. I love the MAC Cremesheen formula as the lipsticks glide on, are semi-opaque, look slightly glossy on the lips & feel very creamy. They melt so easily though, I'm forever worried that this lipstick will break off. I really wish they'd make it a permanent shade! You can see me wearing it in this makeup look.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
I absolutely love this concealer! It's similar to the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer but it looks a tad more natural on the skin. It offers high coverage in a lightweight formula with a luminous finish. It covers everything without ever looking cakey or dry. NARS have such a brilliant shade range for all of their base products so you're sure to find something to suit your skin tone. The creamy consistency means it blends like a dream & promptly perfects the skin. I like using this on it's own as a quick and easy base product. The price is pretty high but I really do think it's worth every penny. Read my full review here.

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NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer - £22

There are few concealers I love more than the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer but at the minute I can't get enough of the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Previously I'd only really been a fan of NARS Blushers, Multiples & Illuminators but I finally got round to trying some of their base products and they are all incredible. What took me so long?! The colour of the concealer I have is Chantilly which is the lightest one available. NARS describe it as a true ivory shade for the fairest complexions. It's very neutral in colour so I find that it covers redness well & balances out my skin tone. The coverage is medium to full but the texture is so light that it looks seamless on the skin. Used as a traditional concealer it covers blemishes very well. The formula is very moisturising so it's great for smoothing over bumps without emphasising dryness. Compared to Collection Lasting Perfection in Fair, it's slightly lighter & yellower. I find that the Collection concealer is better for my undereye circles as it's so high coverage & the pinker tone cancels out any discolouration in that area. I have to use a peach toned corrector first if I want the NARS concealer to look as flawless. The Collection concealer tends to look a bit cakey though & the formula is fairly dry which is what led me to trying the NARS concealer in the first place.

What I like best about this concealer is that if I'm a bit pressed for time or staying somewhere overnight, it works as a light base so I don't actually need to use foundation with it. In the above photo this concealer is all that I have used on my skin. With a tiny bit of powder under my eyes, this concealer is my go-to fast base product. I basically dot it around my skin as you would with a foundation & then blend it out using a Real Techniques Contour Brush. Although you can do this with any other liquid concealer, the creamy consistency of the NARS concealer makes it really blendable & the radiant finish stops the coverage from looking like a mask. In comparison the Collection concealer can look a bit cakey if you slap it all over your face. My skin is nowhere near perfect. I have tons of freckles, redness & scarring but this concealer alone is more than enough for my everyday makeup. I adore the luminous finish of this product. It covers pretty much anything you need to cover and still looks natural on the skin. The staying power is really great too. The only real downside is the price tag. For the cost of one NARS concealer you can buy five of the Collection concealers but I have to say that I'm a NARS convert. There's something special about this luxurious creamy formula that makes me keep on reaching for it over all my other concealers. I've never been one for 'no makeup' makeup looks but I think I might have finally cracked it thanks to this wonderful concealer.

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Daily Makeup #2

I really liked how my makeup turned out the other night. The style & colours I used complemented my 60s inspired Urban Outfitters dress beautifully. As I was going to a concert I needed to make sure that my foundation would stick around all night long. I can't get enough of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation at the minute. I sandwiched it between a bit of Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer and Illamasqua Translucent Loose Powder. Even after hours of jumping about & dancing my base still looked perfectly matte & in place so I'd recommend getting both of those if your foundation is prone to melting. For concealer I used NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer underneath my eyes & on any blemishes. As always I went for theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer as my highlighter and then applied my favourite ever blusher - NARS Deep Throat - to add a peachy pink glow to my cheeks. Nude lips were all the rage during the 60s but I find it really hard to pull that look off. Pale skin & pale lips just makes you look ill. Instead I went for a lovely peach in the form of MAC Ever Hip Lipstick. I slicked on a bit of Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* beforehand to soften my lips & add a glossy finish. It also helps to sheer out the lipstick & make it look even prettier.

