February

I know its only February and definitely not spring yet, but the few beautiful days of sun have made me hopeful that some warmer weather will come our way soon! I'm such a Summer person, I love winter for the Christmas/New Year build up and then I'm 100% done. This was a hard month to find favourites for if I'm honest, as I haven't really switched up any Skincare or body products and have been keeping my Make Up pretty simple.
The thing thats definitely new is foundation, I normally love a glowy, dewy finish but I've been using the Make Up For Ever HD Foundation all month long and have been really enjoying using something more matte. I think its because my skin has been feeling quite oily recently, but I love the flawless, medium coverage this gives that is perfect for nights out or photography.
You can really see that I've been loving a matte finish this month as the next product is a Powder by Bobbi Brown. The only area I usually powder is my T Zone and the Sheer Finish Pressed Powder in Pale Yellow is the perfect shade to brighten and subtly highlight the area while helping to keep my make up in place. It does a great job at preventing any concealer creasing under my eyes or on my lid, and keeps any unwanted shine at bay.
The brush I've been using for my powder is the Real Techniques Setting Brush, its small size is great for applying just a light dusting across the nose and forehead.
As I've been keeping my base really matte, obviously I've been amping up the highlighter to get that healthy looking glow. The Soap and Glory Love at First Blush is a gorgeous highlighting blush in a rosy pink shade. I've been dusting this across my apples and up the cheekbones as a blush and highlight all in one, before sweeping a little across my forehead to warm up the whole face.
I've never really been a hand cream addict before, its one of those products for me thats nice to use but usually gets seriously neglected in my routine. I got a little set of miniature L'Occitaine hand creams as a stocking filler at Christmas and have fallen in love with the Delightful Rose scent in particular. I find the hands is the place my tan starts to fade from the fastest, but using this has been helping to prolong the colour so I think a purchase of the full size is on the cards!

Disappointing Products

I'll start this post off by saying that I am definitely not an impulse buyer.  I spend so much time reading blog reviews to make sure that what I'm buying is worth the money/right for me etc etc that it actually really surprises me when I end up not liking something. That said, it is other bloggers 'Disappointing products' or 'Product Regret' posts that have most likely saved me from too many let downs, so I thought that I should share a few of mine. Obviously this is very much down to personal preference and these products aren't necessarily bad products as I most likely purchased them after hearing someone give them a glowing review - I'm just sharing why they haven't worked for me.
If there is one thing I hate, its spending money on expensive tanning products that aren't good quality. I'd heard so many good things about the he-shi Express Liquid Tan, but after application I found the 'Medium' shade to be very, very pale in colour. After one use it looked almost as though I had just used a gradual tanner! I added another coat the next day and was more satisfied with the colour, but for a tan that doesn't wow me this is just far too much hassle. On top of that, I found this product extremely drying on my skin, and noticed that when it started to fade I was left looking very patchy and strange. This might work better for someone who's after a much paler look, or who doesn't have skin that leans towards the dry side.
Normally I love Bourjois as a brand, but I really didn't get on with their Healthy Mix Foundation or Concealer. I had tried the original version of the foundation and I remember really liking it, so I picked it up again recently in the new packaging. I think the product must have been re formulated as although I like the initial finish, the foundation didn't hold up for two seconds on my skin (which is not oily).  I do on the other hand really like their Healthy Mix Serum foundation so would 100 percent recommend that over the original. As far as the concealer goes, I like the light, glowy coverage it gives but it made the skin around my eyes very red and sore. I did enjoy using it before my reaction, but I wouldn't class myself as someone with very sensitive skin and I have never reacted to a product in that way before so I would say if you ever have any sensitivity issues definitely give this one a miss!
Next up is a product I'm not quite ready to write off just yet, partly due to the price and partly because  I just think it could look so, so pretty if I could only make it work for me! I'm speaking about the much internet loved ByTerry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock. When swatched, this sheeny, pinky brown shade looks stunning but once I put it on my lid, something just doesn't work. It seems that when I try to blend it out, the product sheers out a lot and I end up with shimmer everywhere. I'm open to any suggestions about these because as I said, its a beautiful shade so please let me know in the comments if you have any tips!
The last product is another of those sad ones that you really like using but your skin just doesn't get along well with. I've only ever had good experiences with Origins skincare in the past, but every time I try to use their VitaZing, its followed by a breakout. VitaZing is one of those interesting 'adapts to your skin tone' moisturisers, it really is great for giving just a hint of glow on no make up days, or as a morning moisturiser as it contains SPF. This is one I would definitely try for yourself, I wish I could love this but I think after the fourth desperate attempt to use this resulting in a break out its time to give it away.

