October

It seems October literally went by in a flash and now the run up to Christmas has truly started (in my eyes anyway). For me this means favouring browny, autumnal looks this month and there are some nourishing skin care bits that I have completely fallen in love with. 

Starting with a new lip combination that I think I've worn all month long, MAC's Etcetera Liner & Naturally Transformed Lipstick. I find Naturally Transformed to be a tad too yellowy on my fairly pale skin tone, but paired with the slightly pinker hue of Etcetera they create the perfect beige nude. As much as I love MAC's Matte Lipsticks they tend to be pretty unforgiving, so definitely prep your lips with a balm! 

On the lids this month I've been loving Burberry's Sheer Eyeshadow in Pale Barley. A light, cool toned brown, this is one of those sweep and go shadows thats perfect for every day wear but also looks great for evenings - especially when paired with a orangey red lip! 

On dreary grey days my skin really benefits from some extra glow and theBalm's Mary-Loumanizer definitely delivers. This super pigmented, champagne toned highlight is definitely not as subtle as some others, but dusted lightly over the high points of your face it's still really wearable for daytime and is my favourite highlight for nights out! 

Aesop is one of my most loved skincare brands - if not only for their beautiful, apothecary style packaging, but also for the wonders that their products do for my skin. I've been a fan of the Parsley Seed Mask for years so it comes as no surprise that I love the Serum from the same line. The Serum is packed full of antioxidants, resulting in smooth, plump and nourished skin. When the first ingredient on the list is super moisturising and soothing Aloe Vera, you know it's going to be good! I've been using this morning and night and found a little goes a long way, although you get a huge 100ml of product for £45.00. 

The Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask is unlike others of its kind, claiming it 'Lifts, smoothes, brightens and tightens for baby skin'. I was definitely skeptical (especially for the price) but have to say this is unlike any other clay mask I own. My skin feels hydrated, super soft and plump, yet soothed and cleansed at the same time. Its a lovely quick fix for happier skin and a really welcome addition to my routine. 

Finally this month I've been loving a fragrance from Caudalíe. With notes of Rose, Grapefruit, Pink Peppercorn, Vanilla and Musks, Divin de Caudalíe is a warming, woody fragrance which is very relaxing in a spa like way. It shares the same scent as the Divine Oil and Candle, so if you love either of those then this is for you! 

What are your favourites this month? 

Favourite Discoveries Of 2014

While it seems that 2014 has been the quickest year ever, I feel that I have made some great discoveries this year and there have been some products that I have been using pretty consistently throughout. Doing Christmas on a student budget doesn't exactly leave much to spare, so I haven't tried many new products through the month of December and so I thought it might be more appropriate to show some of my stand out finds from 2014, instead of my December favourites.

Xen Tan's Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe is a product that I had tried before the beginning of the year but as much as I loved the moisturising finish and olive toned colour, I just didn't feel that the tan it left behind was as dark as what I was used to. It was this year I discovered that applying this on two consecutive days, leaves you with the most perfect dark tan that lasts almost a full week. For me thats pretty amazing, as my incredibly dry skin seems to just repel tan after a couple of days, leaving me patchy with the urge to run home and scrub myself. I do think that this tan is very pricey, and for that reason I do have some others on rotation, but nothing else quite measures up. 

I have fairly sensitive skin, so never got on very well with typical 'gritty' exfoliators, but this year I have loved using chemical exfoliants on my skin. The Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner is lovely, I use this every other evening and it helps to keep my skin looking bright, feeling smooth and tackling any dry patches. 

I won't go on about this one too much as I know I have already mentioned it multiple times on here, but the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is what has been on my face for the majority of the year. The coverage can be taken from a natural wash of colour to a full coverage foundation that really does make you look healthy and glowing, and the lack of SPF and great lasting power make it perfect for evenings too.

I have never been happy with my naturally sparse, thin brows and always felt that Brow Pencil and Powder start to look un natural when you are wanting to actually alter the shape of your brow. Discovering the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade has made me so much happier with the look of my eyebrows, as with a little angled brush (MAC's 208 does it for me) you can draw on tiny individual hairs and create the look of a thicker, defined brow. The product is also waterproof so you don't have to worry about it going anywhere, or touching up throughout the day. 

The By Terry Celluarose Blush Glacés are one of the most unique products I have tried this year, and they are the blushes that I turn to whenever my skin is looking dull or lacklustre. These have a watery consistency that once blended in look like a natural flush, and the glowy finish makes you look instantly healthy. 

2014 has been the year that I have really gotten into bold lipsticks, and have been loving matte liquid lipsticks in particular. I love the formula of the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvets, and 01 is the red lip choice that I have reached for most over the year. Its a very flattering, slightly darkened red on me and the lasting power makes it perfect for dinner or a night out. 

The Maybelline Forever Strong Super Stay Gel Colours are in my opinion the best nail varnishes available in the drugstore, these things combine some serious staying power power with a beautiful formula and shade range, meaning I have built up quite a collection over the year. 

Lastly, a bit of a strange one thrown in - but I have been using the Rapidlash Eyelash Enhancing Serum on and off throughout 2014, and I really can see a difference in the appearance of my lashes and brows. After consistent use for a month or two my lashes look longer, thicker and healthier and I am certain my brows have slightly more going on than they used too. I think this may have gone up in price from when I purchased it a year ago but it is definitely something thats worth looking at if you are unhappy with your lashes, or possibly need to get them back in a better condition following lash extensions. 

