January Favourites | Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle

January has come and gone so quickly, I can't believe we're into the second month of 2016 already! It seems to have been a positive start to 2016 for me personally and I'm excited to see what the rest of the year brings. This year, I'm aiming to share with you my favourites from each month as I love seeing what everyone else has been enjoying using as I think it gives a thorough review on what's really worth purchasing etc. So as you can tell from the title, I shall be sharing with you what I've been loving this month, let's get into it shall we? 
















Fleur De Force Cosmic Bronze Eyeshadow Palette

I was so happy to receive this palette in the Feel Unique beauty advent calendar. I had my eyes on this quad when the line was launched, however I decided against it as I thought I had enough natural eyeshadows. I was wrong, I was totally missing out not having this palette! It has a beautiful range of natural shades, my favourites have been the matte nude for all over the lid, the matte brown for in the crease and the brown shimmer for in the centre of my lid. These are really well pigmented so a little goes a long way, it's small and compact so would be perfect for travelling also!












Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm

This is another one I received in the Feel Unique beauty advent calendar. Once again, I was so happy to receive this as I've heard lots of great reviews on it. I received this at perfect timing, my lips were so dry from the cold winter winds. After just a couple of uses, I noticed a huge difference. My lips were no longer dry and flaky instead they felt and looked healthy. I love the thick texture of this balm, the scent also has a hint of lemon which is nice. I'd really recommend this lip balm despite the £9.50 price tag.












Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer

I picked this up on a whim as I was completely out of concealer and it was the only one in my tiny local Boots that looked worth purchasing.

I vaguely remember seeing good reviews on this concealer, in particular that it was good for hiding dark circles under the eyes due to the 2-in-1 highlight. I love how easy this is to blend under my eyes, I tend to do the triangle then blend with a beauty blender. So quick and simple, makes me look more awake and so affordable. 











Zara Soft City Bag

I first saw this in a haul on YouTube and fell in love! I knew I wanted a new bag but was unsure what I wanted. As soon as I saw this, I had to have it. I couldn't believe it was only £20 from Zara, I think it looks much more expensive! I popped it on my Christmas Wish List and Santa listened. It's been perfect for everyday wear as it's not too big nor small, it's simple so will go with almost everything and is ideal for work and the weekends!








DW Home Calming Waves 3 Wick Candle

It wasn't until a few months ago that I discovered TK Maxx has amazing candles!? Ever since I've been popping in every time I'm in town to check them out. Just before Christmas I came across this one, a huge 3 wick candle that smelt mineral-y(definitely not a word) and spa-like. It seemed like the perfect candle for a relaxing bath or evening in so I didn't leave it behind as it was only £6.99- a total bargain. Ever since I've been burning it non-stop and I'm coming to the end of it which I'm gutted about. I'm going to savour it a little longer and only burn it for an hour or so every now and then! I must keep my eyes peeled for something similar in TK Maxx as I've never seen two of the same candles there at one time.









BNTM



I was so pleased to see Britain's Next Top Model back this year. I used to love this show and have watched almost every series so I was excited to see what the new one had to offer. It's a little different which I like, though it still has some of the original features like Model Mail, Challenges and the typical bitchyness in the house. I'm still yet to choose a favourite as I like the majority of the girls still remaining, though I'm sure their personalities will come out and help me decide. 

Are you watching it this year? I'd love to know what you think and if you've got a favourite!





That's all! I'm sure there has been lots of other things that I've been enjoying this month but these are the things that stood out in particular. I would love to hear what you've been loving this month so feel free to let me know in the comments down below. Also, don't forgot to let me know what you think of BNTM if you've been watching it!




WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LOVING THIS MONTH?




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The Childhood TAG | The 90s, TV, Hobbies and More!

Apparently it's throwback week? Well according to my social media accounts, everyone seems to be changing their profile picture/icons to a picture of them during their childhood. Therefore, I thought what better way to end throwback week than to share with you the Childhood TAG! So today, I shall be throwing it back and chatting to you about my childhood. By all means, feel free to join in by either completing the TAG or leaving any memories down below, I'd love to hear! Now let's get on with the questions... 
Oh also, apologies for the layout of the questions for this post. The picture moved everything about and it won't let me change it for some reason.








1. What year were you born in?

I was born in 1997, so yes I'm a 90s kid but most of my childhood was during the early 00s.




2. When you was a child, what did you want to be?

Oh gosh, this changed so much. First of all I remember really wanting to be a hairdresser. I actually remember sitting my mum on a balcony in Spain, standing on a stool and pretending to cut her hair with my fingers in a scissor motion. The next thing I remember was wanting to be a primary school teacher, then a nail artist and then it reverted back to wanting to be a teacher/work with children and it's stuck that way ever since.




