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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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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The Pinky Nude Lip | My Favourite Lip Combo!

Recently I noticed that compared to any other category in my makeup collection, I have a lot more lip products! On a day-to-day basis, I only really wear the same few so I decided I won't buy any more lip products until after Christmas. Who knows? It might save me a few pounds before Christmas, thus being able to spend more on gifts! It's been about a month, though I may have caved a little bit and bought the Glamour magazine- just for the free lipstick! When thinking about this, the idea came to me to do a post on one of my favourite lip combos- so that's what I shall be sharing with you today.

I love a pinky/nude lip on an everyday basis as I think they're so easy to pair with any makeup look and they wear away nicely without leaving that horrible ring stain. Now, I always go into Poundland for a browse as sometimes they have some great beauty products- whilst looking I saw this Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in Rose Quartz. These lip liners retail at around £3 so I saved myself a couple of quid there, however I can't seem to find Rose Quartz online at Boots so I think they may have had a revamp and renamed it Indian Pink which looks a pretty similar colour, so bare that in mind if you're looking for it!

As you can see below this is a nudey pink colour with the slightest shimmer, however I can barely notice the shimmer unless it's in the light. I apologise, that was an awful description so hopefully it swatched gives you a better idea! I tend to use this by outlining my lips first and then put it all over the inside of my lips, this will act as a base for the lip gloss later. As I mentioned earlier, this lip liner fades evenly so you're left with a stain all over. However, this may need to be re-applied throughout the day depending on whether you're eating or drinking.

Left/Top- Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in Rose Quartz
Right/Bottom- Fleur De Force Lip Gloss in Written In The Stars

To finish off the look I will go in with the Fleur De Force Lip Gloss in Written In The Stars. I was super excited for these to be released as they looked and sounded amazing when Fleur was showing them in her video. I had my eye on the berry toned one, ready for Autumn/Winter but I already have enough berry colours in my collection so instead I went for this instead. This is Written In The Stars, again is a pinky nude colour, very similar to the lip liner- just a tad lighter. On first swatch, I was really impressed by how incredibly pigmented these glosses are, they're not too sticky so are comfortable on the lips and they smell gorgeous! If scented lip products are your thing then you'd love these- vanillary goodness!

Usually i'd quickly pop on lip gloss without a mirror, however I find these are so pigmented that I could end up looking like Coco the Clown- so I make sure I've got a mirror handy when applying these. I love the high shine finish these lip glosses give and this combo makes me feel like I've got my sh*t together when really, I probably haven't...

How long does this combo last? I couldn't say exactly, I do find I have to reapply after eating/drinking for the full effect. If I just left it though, as I've mentioned a good few times before in this post- these fade evenly so I don't have to worry too much! I'm yet to find a lipstick/lip combo that lasts all day without the need to re-apply so if you've got any recommendations, please leave them below!

This is my go-to lip look for an everyday basis, though if i'm feeling I want to be extra Autumnal, I will apply a berry colour. This one is just a lot easier to maintain!

SHOP THE LOOK

Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in Rose Quartz, here- £3.24

Rimmel 1000 Kisses Lip Liner in Indian Pink(similar), here- £2.99 

Fleur De Force Lip Gloss in Written In The Stars, here- £6.99

Apologies for not posting on Sunday, I was pretty busy so didn't have time or ideas on what to post. I'd be grateful if you left me with any suggestions to take me up to December. Also, let me know whether you've tried any of Fleur De Forces makeup line and what you think of it!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LIP COMBO?

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September Favourites | Beauty, Fashion and Lifestyle

When it comes to favourites post, almost everyone seems to highlight the fact that the month has gone by so quickly, for me September has dragged! I used to dislike September as it meant back to school or college, but this September was different- I wasn't going back to education so it marked new beginnings which was exciting! I've not been trying much in terms of beauty this month so I thought i'd share some of the fashion and lifestyle bits I've been loving too! 

First, I shall get the beauty bits out the way. I got my hands on one of Fleur De Force's lip glosses, this is in the shade Written in the Stars which was described as a 'your lips but better' kinda shade. This is definitely how i'd describe it, unlike most drugstore lip glosses this is highly pigmented which is perfect to effortlessly pop on when you're in a rush to get out the door. These are exclusive to Feel Unique at the moment and are £6.99 which is pretty reasonable!

My skincare favourite this month has been Lush Mask of Magnaminty which is a face and body mask. I haven't used this as a body mask yet but I've been really enjoying using it on my face once week, usually on a Sunday to pamper my skin at the end of the week. I recently reviewed this so you can see my full thoughts here.

You may have seen this jumper in my latest haul, I mentioned that I believe they're supposed to be slightly cropped so I got mine in a larger size so that I could wear it to work also. This has been so ideal for those days where I can't be bothered as I can throw this on with a pair of cigarette trousers or over a smock/skater dress and i'm good to go. Also this was only £7.99 so I picked it up in the mustard colour too, i'm tempted to go back for the khaki colour!

I thought i'd mention a food favourite this month, it's Kaspas an ice cream and dessert where I live. I believe Creams in England is similar though! This is a bit of a cheat as I've only been once but I've wanted to go back ever since! I had a waffle with fresh strawberrys and chocolate drizzled over and whipped cream on the side, I dread to think how many calories that were in it, but it was goood!

Finally I thought i'd also mention a lifestyle favourite. This month I started a new job with an agency doing supply work as a Teaching Assistant. It's been so nice to get back out there doing what I love, gaining experience to either go to university next year or find a full-time job. Of course it's also been lovely to be earning, especially when Christmas is on it's way- just under three months people!

And there you have it, a run down of what I've been loving this month!

I'd also like to apologise as I've been lacking inspiration on the blogging front recently, seeing that it's now autumn and lots of festivities are ahead, i'm hoping to get my mojo back! I would really appreciate any post suggestions in the comments below. Let me know what you'd like to see from me!

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN LOVING THIS MONTH?

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