I hope you enjoyed this little round up of my top picks from the year, I chose to do this over a full 2014 Favourites as I wanted to just show the bits that have really stood out, and for some categories such as Mascara I have chopped and changed so much throughout the year that I don't feel I could pick just one! What are your some of your favourites from this year? Let me know! 

The Festive Face

Personally I'm the type that wears some kind of glorified pyjama set for the majority of Christmas day - but I love doing my make up in the morning, particularly when I may have a few new bits to test out. I have been loving Cranberry tones this winter, and Sable by MAC is a gorgeous reddish brown that really brings out Green eyes.  It is beautiful blended all over the lid for a smokier effect, or in the crease with a pale lid to contrast. The festive season brings with it a lot of eating and drinking, so you really a lip colour that won't leave you worrying that its half way down your face! I am definitely a lover of matte lip colours, and particularly the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. The shade Train Bleu might not be best if your shy of a bold lip, but the deep berry shade is perfect for dark lip lovers like me! When it comes to nails, I don't often go for a glitter as I just can't stand the hassle of removing them, but this year I will be braving it for the sake of Beyond Cozy by Essie. Somewhere between Silver and Gold, this polish is solid glitter particles, and is opaque in two coats. 

I hope you have a lovely Christmas, I will be back with a post on my favourite discoveries of 2014 in the new year! 

♥

Weekend Away Make up Bag

My boyfriend and I have just gotten back from spending the weekend in London, and I thought I would share the 'capsule' make up items that I chose to bring. I love reading these types of posts, its so interesting to see which products really make the cut when you have limited space.

My current make up bag is this Flat Scuba and leather pouch from & Other Stories. I would normally be one to bring a massive make up bag and then fill it with six lip options (for a three day trip) but this time I set myself the challenge of actually packing light. I really like the simple design of this pouch, and the easily cleanable scuba fabric.

Base wise, it has to be the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. This product just ticks all the boxes, its easily buildable, offers flawless coverage and a radiant finish... and it stays that way for a really long time.  The only issue with this one is the packaging isn't exactly travel friendly, so I de-potted enough for the trip into a old tester container. For concealer, my favourite all rounder is the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Creamy enough for under the eyes and covering enough to deal with any blemishes that may pop up.

The powder I took is the Rimmel London Stay Matte - cheap, cheerful and keeps any shine at bay.

For the eyes, the Illamasqua Neutral Palette really has it covered. It contains three matte neutrals for the daytime, while the fourth shade is a beautiful metallic bronze. All of the shades are soft and pigmented, and I also doubled up and used the black as a liner. 

The Lancome Hypnose Mascara has always been a favourite of mine as it delivers long, fluttery lashes, but can also be built up to get a really intense look.

The Contour and Highlight I chose to bring were both from Kevin Aucoin. The Sculpting Powder is a soft brown shade that somehow adds some shape to my face, and The Celestial Powder in Candlelight leaves the prettiest glow across the cheekbones. One of my most used blushes is the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in Exposed, a dusky rose shade that works with any lip or eye colour. These blushes last really well on the skin and Exposed is such a versatile shade, so its perfect for a weekend away.

I love using lip pencils, they define your lip shape and are really long lasting. MAC's Spice is a dark, brownish nude that gives you that whole Kylie Jenner thing going on. I wore this alone in the day time, but it also works really well as a base for lots of other lip colours. The shade I packed for the weekend is a new purchace, Amorous by MAC. Its a gorgeous cranberry shade, that I found to be really wearable, so I know this is one I'll be getting a lot of use out of.

November

This month has seen some much colder weather, dreary rainy days, and the worst break out my skin has had ever.

I normally have pretty clear skin, maybe the odd blemish here and there but have always counted myself lucky I don't really have to be aware which products I'm using on my face in case one causes a break out. Well about halfway through the month, my skin turned a little bit crazy. I'm not too sure if it was caused by a product (was it you L'Oreal True Match?!) or if it is hormonal or stress related but the product that has been really helping to clear up my skin is the La Roche Posay Effeclar Duo [+].  I'm sure you've heard of this product as its had a lot of online attention, and I have owned a tube before, but until now I've never quite understood how amazing this treatment is. Its a really light
cream/serum texture and feels cooling and refreshing on the skin. I have been using this both morning and night and have found it actually makes a lovely base for make up. After the first few days of use, my skin felt calmer, clearer and all my blemishes were significantly reduced. My skin is now returning to normal, so i'm one very happy and relieved girl!

As much as I love my balm cleansers, my skin felt so congested that I wanted something more refreshing. I dug out my old tube of Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, a cleanser that was much loved by pretty much everyone in the beauty community a few years ago. I used this for years before I got hooked on balm cleansers, and I've now really remembered why. The texture is creamy and feels moisturising on your skin, but leaves your skin feeling so clean and really soothed. It also contains Eucalyptus which is anti bacterial, great for when your skins playing up. 

Although this blog is fairly new, I think I've made it pretty clear that I love a highlighted, dewy looking completion. MAC Soft and Gentle Mineralise Skinfinish is a highlight powder I've used for years, and seems to have a pan that just keeps on giving. It's the most perfect champagne colour that is neither too peach or pink, and while there are no big chunks of glitter, its not too subtle either. I've been reaching for it loads this month as because of its neutral tone it looks amazing paired with any blush shade. 

The lip product that I have been reaching for all month is the Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Canvas.  When I have the time I love to define my lip shape with liner, and due to the thick matte texture and flexible applicator, this product allows you to create that sharp, defined look without having to use a pencil. It really is the perfect slap on and go product for me, as the matte formula also has great staying power. I have the shade Canvas, a rosy nude that naturally accentuates your lips.