Moving onto my eye makeup I didn't want to do a full on 60s eye look so I went for smokey grey eyeshadow instead. To make my eyeshadow last all night long without creasing I primed my eyelids using MAC Painterly Paint Pot. I used a couple of shades from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette - Verve all over my eyelid & then Pistol on the outer corners, blended into the crease & under my bottom lashes. I still really like the Yves Rocher Volume Vertige Mascara* so I layered it up for thick, voluminous lashes. I wanted to do a fairly thin line of liquid eyeliner so I used L'Oreal Superliner Perfect Slim & added a little flick at the ends. My eyes are pretty tiny so I always use a nude eyeliner on my waterline to make them look a bit bigger. MAC Chromagraphic Pencil in NC15/NW20 is the ultimate. Finally I filled in my eyebrows using Anastasia DipBrow Pomade. This stuff doesn't budge whatsoever & delivers intense definition to your brows. To make them look a bit more natural I used a combo of Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel & MAC Clear Brow Set. These helped to bring out the individual hairs so my brows didn't look completely drawn on. Let me know what you think!

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April Favourites

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil*
This is such a lovely facial oil and it certainly does help to make your skin look more healthy & radiant. I like to use this at night in combination with a moisturiser to really lock moisture into my skin. It's perfect for anyone struggling with dullness or dehydration. By morning it always leaves me with softer, brighter, clearer looking skin. Any redness in my skin has been greatly reduced & it's suitable for those with even the most sensitive skin. The rollerball format distributes the perfect amount of oil & feels so relaxing. It's great for blemishes too! You simply must try this oil regardless of your skin type. Full review here.

Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50+
Now that the weather is getting better it's super important to protect your skin, especially if you're a fan of chemical exfoliants like me. In the past I've shied away from using sunscreens because they always made me breakout, felt heavy, smelled terrible & made my skin look greasy. But this wonderful facial SPF lotion from Soap & Glory has changed all that. Sunshield Superfluid feels as light as air on the skin, has a delightful fruity scent and hasn't given me a single blemish. It gives your skin a healthy glow with a satin finish but it never looks greasy. This is one SPF product I can definitely get on board with. Full review here.

Claudia Louch Hydrating Mango Face Cream*
Claudia Louch is a natural skin specialist & this is one of the products from her recently launched skincare range. This buttery soft moisturiser is 94% natural and features a blend of five hydrating oils to replenish the skin & reduce dehydration. It is best suited to those with normal or dry skin types. It feels amazing on the skin & I adore the velvety matte finish which is rare for such a hydrating moisturiser. I always like to go for a moisturiser that contains hyaluronic acid as it means I can skip using Hydraluron. It plumps up any fine lines & increases your skin's moisture levels. I think this product is best used as a night cream as it blends beautifully with a treatment oil & really helps to nourish your skin. Full review here.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser
Woah, this stuff is incredible! I was never really a fan of tinted moisturisers before as they would always melt off my face & I tend to need a lot more coverage than they can offer. But this one is different. NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is probably more like a very light foundation as it does seem to cover most of my freckles & blemishes. I have the shade Terre Neuve which was added to the line last year & is for pale skin with pink undertones. It's so light & is a much better colour match for me than Mont Blanc in NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. It completely evens out my skin tone & looks seamless - like my skin is naturally flawless. I love the glow it gives to my skin & the staying power is pretty good too. Plus it contains SPF 30 so you don't have to worry about using a separate sunscreen. This is easily my new favourite Spring base product. I can't believe it's taken me so long to try it out!

China Glaze Nail Polish in Aquadelic
I have a bit of a problem when it comes to turquoise nail polishes. Whenever I try a new nail polish brand, it's the shade I'm always drawn too. I bought this a few months ago because I've always wanted to try out some China Glaze polishes. Aquadelic is from their Spring 2012 Electropop collection. I absolutely love this colour. It's quite similar to that famous Tiffany blue colour, although China Glaze's For Audrey is considered to be an exact match for that shade. This is slightly brighter & the colour really pops. I really like the China Glaze formula. All China Glaze polishes are free from DBP, toluene & formaldehyde. Aquadelic is long wearing & it took about a week for me to get a chip. It was perfectly opaque in two coats. Application was nice & smooth and it dries to a glossy finish. I can see myself buying many more China Glaze polishes in future!

