Latest In Beauty Heart Beauty Essentials Box

Latest In Beauty Heart Beauty Essentials Box* - £17.99

Beauty boxes are a very cost effective way of trying out new products. The only trouble is there are so many different ones out there now & it can hard to choose which one to go for. As an adult with real responsibilities I have enough direct debits coming out of my bank account as it is. I no longer want to subscribe to a monthly mystery box of goodies when I could just save my money for the things I actually want instead. That's why Latest In Beauty appeal to me because they create one off themed boxes that you can buy without committing yourself to a contract. Their exclusive collection boxes are packed with products chosen by industry experts so you're bound to find some new things that you'll love. They even allow you to build your own box so that you can choose exactly what you want to try & when you want to try it. There are no hidden costs, no direct debits or minimum sign up period. For one of their collections Latest In Beauty have joined forces with the beauty team at Heart to offer you ten different full size & deluxe sample products from some fabulous brands. A lot of effort has obviously gone into the design of the box & it's full to the brim with exciting things to try. Here's what I received:



Urban Veda Purifying Hydrating Toner
Way back in the 90s my mum had a perfume called Cassini which my sister & I were both obsessed with. I remember the scent well & to me this toner smells exactly like Cassini. Anyone else remember it? I looked up the notes in Cassini & it turns out that some of the ingredients are the same so I thought that was really cool! Anyway this toner is formulated using Ayurvedic principles so it's full of natural ingredients including turmeric, marigold, patchouli, coriander, papaya, goji berry & aloe vera. It promises to balance your skin tone & brighten the complexion whilst locking in moisture. It feels really refreshing & immediately perks up dull looking skin. However a couple of days after I started using this I noticed that I was getting a bit of irritation & had developed an itchy pink rash. This was the only new skincare product that I had introduced so I stopped using it & the rash went away. It just goes to show that natural products aren't always best & all the lovely botanical ingredients that made it smell like my favourite retro perfume weren't great for my skin.

Roger & Gallet Lait Sorbet Bois D'Orange Body Lotion
I think that body lotions are quite boring to talk about but the formula of this one is simply divine! This body lotion feels absolutely incredible on the skin. After applying it my skin not only feels softer but there is a visible difference in it's condition too. The consistency of this product is quite thin & watery. This allows it to sink in very quickly whilst delivering long lasting hydration. The lotion simply melts into the skin giving it a silky texture with a healthy looking sheen. It is enriched with a complex of naturally derived oils, aloe vera & orange extract. Citrus scents are normally my fave but I'm not a huge fan of this as it has a strong masculine orange fragrance. The formula is fantastic though so I would love to try this out in one of the other scents that Roger & Gallet have available.

Bloom And Blossom Bath & Shower Gel
This bath & shower gel is 99% natural with a sulphate-free foaming base making it suitable for all skin types. It features vitamin E & cucumber extracts to gently cleanse the skin without stripping it of oils. The gel is fragrance free so it's great for all the family including small children. Although I do have sensitive, eczema-prone skin I still prefer scented shower gels so I've used it to bathe my daughter instead. Bloom And Blossom actually had expectant mothers in mind when creating this product as strong scents can bring on morning sickness. When I was pregnant I was very diligent about only eating food & using products that would be safe for my baby so I can understand why you would switch to a natural shower gel like this. I'm sure that many anxious first time mothers would really appreciate receiving this shower gel in a gift basket.

NUXE Crème Prodigieuse Moisturising Cream
I've tried quite a few different NUXE products but somehow I don't think I've ever used their Crème Prodigieuse before. I'm not sure how I missed it because this moisturiser is one of their hero products. Crème Prodigieuse is aimed towards those with stressed, normal to combination skin. The texture is a lot thicker than I was expecting but it sinks into the skin quickly. It feels rich & comforting without being heavy or greasy. My skin is left feeling softer, fresher & calmer when I use it. It has a semi-matte finish so it works well on my skin type & balances out an oily T-Zone. This product is intended for use as a day cream but it can also be used at night with an oil or hydrating serum. It's a lovely everyday moisturiser & a good choice if your skin is feeling particularly sensitive.




