Favourites are usually some of my err... favourites to write, yet because of the rebrand, things have been a bit quiet. I may have missed November and December (sob), but considering I now have all the time in the world (read all about that here), I thought I'd jump back on the bandwagon and share some of the products I've been going all heart-eyed emoji'd over in January.
I'm going to kick things off with two beautiful blushes from Benefit. I wanted to pick up their seasonal cheek palette, but realised the only two shades I really wanted were Rockateur and Hervana (both £23.50 full size), the latter of which wasn't included in the set. I managed to snap up Hervana, and a travel size version of Rockateur and since the middle of December, both have been regular fixtures in my makeup bag. Hervana is a beautiful peony/lavender shade, perfect for a subtle lift to cool-toned skin, and I think it's my favourite out of the two. Rockateur is more of a warm rose-gold shade, but equally as gorgeous.
The Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick (£25) in Boy is one that I had wanted for such a long time. Everytime I went into Debenhams/John Lewis/Selfridges, I'd lust over this, but reisited paying so much for a lipstick. Towards the end of 2015, I eventually picked it up and I adore it. It is the most perfect mauvey/pinky/browny shade, the epitomy of the "your lips but better" cliché (vom). This has become such a makeup bag staple as it is what I grab if I can't decide on a shade, or don't want to wear anything bold.
Liquid liner is something that has never been my best friend, yet when I took a little pot of gel liner away with me last year, we bonded. That little pot of L'Oreal liner sadly didn't make it back to the UK with me, and 8 months later, I finally got around to buying a new one. I'd heard great things about the Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner (£7.99), so I picked one up and forgot I had it. It wasn't until I found this super tiny angled artist brush that I really started to get into using gel liner. It makes liner so easy, and the minuscule brush means you can build it up step by step, as well as flicking it out into a precise wing. If you haven't checked out artist brushes for your makeup, I urge you to have a look in your nearest art shop or The Works, which is where I got this one for no more than £1.
I've been really into neutral nails this month, and a new release I spied in the aisles of the drugstore was the Mani Mask (£3.99) from Barry M in the shade Bashful. Within a collection of four nail care products, this is a baby-pink tinted nail treatment with a flattering semi-matte finish. Two coats of this make nails look really healthy and polished.
Tucked at the side of this photo is the limited edition Clarins Aquatic Treasures Summer Bronzing Compact. I lusted after this the entire summer, and was devastated when I couldn't get my hands on it. When I did a Clarins order just before Christmas, I almost squealed when I saw that this was available, and I knew it had to be mine. The four matte shades are really blendable, with zero fallout like other matte bronzers tend to have. I love the lightest shade to add a bit of warmth all over, and one of the darker ones to subtly sculpt. The palette does lean slightly more towards the warm side so I don't really use it for too much contouring, but it is great for a more natural look.
Finally we have a perfume, the Laura Mercier Eau Gourmande Almond Coconut Milk (£42.50 full size). I might do a full review on this one soon, but the lowdown is this: a warm, sweet, vanillary coconut that gets more and more yummy as it dries down. I always catch a whiff of this on myself when I'm out, and it's delicious. The ultimate winter scent for a coconut lover like me.
The L'Oreal Hydra Fresh Deep Boosting Essence isn't yet available in the UK, so my lovely friend Aria kindly sent me over a bottle from India. This is a lovely, lightweight moisturising essence with a refreshing gel texture. I take three pumps of this in the mornings and apply in place of moisturiser, which is perfect for my oily skin. If I want more hydration, one pump of this under my serum and moisturiser makes my skin feel soft, smooth and ready for the next steps of my skincare routine.
More skincare, and I'm going to rewind back to the start of December when I headed to Birmingham for The Clothes Show (read the post here). I came across a Kiehl's store in the brand new Grand Central station shopping area, and finally got to pick up the eternally hyped Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado (from £20). I didn't think I was going to get on with the texture at first, but oh I was wrong. This is so hydrating and has basically changed my life. I look forward to nothing more than slathering this on at the start of the day, the end of the day, basically all day everyday. I'm addicted to the stuff. That jumbo pot they do? It has my name on it.
The Sanctuary Radiance Exfoliator (£10 full size) is a product I mentioned in my Winter Morning Skincare Routine post, and it's one that I really rediscovered this month. It has walnut pieces suspended in a thick gel to provide a brightening polish for the skin. My favourite way to use this is with the Merumaya Manual Cleansing Brush* (review here) as it gives a more gentle massage than using your hands.
The final one to mention isn't all that interesting as it is such an essential, but the Muji Peelable Cotton Pads (£2.50) are bloody amazing! By far the softest and best quality cotton pads I have tried! I feel like you are meant to split each pad into four layers, but I just use them as they come. I will be repurchasing by the basket-load when I am next near a Muji store.
Lush Roots (from £10.75) is a product that I previously tried as a sample and I wasn't all that impressed. However I finally fished that sample out again recently and I'm so glad I did! I bought a full size tub (which I thought was actually quite affordable) and I've been enjoying it as a once a week treatment. Roots contains menthol, so it really soothes and refreshes my scalp. A cool scalp isn't something I knew I needed in life, but it's such a lovely feeling. Lush are slowly taking over all corners of my haircare routine, and indeed my whole shower routine!
After two months favourites-free, it has felt so good to sit down a give a whole lotta love to the products that have served me well during the last few months. If you haven't already read my previous post, I took the leap and am now working on my blog and a few other projects full time. What that does mean, is less money, so I'd love to know...
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