Current Fake Tan Routine

To say I am a regular fake tanner would be an understatement, to the point that I'm actually unsure what my natural skin colour looks like anymore. (Joking, sort of...) Nothing against pale skin here, which I think can look beautiful with some colourings, but just on me I always think it looks wrong against my very dark hair and I feel much happier and more confident with a healthy looking glow to my skin. After years of experimenting with different tans and a lot of laughter and teasing from my friends when it goes anything less than perfectly, I like to think I've gotten pretty good at it. 

Theres a couple of tans I love to use including the Xen Tan ones that I've mentioned here before, but recently I've been favouring a budget alternative in the form of Cocoa Brown Tan 1 Hour Tan Mousse. I have pretty dry skin and in the past haven't got on so well with other mousse formulas (those St Moritz days...) but Cocoa Brown doesn't feel drying at all and fades really naturally. I love the fact it has a guide colour so you can see where you are applying the product but then slowly develops into a medium, natural tan over time. As far as the 1 hour claims, I have only tested this once due to the fact I always leave my tan on overnight, but if rinsed off after an hour you are left with a very natural glow. If your after a tanned effect I would recommend leaving the product on overnight or at least for the full 3 hours. I always apply any fake tanning product with a mitt, I saved you the pleasure of looking at my used one but really I find them very similar so I always go for the cheap Superdrug/Primark option. 

As far as facial tanning goes, I never stray far from the Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning Lotion. Think naturally glowy colour with a foolproof, buildable formula that leaves skin looking even and moisturised the day after use. I'd say I use this twice a week, just to keep my face and body looking a uniform colour. 

Something I've learned over the years is that prep is important. Your tan will never look flawless if its clinging to any dry patches so scrub thoroughly and moisturise any body parts it might stick to. Thats not just hands, elbows and feet - in between the fingers, wrists, ankles, knees, inner elbow + underarms are all places that tan likes to build up. The scrub and moisturiser I use vary but at the moment I'm enjoying The Sanctuary Spa Salt Scrub which smells gorgeous, and combined with a Superdrug Exfoliating Glove is definitely powerful enough to remove any stubborn old tan. The Antipodes Joyful Hand and Body Cream is much pricier than what I would usually use for this purpose but I've found myself totally addicted to the beautiful scent of Hibiscus flower which combined with the super hydrating formula means that I can't quite bring myself to stop using it. 

The link I've left above for the Clarins Liquid Bronze is to Escentual.com who I noticed have a very tempting 20% off everything discount code running over the weekend! 

Just a heads up...

The Perfect Jo Malone Pairing

 I'm obsessed with Jo Malone, I love the branding, the boxes and most of all the beautiful, natural fragrances in which their Candles, Scent Diffusers and Colognes are available. There is something lovely about the brands ethos of taking simple scents, and layering them to create a bespoke combination that is original to you. My absolute favourite pairing recently has to be the English Pear and Freesia, layered over one of the newer releases Wood Sage and Sea Salt.
Now describing fragrances is never easy, so I'll lead with the brands scent descriptions in case I completely fail to put into words how delicious these smell.
'The essence of autumn. The sensuous freshness of just ripe pears is wrapped in a bouquet of white freesias, and mellowed by amber, patchouli and woods. Luscious and golden.'
To phrase in a much less dramatic way, I would describe this perfume as femenine, tart and almost bubbly (not sure that counts as a scent description). The unique scent of ripe Pear really comes through, bringing warmth to the fragrance along with its woody bottom notes of patchouli. It has shot straight to being one of my all time favourite scents and find myself reaching for this everyday as it is never too overwhelming or sweet.
The perfect companion comes in the form of Wood, Sage and Sea Salt which I will admit does sound a little strange. Jo Malone's description is 'Escape the everyday along the windswept shore. Waves breaking white, the air fresh with sea salt and spray. Alive with the mineral scent of the rugged cliffs. Mingling with the woody earthiness of sage. Lively, spirited and totally joyful.' I adore these scent descriptions by the way, I love the fact that Jo really wants to evoke memories and emotion through her fragrances. This Cologne truly fits the description, and I find that once settled on the skin it is barely detectable as a fragrance, almost as though you naturally just smell amazing. The scent reminds me of the summery, salty smell you are left with after a day at the beach and due to the natural, not overly feminine notes I think this could also be worn by a Man.
Together these just create the ultimate pairing for me, with a gorgeous salty sharpness, balanced out by the ripe fruit and woody notes. These scents are long lasting on the skin and versatile enough to work all year round - meaning I will always have to have a bottle of each in my collection!