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Easy Contouring Products

Illamasqua Hollow Cream Pigment - £17 / Sleek Face Contour Kit - £6.49 / MAC Harmony Blusher - £17.50
NARS Douceur Blusher - £21 / Louise Young LY20 Super Fan Brush - £26

As the not so proud owner of a big roundy moon face I do like to contour my cheekbones now and then. I've always longed for a makeup technique that could slim my face down a tad (or to just have a less round face!) and it was only when I started watching YouTube makeup tutorials a few years ago that I discovered contouring. I find it fascinating to watch people's face shape change just by adding some brown powder underneath their cheekbones & jawline. Its something I've always struggled with though as it can be hard to find a contour colour that isn't too orange & a brush that doesn't make me look like I have an orange beard. I love Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow because it solves both of those problems in one go. Its the perfect colour for my skin & a quick swipe with my fingers allows for precise application. Its easily blended out and has superb staying power for a cream product. If you like the texture of Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel but find the colour too warm for you then Hollow Cream Pigment is a fab cool toned alternative.

If I'm going for a powder contour product then I really like the Sleek Face Contour Kit in Light. Light is quite a deceptive name as it is still a fairly dark colour but with enough blending it can look great. It is slightly warm in tone but most people would probably welcome the effect that gives. Sleek also make a Face Form Contour Kit which includes a blusher for just £10. I also like MAC's Harmony Blusher for a matter product but with the same warmth. It can be a bit dark on me so again lots of blending is key here. A lot of people rave about the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer but that was far too dark, orange & glittery for me. Same goes for NARS Laguna Bronzer. A NARS product that I do think works for contouring is their Douceur Blusher. It offers subtle colour and definition to the cheeks in one. Use it to sculpt the sides of your face rather than applying it to the apples of your cheeks. Its also very sheer so its hard to overdo it. The amount of pink in this product makes it look very natural, almost as if you were born with those cheekbones!

I've tried to contour my face with a lot of different brushes in the past. Various MAC MUA's had promised me that if I bought the rather expensive 138 or 168 brushes then my contouring troubles would be over but both left me with orange beard syndrome & a big hole in my bank account. I know a lot of people like it for contouring but I prefer to use the Real Techniques Contour Brush for blusher & concealer. I still really like the MAC 109 brush but no brush is as easy to use as the Louise Young LY20 Super Fan Brush. Seriously, it is an absolute dream! Its really well made & the bristles are so soft. The extreme width & fluffiness of this brush means that it is brilliant at blending. The shape allows you to follow the natural contours of your face with great ease. I just tap the very middle of the brush into my chosen contouring powder and the clean ends on either side blend it out perfectly. Using the LY20 is almost like Contouring For Dummies. I cannot emphasise enough just how foolproof this brush is. It can also be used to apply highlighter & setting powder so this brush is an absolute must have for me. If contouring is something you find difficult then this wonderful Louise Young brush could be the exact product you need in your arsenal.

January Favourites

Louise Young LY20 Super Fan Brush
I was lucky enough to win this brush in a Twitter competition over Christmas and it is a blinder, let me tell you! I'd actually wanted a fan brush for ages because I'd seen some people on YouTube using one for highlighting & contouring. I bought a cheap one off eBay which was horrific, it had scratchy bristles & a weird smell even after I washed it so I didn't feel very inclined to use it on my face. But this Louise Young one is something else! Its so soft & doesn't shed hairs all over your face. The shape is absolutely perfect for contouring with. I normally suck at contouring but this brush makes it so simple. Its really fluffy and blends out any harsh lines with the greatest of ease. Its even better than the MAC 109 brush.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette
I know a lot of people find this little set of matte neutral colours quite boring but personally I adore this palette. The colours are perfect for daytime and can easily be built up for a smoky nighttime look too. I love the definition these shadows bring to my eyes without being harsh. Naked 2 is also a brilliant eyebrow colour because it is fairly similar to MAC Omega eyeshadow. I have used this palette every single day since I bought it which is surprising because I'm normally all about the shimmery eyeshadows. Its just a really handy set of eyeshadows and I think most people would love it if they gave it a chance. Full review here.