Rimmel Provocalips in Kiss Me You Fool
Liquid lipsticks are the current big thing in beauty. My personal favourites are the Jeffree Star ones but I'm always open to trying new lip products. I've tried & loved the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Velvets so I had high hopes for Provocalips. These liquid lipsticks have a high shine finish. They promise 16 hours of wear & are transfer-proof. Each lipstick has two different ends, one with the colour & one with a clear balm to lock the colour in place. Here I have Kiss Me You Fool which is a classic bright red shade. It's incredibly bold & certain to turn a few heads. The lipstick itself is easy to apply & the colour is highly pigmented. It feels a bit tacky until you apply the balm on top, then it's really comfortable to wear & will stay in place all day long. It starts to feel a bit dry & gross after a few hours but if you keep reapplying the balm then it feels fine. It doesn't come off when I kiss, drink or eat. In fact it just doesn't come off! Wipes & micellar water won't cut it, you need a really good cleansing oil to remove this lipstick. Personally I prefer liquid lipsticks with a matte finish but there's no denying the ultimate staying power of Provacalips.



Dirty Works 4-In-1 Face Wipes
In general I don't think that face wipes are an efficient way of removing your makeup. I don't like to prejudge products so I decided to give these ones a go anyway. Wipes can be a godsend when you're too drunk or too tired to take your makeup off properly so it's always good to keep some handy. Dirty Works face wipes feature lots of soothing ingredients & claim to gently cleanse the skin without irritating it. Unfortunately they didn't work very well for me & it took a lot of harsh scrubbing to remove all of my makeup with them. They barely touched my mascara & eyeliner. I washed my face properly with a cleansing oil afterwards & a lot of makeup came off in the muslin cloth so the wipes did bugger all really! There are good face wipes out there, sadly these ones are pretty pathetic.




LOLA Make Up By Perse Nail Varnish in Electric Purple
Purple is one of my favourite colours to wear on my nails at this time of year. I actually wore this at Halloween & it definitely made for a vampy manicure. I really like the colour & this polish has a wonderfully glossy finish. It was formulated with gel technology which is supposed to make it fluid, shiny & long lasting. The wear was disappointing though & it started to chip off the tips of my nails within 24 hours. I even used a base coat & top coat so for it to start coming off my nails that soon was a bit annoying. It didn't dry particularly quickly either so I can't say I think much of this polish formula.



Kitsch Prima Ballerina Hair Ties
How cute are these hair ties?! I've been wanting some in this style for ages & this sparkly set is very me. They are made from soft, durable elastic & are designed to be kind to your hair. Much like the Invisibobble, they are snag-free & don't leave any imprints in my hair. These hair ties look a lot prettier though & I like wearing them as glittery bracelets too. The soft pastel colours of the Prima Ballerina set will go with everything & the glitter really stays put.



Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask
I love hyaluronic acid serums & Hydraluron is the product that really got me into using them. To take their serum to the next level Indeed Labs decided to create sheet masks infused with Hydraluron which was a stroke of pure genius. Sheet masks are very popular in Asia & they have started to make their way over here. They look ridiculous but the benefits are great. Most of them are used to intensely rehydrate the skin so it makes a lot of sense for there to be a Hydraluron one. You simply unfold the fabric sheet & drape it onto your skin. After 15 minutes you take off the sheet & massage in any remaining product. It left my skin feeling really plump & soft with any fine lines smoothed out. They're a powerful boost for dehydrated skin & would be perfect for use before a special occasion. The Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks are made in Japan so technically they are authentic Asian beauty products. The only downside to the Hydraluron sheet masks is that they are very expensive in comparison to their Asian counterparts. However you can easily find them in your local Boots which does make them seem infinitely more appealing.



Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel
If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll know that I love acid exfoliators & I think that this is one of the best exfoliating products on the market today. The Microdelivery Peel combines vitamin C crystals with lactic and salicylic acid for unbelievably softer, smoother & brighter looking skin. The effects are immediate & mimic the results of professional microdermabrasion. It completely transforms the texture of your skin & after just one use you'll be stroking your face in disbelief all day long. One of these sample sachets actually prompted me to buy the full size version of this product a long time ago so feel free to check out my really old review of The Microdelivery Peel. I've learned quite a lot about skincare since writing that review but with my new knowledge I can still wholeheartedly say that this product is amazing. This little sachet reminded me just how fab it is & I encourage all of you to try it out!

Overall I was really pleased with the contents of this box. Although some things didn't work so well for me I still appreciated the opportunity to try them out. My favourite items were the Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask, the Kitsch hair ties & the Rimmel Provocalips. There's a great selection of products here & it is also excellent value for money. The box costs just £17.99 but the contents are worth over £70! If you want to save a little bit more money you can use the code HEARTBB15 for free P&P. Visit the Latest In Beauty website to find out more.