5 things to buy at the Drugstore

While I love my high end products, my bank balance most certainly does not so its great when I find affordable products that I really, really love. Some cosmetics, such as Mascara make far more sense to get cheaply, especially as they dry out within a couple of weeks. I love Maybelline's Mascara offerings, they have such a huge range now and while I'm not one for excessive marketing and brightly coloured, garish packaging - they really do get the job done. My pick would be the Volum' Express The Collossal Mascara, although targeted at volumizing the lashes this formula is a great all rounder, lenghening lashes and holding curl. I currently have the waterproof version, which really doesn't budge until it meets a balm cleanser or oil based make up remover.

The Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation has been a solid favourite of mine since its release years ago, I love a glowy finish and the light reflecting particles in this base lift your complexion creating the look of really healthy skin. I find this quite comparable to my much loved Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, it offers the same sort of finish but with a little more coverage.
One thing that I hate spending money on is expensive hair styling products especially as I get through them so quickly. The Charles Worthington Texturising Spray is a pretty good dupe for the renowned Oribe Dry Texturising Spray, but for a fraction of the price. This adds volume and texture to freshly washed, uncooperative hair and helps to keep your style in place as well.
I love my Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils but the Maybelline Colour Drama Lip Pencils are a great alternative. These pencils are creamy, pigmented and long lasting and come in some lovely shades. I can't live without Fab Orange - a bright orange red, or Nude Perfection which is a Tawny Nude shade.
Great skincare can be difficult to find on a budget, but one brand that has always impressed me has been the Superfacialist by Una Brennan range at boots. I have been using the Vitamin C+ Glow Boost Serum every morning for the last few months and my skin looks noticeably brighter and happier. I've tried a few other bits from the range as well like the Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil which is a lovely first cleanse, and my Mum swears by the Super Lift Night Cream.

January

 January is such a dull month, its cold, Christmas is over and getting up in the mornings is a constant challenge until the weather starts warming up. Luckily, there have been some amazing products this month to help perk me up and make me actually look forward to doing my make up each morning!

Starting with the one skincare item this month, the Estēe Lauder Advanced Night Repair. I have been using this light, refreshing serum every night for the last month and have noticed an unbelievable change in my skin. It looks clear, bright and even in tone. I suffer with a lot of redness around my cheeks and nose this serum has really changed that. Can't see this leaving my skincare routine any time soon!

I love the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light, but its its Bronzy sibling Radiant Light that had my attention this month. With the same glowy, photogenic finish as Diffused Light, Radiant Light looks gorgeous to warm up your skin for a night out. What I love about it is that its subtle enough to use everywhere for an all over glow, or just on the cheekbones as a natural highlight. 

I've been experimenting with wearing slightly smokier eye looks recently, which has led me to completely fall in love with the M.A.C Pro Longwear Eyeshadow in Uninterrupted. A warm, mid brown shade - this is absolutely perfect for blending out darker colours, creating the perfect transition shade and giving the impression you have flawless blending skills... (I don't). This is also a really pretty shade worn in the crease or all over the lid for an easy day look that looks particularly lovely with Green eyes. 

A favourite I didn't expect to love quite as much as I do is the Nars Audacious Lipstick in Anna. A muted, mauve pink that is super brightening and suits me both when I'm tanned and pale. Theres just something about this shade that is so wearable but yet delivers the perfect pop of colour. The formula of the Audacious Lipsticks is also beautiful, really pigmented and they feel so creamy and nourishing!

And finally, this month I tried out the Benefit Gimme Brow - a product I was totally sure I didn't need. I use this over my Anastasia Beverly Hills DipBrow Pomade, I have to alter my brow shape far to much to ever be able to just use a Gel. Never the less, this product is addictive... I have the shade Blonde which sets my brows perfectly, keeping the hairs and colour in place for hours and just makes me feel done. This may be an unnecessary step to my routine, but definitely one I now can't live without.