NARS Douceur Blusher
I finally bought this last month after lusting after it for a ridic amount of time. I figured I would never get a chance to purchase Tarte Exposed anytime soon so I went for a more readily available dupe. This sheer pinky brown colour is so soft & natural looking. I normally apply my blusher right on the apples of my cheeks but I prefer to use this one more like a contouring product. It sculpts your cheeks beautifully whilst still adding a little flush of colour. This + the Louise Young brush are a match made in heaven.

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub
This super salty tasting lip scrub is such a fab little product. Its perfect for prepping your lips with before applying lipstick. I use this followed by a coating of the NUXE Reve De Miel lip balm to keep my lips feeling soft & looking smooth. I think I heard this was a limited edition Christmas product but they still have it in stock on their website. Hopefully its here to stay because its far too delicious to be without.

MAC Lady Danger Lipstick
I'm officially a bright lipstick convert and this babealicious orangey red colour sits firmly at the top of the chart. I love how it brightens up my complexion and the formula is lovely for a matte finish lipstick. It really boosts my confidence too and makes me feel almost as badass as Walter White. Full review here.

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.

Favourite Products Of 2011

I have probably spent more on makeup in the last 12 months than in any other year of my life. It sure is expensive work being a beauty blogger! Luckily it means that I've found some products that I really love and can see myself using for a long time to come. Here are some of my favourite things that I used last year. I liked a lot more stuff than what I've listed here but these are the products that really stood out to me.


Skincare
Clarisonic Mia / Liz Earle Eyebright / Dermalogica Active Moist
The best thing that I invested in last year was my Clarisonic Mia. There is no other skincare product or treatment out there that compares to what this will do for your skin. I love how it makes my skin look, almost like I've had a spa facial every time I wash my face. I love all the Liz Earle products that I've tried so far. I use Cleanse & Polish with my Clarisonic & follow up with their Skin Tonic too. Eyebright is a bit of a wonder product as it instantly cools & refreshes your eyes. Its brilliant if you've had too many late nights or need to look & feel more awake. Active Moist has been my favourite moisturiser for a while now. Its perfect on my normal/combination skin type. I haven't really liked any of the moisturisers I tried last year so I'll be sticking with this one for the foreseeable future.


Haircare
Tangle Teezer / Kerastase Ciment Thermique / Batiste XXL Volume Dry Shampoo / Frédéric Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Cream
For anyone still wondering if Tangle Teezers work, yes they do & mine has saved me from some pretty horrific knots. I still really like the Kerastase Ciment Thermique & I don't think that any other heat protection product compares to this one. The grapefruit scent lingers on your hair & its absolutely beautiful. I only recently managed to purchase the XXL Volume Batiste as its been really hard to track it down. Its literally always sold out. I'm so glad I got this as although it does make your hair feel like utter crap, it does give you lots of volume. Just whack some serum on afterwards and you're good to go. The Brilliant Glossing Cream is kinda like a cream version of Moroccanoil so it helps to weigh down your hair more. Some people won't like that but I do as it means less flyaways & a more polished looking hairdo.


Base
Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation / Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer / Bobbi Brown Corrector / MAC Pearl Cream Colour Base / Illamasqua Hollow Cream Pigment / MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural / Dior Amber Diamond
Last year I became obsessed with finding the perfect base products. I bought a ton of different products but these are my favourites and I use all of these every day. Illamasqua's Skin Base Foundation has been a revelation. I finally have a foundation that matches my exact skintone and has no SPF in which stops the 'ghost face' that Estee Lauder Double Wear used to inflict upon me. Like everyone else I love that Collection 2000 concealer. Its practically opaque & covers pretty much everything. I couldn't live without my Bobbi Brown Corrector as although the Collection 2000 concealer is really good, this product colour corrects my dark circles making me look really awake & like I've slept for 12 hours each night. MAC MSF Natural has been my fave powder for ages, I just wear this with some concealer if I have no time at all to get ready. When I use the Illamasqua foundation I just use this to powder under my eyes because otherwise my mascara ends up all over my face. Pearl Cream Colour Base & Amber Diamond are the perfect highlighting duo. I've bought more highlighters than I can count in 2011 and these are the best of the best. I like a lot of glow so using a cream under the powder makes my cheeks look super shiny & it lasts all day. Hollow Cream Pigment is something I only bought recently but it is the best contour product ever.