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

The Lush Lip Lineup

Me? A lip balm hoarder? Guilty as charged. I can totally justify it though! Lip balms are easy to scatter everywhere so it's always good to keep a few around. Some of these stay in my handbag & some live on my dressing table. I like to be able to top up my lips with a balm no matter where I am at that point in time. I think my obsession started when I was at school & everyone had those horrific little tins of Vaseline. I cringed every time I saw people whip them out & practically told them off if they dared to offer me some. It just coats the lips leaving them even drier in the long run. If you use Vaseline on your lips stop it now or... I'm not sure we can be friends anymore ;) From that point on I made it a personal mission to find a better lip balm & convert my friends. Carmex is still an old favourite of mine because it saved me from the hell of Vaseline. I've gone through countless pots of the stuff but the tube packaging is lot more convenient. It has a lovely texture & that menthol tingle sure is addictive. My mint flavoured Balmi is quite similar but with the added bonus of SPF 15. The little keychain makes this a great one for handbags as you can just hook it onto your keys or a bag strap.

Much like the rest of your face or body, your lips need a little exfoliation before treating them to some moisture. I normally go over them with my toothbrush or a flannel but if they're still a bit flaky then there's no better treatment than one of Lush's lip scrubs. I adore the sugary sweetness of Bubblegum but my favourite has to be the Popcorn one. It tastes like salted caramel & will smooth over even the roughest of pouts. If you're a bit lazy then Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid* will naturally exfoliate & hydrate your lips all at the same time. The combination of creamy whipped lanolin & organic lemon oil is hard to beat. It makes your lips feel absolutely amazing & the fresh lemon scent is truly delicious. Another incredibly yummy product is the Super By Dr. Nicholas Perricone Lush Lips conditioning balm. I think the Super range has been discontinued as you can only find the products in TK Maxx or online now. This uses coconut oil which is renowned for it's hydrating properties. It has a nice buttery texture & over time it definitely makes your lips softer in general. I can't get enough of it's subtle coconut taste & scent. I only hope I can find another pot when mine runs out.

If you've never tried the NUXE Reve de Miel lip balm, what are you doing?! Go buy some pronto. This balm is a staple product for me. Whenever my lips get cracked & start bleeding due to the weather or illness then I can always rely on this stuff to sort them out. I normally reach for the stick during the day, it's a good one to take out with you & it is my go-to base for lipsticks. Unlike most lip balms it has a matte finish so it won't affect whatever you put on top. The pot stays on my nightstand as the texture is a little thicker. I always pop some of this on before bed to keep my lips moisturised overnight. Philosophy's Kiss Me Tonight is another brilliant overnight lip treatment. It makes my lips feel really soft & is very comfortable to wear. This stuff lasts for hours & I rarely have to reapply it. Whenever I use Kiss Me Tonight, it's always still on my lips when I wake up. It works just as well during the day for kissably soft lips 24/7. What's your favourite lip balm?

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

French Pharmacy Picks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

February Favourites

Bumble & Bumble Brilliantine
Bleaching my hair for so many years has pretty much damaged it beyond repair so I'm forever trying out new products to stop it from looking quite so dead. My latest discovery is Bumble & Bumble's Brilliantine. This versatile cream can be used on wet or dry hair. When used on wet hair it leaves your hair looking ever so sleek and shiny. But I normally just use it on my dry hair to add a bit of definition and polish to my hair. It smooths down my frizz and weightlessly gives the perfect amount of hold to my style. Its great for adding some soft texture to your hair too. This is also the only product I've found that can sort out the birds nest on top of Chloe's head without making her fine baby hairs look super greasy.

Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex
I got this full size tube for free when I repurchased my beloved Liquid Gold and I'm really enjoying using it. Its a very light gel yet somehow it seems to hydrate my undereye area so much better than any cream eye product ever did. I guess its due to the presence of hyaluronic acid in it which, as all other Hydraluron fans will know, is brilliant at locking moisture into your skin. I found that cream products were often too rich for me resulting in unsightly milia. Luckily Absolute Eye Complex also helps to reduce those. Its really cooling so feels especially nice to apply first thing in the morning and it helps to tighten up that whole area which is bound to keep any fine lines & wrinkles at bay. My dark circles seem a teeny bit brighter but theres not really been any noticeable difference in that department. Only time will tell if it can live up to it's claims. I would say that my eyes certainly look less baggy & puffy since I started using it so its doing a great job so far.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer
This product has always had a lot of hype in the beauty world but it wasn't until Peaches Geldof started singing its praises as her favourite concealer & foundation that I paid any attention to it. Its basically a thick and creamy tiny pot of colour. You can't really use it straight unless cake face is the look you're going for. But I love that you can mix it with so many different products such as BB creams & primers to custom make a foundation that delivers the level of coverage and finish that you desire. You only need a really small dot of this stuff every time you use it so despite its miniature package, it'll last for ages. Expect a full review of this soon but for now lets just say I'm completely loving it!

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse
When I had a mini makeover in Space.NK & purchased the aforementioned Sensual Skin Enhancer, the MUA mixed it with a really lovely By Terry dry oil. Knowing the redonkulous price of By Terry products I asked if there were any other dry oils I could mix it with. She mentioned that the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse was also really good and I happened to have a couple of sample bottles laying around the house. So when I got home I tried it out and they are such a lovely combo. This is currently my favourite thing to mix the Sensual Skin Enhancer with. It sheers out the colour nicely without overloading your face with excess oil and delivers a gorgeously glowing finish. You're left with a flawless base and your skin is getting all the nourishing benefits of this wonder oil.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins
This is probably the best night cream I have ever used. I only wish I had purchased it sooner. It really packs a wallop when it comes to hydration! When I apply this my skin immediately feels smoother, softer & plumper. I love how luxurious it feels on my skin and it smells incredible too. Despite being quite a thick cream it manages to sink deeply into your skin so those vitamins can really get to work. The morning after I've applied this product to my skin, my complexion is left looking a whole lot brighter. It helps to even out my skintone and reduce redness as well as leaving my skin feeling perfectly moisturised. Great stuff!

twitter / tumblr / youtube / instagram / bloglovin'

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.

November Favourites

Soap & Glory Whipped Clean
This stuff smells so so good! I adore the smell of pistachios & this product is packed with it. Its a shower butter that cleans & moisturises in one. It lathers up really well & feels rather indulgent to use. Whipped Clean leaves my skin feeling super soft. This is a nice alternative to traditional shower gels, especially now its turned a bit colder as it gives you a good hit of moisture. You can also use it as a shaving cream!

Truth Or Dare By Madonna
My mum bought me this perfume for my birthday a few months ago. I normally go for quite fruity, sweet scents but something draws me to this perfume & I've been using it a lot lately. I think this is a great Winter perfume. The fragrances I notice most in this perfume are gardenia, tuberose & jasmine with a nice bit of vanilla. If you're a fan of white floral scents you'll love this. Its quite a heavy scent so it might be better suited to older women but I still really like it. Its so long lasting for a mid-priced perfume so its well worth the money.

NUXE Reve De Miel Lip Balm
My lips have been ridiculously chapped lately. I guess its a combo of harsh Winter winds, central heating & being ill thats dried them out more than ever. In an act of total desperation I decided to order both the stick and pot version of this product after reading tons of rave reviews declaring it the best lip balm ever. After using these both for the past week my lips have improved so much. They've totally saved my lips from their cracked & bleeding state. I love the honey scent they both have. Personally I prefer the stick because its a lot more convenient than the pot but the formula of the stick is a bit thinner. It also smells a lot more of lemons than the pot does. They're both brilliant products though.

MAC Bare Study Paint Pot
I normally use the MAC Painterly Paint Pot as an eyeshadow base but I fancied something with a bit of shimmer instead to amp up the shine of my eyeshadows. Bare Study is the ideal product for that purpose. Its a very pretty champagne colour which really perks up the eyes. It also looks lovely used on its own!

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
I've had this palette for ages now but I've used it religiously for the past month. I never used to bother much with eyeshadows, preferring to just have a clean black flick of eyeliner instead. But recently I've felt a bit more experimental with my eye makeup. Both of the Naked palettes are amazing but this is definitely my favourite of the two. The cooler tones suit my skin better and I prefer the tin packaging. I was originally quite reluctant to buy it because I already had the first Naked palette but they really are very different. If you don't own this already you need to pop it on your Christmas list post haste. I'm pretty desperate to get my hands on the new Naked Basics palette now too!