3. Did you have any pets as a child?

Yes! I had a black rabbit called Peter. We had him for a good few years but he had to be put down when I was about 8 as he had a disease contracted from Squirrels. We've never had a pet ever since that, despite all my begging!




4. Did you have an imaginary friend?

Not that I remember. I asked my mum and she said as far as she knows, I didn't. 




5. Did you ever have a special blanket, teddy or other item you couldn't sleep without?

Yes! I had a special blanket. It's actually still on my bed now, though I don't need it to sleep- haha! You know everybody loves the cool side of the pillow/blanket, well this blanket was a certain material which always felt cold so I called it my 'cold blanket'. It actually still comes in handy now when I get too warm throughout the night, haha!




6. Did you like school as a child?

There was always the odd day where I didn't fancy going to school, I'm sure everybody had those days. Apart from that, I loved school! I actually really liked high school aswell! 




7. As a child, was you ever bullied?

Again, not that I can remember. I'm sure every child was picked on now and again as that's just life unfortunately! Though I was never picked on for a long period of time which could've been considered as bullying, thankfully!




8. What TV shows do you remember watching and loving?

So many! During my early childhood I remember loving Teletubbies, Tweenies, Blues Clues and Maggie and the Ferocious Beast. Then I moved on to CBBC and Nickelodeon and loved The Story of Tracy Beaker, Raven, Drake and Josh and many more which I can't remember off the top of my head. I then moved on to the Disney Channel pre-teen/early teen programmes such as That's So Raven, Hannah Montanna and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. 




9. What was your favourite childhood films?

I loved Shrek, Finding Nemo and the majority of Disney Pixar movies really!




10. Was you a sporty kid?

Definitely not, I dreaded sports day and especially the running races. I always remember coming last! I was more into the dance, craft and gardening clubs- haha! I actually remember really loving Welsh Folk Dancing and went to competitions with my school, though that's not particularly sporty or cool!




11. Any childhood memories you would like to mention...

So many to share, though I wouldn't want to bore you! I particularly remember day trips and adventures throughout the summer with family.

For example, a few times every summer, me and my whole family(I'm talking grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins) used to head down to a local beach. I remember being really happy and being so excited for the next time, the day was usually ended with a McFlurry from McDonalds on the way home. 

I also remember family holidays, especially those in the UK. There was just nothing better than a week away, jam packed with day trips to the beach, zoos and family theme parks. I'm actually getting slightly emotional just thinking about it, why aren't I still 7?!





That's all of the questions! I hope you enjoyed reading and this brought back many childhood memories! I'd love to hear your memories of your childhood so let me know if you do the TAG or leave them in the comments below! This TAG has got me thinking about all the TV programmes I used to watch as a child so I'd love to hear what you watched.





WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMMES AS A CHILD?




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12 Days of Beauty | Feel Unique Advent Calendar Review

Today as promised, I'm going to be sharing with you what I received in the Feel Unique Beauty Advent Calendar. The calendar was actually 12 days, however I was impatient as this is the first time I've had a beauty advent calendar so I opened it on the 1st of December then every other day up until the 23rd. I was so excited to see what gifts lay beneath each door as I'd not seen any reviews on this calendar, so I couldn't wait to get it open. I'm going to get straight into what I received and let you know my thoughts as well!

Monu Illuminating Primer SPF 15

I'd not heard of this brand before I received it in this calendar, though I was pretty chuffed to receive a new primer as my Porefessional Deluxe Sample was on its way out. I've used this a good few times and on first impression I loved how this primer felt, silky, creamy and easy to apply onto the skin. I must admit it did create a perfect canvas to apply foundation and I did like the way my foundation looked as a result of using this primer, however I didn't notice a difference in the longevity of my makeup. A nice primer all in all but I won't be purchasing the full size!

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer 

This is a treatment you can use on wet hair before shampooing. I had heard lots of great things about this so was excited to give it a go. It's supposed to add more bounce to your hair and prevent it from snapping. I've only used this a couple of times but so far I've noticed my hair has looked and felt a lot healthier, so soft too! I've been really liking this so far so I may have to repurchase this!

Grown Alchemist Hydra Repair Day Cream

On Day 3 I received this moisturiser from a brand again, I've not heard much about so I was looking forward to try this as it contains natural and organic ingredients. The main ingredients are Camellia and Geranium so this has a botanical scent which I really liked as it felt spa-like and relaxing. It was a really lovely moisturiser, I actually finished the whole tube though I did find I still had dry patches whilst using it so it couldn't have been that hydrating. I did like this, though for the price I wouldn't repurchase.