Eyes
Lancome Doll Eyes Mascara / L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Superliner / HD Brows Palette / MAC Shroom & Patina Eyeshadows / MAC NC15/NW20 Pencil
The mascara that I've most recently fallen in love with is the Lancome Doll Eyes one. When I first got it the formula was a lot more fluid and didn't really give me the volume I wanted. But as it dried up a bit it got thicker and it is everything I could want in a mascara. It makes my lashes super long, thick & black. I use the L'Oreal eyeliner on a daily basis as I think I look weird without it. This one is really black, long lasting and pretty cheap too which makes it the best eyeliner I've bought this year. I love the eyebrow powders in the HD Brows Palette, they're so pigmented and just brilliant. I only use the one in the bottom right corner as the others don't suit me but I use the others as eyeshadows so its a fab product. The eyeshadows I've reached for most are Shroom & Patina by MAC. I don't really wear eyeshadow much but these are subtle enough for everyday wear. I love this MAC eyeliner pencil as it makes my eyes look bigger & brighter without being a really obvious white line.


Blusher
Illamasqua Katie / Illamasqua Thrust / NARS Deep Throat / Topshop Head Over Heels
I like to wear a lot of blush as it adds some pretty colour to my deathly pallor which saves me from bronzing my whole face to an unnatural colour. My fave blusher at the moment is NARS Deep Throat, I think its the perfect colour for me with just the right amount of sparkle. I adore Illamasqua's powder blushers. Katie is a lovely pastel pink & Thrust is a bright magenta. It looks so scary in the pan but its a gorgeous colour if you apply it with a light hand & blend it properly. I want to try some of Illamasqua's cream blushers next as they seem really good too. The only cream blushers I own are from Topshop but they are great quality for the price. I like the shade Head Over Heels best as its a very pretty peachy colour thats perfect for Summer.


Lip Products
Philosophy Kiss Me Tonight / Beaute Wanted Weightless Lip Creme / MAC Hue Lipstick / MAC Enchantée Kissable Lip Colour
I bought a lot of lipsticks this year. In order to keep my lips lovely & smooth I use Philosophy's Kiss Me Tonight lip treatment. Its a balm that you put on before you go to bed and you wake up with beautifully soft lips. I also put some on before I do my makeup then blot it off when I'm ready to apply my lipstick. I bought the Beaute Weightless Lip Creme in Wanted after I heard that Kristen Stewart loves it. Its a lovely nude thats halfway between a lipstick and gloss. The MAC Kissable Lip Colours from their Peacocky collection use a similar formula. I love the colour Enchantée which is a cool toned bright pink. My fave everyday lipstick is MAC Hue. Its the most perfect pinky nude that looks brilliant on everyone.


Nail Polishes
Illamasqua Jo'Mina / Models Own Utopia / Models Own Pink Punch / Barry M Peach Melba
This was such a hard decision as I adore all the nail polishes I bought last year and believe me, I bought a lot! These ones stood out to me as unique colours that I always get complimented on. They all apply really well and don't chip too badly with some Seche Vite on top.

Silver Hair & Some Goodies

Yesterday I finally went back to Cutting Room Creative in Leeds and got my roots done. I'd not been since February so they were looking pretty horrendous. This time I asked them to tone it really silvery and I'm really happy with how its turned out. The horrible yellow banding I had from getting my roots done last time has completely gone with this application of toner too. Its quite nice having my hair all one colour for a change haha! For anyone trying to get a silver look they used a L'Oreal Luocolor P01 toner, which you can buy at Sallys.