Roger & Gallet Fleur De Figuier Shower Gel

At first, I wasn't too thrilled to be receiving a shower gel if I'm honest. Though I was pleasantly surprised when I first smelt it, it has a subtle fruity kinda scent so I gave it a whirl that evening. It lathered nicely and left a lovely scent on me which I was pleased with. It's the perfect size for travelling, neither too big nor small so I've saved it for when I next travel. This is around £10 for the full size so for that reason I won't be repurchasing.

Fleur De Force Eye Shadow Palette in Cosmic Bronze 

I was most excited to receive this as I very nearly purchased this palette before I decided I had enough eye shadow. I had heard amazing things about these palettes, they're super pigmented and apparently this is similar to another high end palette. It has a light cream with a little shimmer which is perfect for highlighting, the next is a medium matte brown which I've had the most wear out of as its perfect for a natural everyday look. The other two are a super shimmery mink colour and a dark matte brown. All perfect to create a day to night look, so this would be ideal for travel as its compact and versatile. I love this palette so I will be looking to purchase the pink toned palette!

Phyto Subtil Elixir Hair Oil

Another hair treatment which I was happy about as I'm hoping to take better care of my hair. This is to be used before shampooing for about 10 minutes which can then be rinsed with shampoo as normal. This oil contains egg white which is great for treating hair and adding shine. Again my hair felt soft and healthy once using this and the product didn't have a horrible egg scent which was a bonus. This isn't a product I would rush out to repurchase as there is another I would like to.

Redken Extreme Length Primer

I was really pleased to receive such a large sample of this beneath door 7 as I had heard good things about Redken. The first thing I noticed was the scent, I can't quite work it out however it makes my hair smell amazing and I miss it! Despite having the word primer in its name, this is actually a conditioning treatment that you should leave on for about five minutes- quick, fuss-free so was perfect for when I was having quick showers as I was busy over the Christmas period. I've now run out of this and it made my hair feel soft, silky, healthy and made it smell gorgeous. I have a feeling I'm going to be picking this up again!

This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray

I was slightly annoyed but pleased to receive this. Annoyed because I had already purchased a sample gift set as my mum wanted to try this out so I could've saved myself and gave her this instead. Pleased as I also wanted to give this a go myself. You're supposed to just spritz this calming lavender scented spray over your pillow before sleeping and it's proven to give you a better nights sleep. In all honesty, I did sleep better but I think it's just a placebo affect. I don't have trouble sleeping so I won't repurchase this but my mum may!

Gatineau Collagene Expert Ultimate Smoothing Serum

This was a brand I had never come across so I was intrigued to give it a go. I've now used this sample up and it felt lovely on the skin. In terms of hydration, I still found I had dry patches so I wasn't overly impressed with this serum. I did use it up to fully test it out but I won't be buying this again.

POPBAND London Hair Band

Another one I wasn't overly pleased to receive. Hair bands aren't that interesting are they? This one is supposed to leave no kinks and be kind to your hair by preventing any breakage. I actually received a couple of these in a beauty box and I've used them a lot. I don't know about it not leaving any kinks in my hair but it's definitely kinder and doesn't pull resulting in a headache which is great.

Salcura Winter Skin Hand Therapy

As I made my way to the end of the calendar, the products seemed to get bigger. I believe this is a full-size product at 80ml which is worth £12.99! Hand creams are not something I buy for myself, I don't love the Soap and Glory Hand Food so I was pleased to receive this to try. The scent is very spa-like so it feels like a real treat when applying, I pop this on before bed and my hands are left looking less dry and feeling super soft. It'll take me ages to use this up so I'm not sure whether I'll be buying this again in the future.

Nuxe Rêve De Miel Lip Balm

I was so happy to receive this, lots of beauty bloggers love this! This is an amazing hydrating lip balm with honey and precious oils to nourish dry and damaged lips, so this is ideal for the winter. My lips get so dry which is not cute when I want to wear lipstick so I pop this on morning and night to ensure my lips are prepped for lipstick. I've been loving this so far and I think it will last me a while so at £8 this is a good deal!

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I received in this calendar and what I thought of each of the products. Hopefully this will give you an insight to what's worth giving a go if you're unsure whether to splurge on some of these products. Overall, I'm really happy with what I received. Most products were something I'd never give a second look when browsing online for new beauty products so I think the idea of this calendar is great. I'll definitely be looking into purchasing another next December, but for now that is a long while away!




I hope you're having a lovely week so far, apologies this post is a little late than I would've liked it to be. 




Let me know whether you've tried any of these products and what you thought of them!




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