Considering Leeds has loads of nice shops that we don't have here I figured I would indulge in some retail therapy after my appointment. I popped into Space.NK and got a Nars illuminator in Copacabana & blush in Deep Throat. Seriously in love with both of these bad boys. I've bought a million different highlighters, (some as recently as last week!) but once I swatched this one on my hand I knew it was a bit special. It really is dazzling on the skin. I used it under my foundation as well as over and my skin looks positively gleaming. I found it hard to choose between all the blushers. I was so tempted to go for Orgasm or Super Orgasm but I chose Deep Throat because it has more of a silvery sheen to it rather than the gold sheen of the Orgasm family. Its a lot pinker too rather than peachy so I felt it would suit my skintone better. 'Tis a beaut!

I also went into House Of Fraser to get a Bobbi Brown creamy concealer kit. This product is an old favourite of mine and I much prefer it to MAC's Studio Finish concealer. I find that it completely hides my dark circles & blends into the rest of my makeup a lot easier. They recently repackaged & reformulated it & my old one had run out quite a while ago. I'm so glad that they changed the loose powder to pressed as it was always really messy & most of the powder ended up down my top. The change in packaging is definitely an upgrade too as both the concealer & powder are on the same part & you get a nice mirror too. This product is a complete essential for me.

Crimbo Haul

I know Christmas was quite a while ago now but my mum and sister got me some stuff in New York that I wanted to show you as well and they only got back a couple of weeks ago. First of all heres some stuff I've bought myself lately:


Liz Earle - I went to the new Liz Earle shop in Leeds because I was desperate to try Cleanse & Polish after reading so many reviews on the stuff. It definitely lives up to the hype. The limited edition tin is really cool. I love the toner I got too, it feels really refreshing on my skin. I also got the Bust Treatment because having a baby is not good for your boobs! Not tried it yet, but I'll let you know how it goes ;)


Yankee Candle - I really wanted wanted one of these massive candles after watching one of Fleur's videos. I totally fell in love with the strawberry buttercream one in Clintons, it smells delicious. It reminds me of the birthday cake body butter I got from Dylan's Candy Store a couple of years ago.


Sigma Brushes - I ordered these on Black Friday because they had free shipping. I really wanted some brushes for contouring my face. Unfortunately they sent me the large powder brush instead of the tapered face brush and I had to pay more money for it afterwards because of their mistake. Bleh. Although I like the brushes I'm not gonna order from them again. I didn't like my experience with their customer service.





MAC - I was quite excited for the Cham Pale collection and was tempted to order the special highlighting powders but when I tried them instore, I didn't really like them. Instead I just got the NC15/NW20 & I Get No Kick pencils. I love both of these, perfect for the waterline without looking too fake. I also got Harmony blusher for contouring as recommended by Pixi2woo and Amber Lights & Naked Lunch for my eyeshadow palette.



Bow Satchel - So this is the fake Miu Miu Vitello Lux I ordered off ebay. I'm not very impressed with it, it was a bit of a waste of money, so it might end up back on ebay. Its too hard and looks very cheap. I also got this weird coin purse free with it, at least that made me lol.

On to the stuff I got given:


Marmite Mug - My friend got me this epic mug! I love Marmite, I always add a thick layer of the stuff to crumpets and toast. Now I can drink hot marmite in my mug too :D


Bones - My boyfriend got me the Bones season 1-5 box set. So excited to finally watch it all!



M&M Pillow - Last time we went to New York I got the massive Reese's Peanut Butter Cups pillow so this time my mum got me the M&M one from M&M World. Its so soft and lovely to stroke. She also got me loads of American sweets such as Lifesavers, Tootsie Rolls & Cookie Dough Bites. Yum!


Sephora - My mum knows how much I love all the stuff in Sephora. I didn't ask for any of these, she just has fab taste. I got By Terry Touche Veloutee which is the best concealer ever. Its like Touche Eclat but about a million times better. Theres also a mini Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb, Lorac liquid eyeliner, Marc Jacobs Lola rollerball, mini Nars Orgasm Illuminator & two random Sephora nail polishes. I've been using the Orgasm Illuminator every day since I got it and it looks amazing on my skin. It gives your cheekbones a beautiful peachy pink highlight. Its a wonderful product.


Chanel Bag - Okay its a fake but what a good fake it is! Its really soft, well made and looks just like the real thing. Plus my mum haggled with the seller so she bought it for the grand total of $20! Thats like 12 quid! Love love love this bag and love love love my mum :)