Winter Saviours #1 - Hands

 

 

So it's been that time of year lately where the weather is cold, windy and everything is starting to get a little bit dry! I thought I would do a series on products that have been my winter saviours this year - my holy grails and must haves for the cold weather. I am going to start with hand creams - simple and not very exciting but an absolute must have in the cold weather (at least for me anyway.) I cannot comprehend how many different tubes of hand cream I must have gone through these past couple of months but I have definitely enjoyed some more than others. Some I have favoured purely for their lovely scents whilst others are purely for quality or money value.

Anyway, I'm just going to get stuck in and share with you my current favorites.

The first I want to mention, even though it isn't in the picture (threw it away without thinking - silly me) is Soap and Glory's Hand Food and this for me is an all time favourite and the one I go back for every year. It smells amazing, it leaves your skin and nails feeling amazing and it's very good value for money. It contains Shea Butter, Macadamia oil and Marshmallow so as you can imagine the smallest bit goes a long way. I find myself rarely having to top up during the day and it always leaves my skin feeling hydrated and soft. Definitely a winter must have and for £5 you cannot go wrong.

 

 

Next I have the Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion by Lush and even though this doesn't smell too pleasant, which is rare for Lush as they pride themselves of their amazing scents, this makes your hands feel like liquid gold! I find it so hydrating and soothing on the skin. It's also very cooling on irritated or itchy skin as it contains oat milk and chamomile. I have also been told from friends who use it that it is brilliant for people who have eczema or extremely sensitive skin. This is definitely another one that I find to be long lasting and doesn't require a lot of topping up.  It's on the pricer side at £12 but it is definitely worth it if your skin isn't coping too well with the cold weather.

 

Next is the Wild Rose Hand cream by The Bodyshop and this is one of my favourites purely for it's beautiful scent and ridiculously large tube. The quality is good but it's nothing I would say is out of the ordinary for a hand cream. However if you're looking for something a bit more fancy with a nice scent then this is the one for you. The scent I also find is quite long lasting so this is a gooden if you want something more "girlie". It also contains SPF 15 so this will also been good during the summer if you need some hydration during the warmer months.

 

Also just want to give a quick mention to the Strawberry Hand cream by the BodyShop. This is very similar to the Wild Rose hand cream in terms of quality and consistency but I would say the Strawberry one is a bit more buttery. So if you wanted to chose one of them in terms of quality for your skin I would recommend the Strawberry one. Also it smells of Strawberries, what's not to love??

 

 

Last but not least I wanted to give a mention the Garnier Hand Repair Cream. If you're looking for something with good quality that isn't going to break the bank then this is your guy!! It's very hydrating and it definitely restores the comfort to your skin. It contains only natural ingredients so it's also going to be good for people with sensitive skin or eczema. Cheap, Cheerful and for only £1.99 it does the job perfectly.

 

 

The Body Shop's Big and Curvy Mascara

 

Just wanted to do a quick review on the Big and Curvy Mascara by The Body Shop.  This is definitely a product that has taken me by surprise as it was unfortunately shoved to the back of my make up draw for many months. I came across it the other week, still in it's packaging whilst I was rummaging through my draws and I am so so happy I did! This mascara is truly amazing and I cannot believe I didn't try it sooner. It has a very thin wand and small bristles so it allows you to really get in there to create as much length and curl as possible. Whilst the wand itself is small, the product is very thick, so you can really create the whole "false lash" look with this mascara. I've also found that there is zero smudging or flaking with this mascara, which is something you don't often get with high street products. No clumping either - which is also an important factor to look for when shopping for a good mascara. All round, I am very impressed with this and I think I like it even more because it wasn't something I was expecting to be good at all. It's only £9.00 which is an absolute bargain and The Body Shop always have deals and offers going on with their makeup if you wanted to get it cheaper. I highly recommend this if you're looking to try out a new mascara - It's worked out well for me! I normally use the YSL Baby Doll Mascara so it's nice that I have found a cheaper alternative that does the job just as well.

Selfridges Haul

This is definitely a blog post I am excited to be writing as it's one I've been meaning to do for a while! As I am sure I have already made you aware, I visited Selfridges last weekend and bought myself a few treats. It was a very easy shop for me as I already had a list of all of products I wanted to buy and therefore it was pretty much a "get in and get out" job as it was heaving with people. I have been using the products I bought throughout the week and it's safe to say I absolutely love them all! Definitely money worth spending and if I could I would go again tomorrow (but that would leave me poor forever.)

Anyway, I'm just going to get started and share with you all of my beautiful purchases.

 

After months of debating whether or not to indulge in a Jo Malone Cologne I finally bit the bullet and bought one and I am SO happy I did. After 10 minutes of sniffing the same three perfumes I finally decided to go for Pomegranate Noir and I definitely feel this was the right choice for me. It's a very deep, spicy scent and it's definitely one of their more longer-lasting colognes which is something I always look for in a scent. Pomegranate Noir is what I'd describe as a sexy but mysterious scent and I am completely in love with it. I decided to go for the 30ml (which is £40)

 but I will definitely be purchasing this in the larger size next time. The perfect perfume for any evening out.

Next are my two new beautiful lipsticks and these had both been on my wish list for absolute months. The first one, which is the top/lighter swatch on my hand is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in Glastonberry and it is the most gorgeous plummy/berry shade out there! It's a matte formula and it literally lasts for hours. I find it to be one of the only lipsticks that actually stay on after having something to eat or drink. Ofcourse it needs the odd touch up but it's staying power really is amazing. It's on the pricier side at £23 but it really is worth the money if you're after something luxurious.

The bottom swatch on my hand is the beautiful and popular Nars Audacious Lipstick in Ingrid and I can really see why it is so often raved about. The formula is a creamy matte and it literally just glides on your lips. Long lasting, opaque but not drying at all. It's a very dark and intense browny/plum - so this lipstick is only for the brave. So if you're someone who loves luxurious lipsticks and experimenting with dark colours - then this lipstick if for you.  It was £24 so again, another pricey lipstick that is definitely worth the money.

 

All good things come in gold packages and this is no exception for the Charlotte Tilbury - Airbrush Flawless Finishing Powder. I cannot explain how long I had been after a finishing powder that actually sat comfortably on my skin. I've tried so many both drugstore and high end powders and I have never found one I have been truly satisfied with until now. It's a very lightweight powder that manages to give off a satin to matte finish without being heavy or drying on the skin. It is also very long lasting and needs not many touch ups at all. A perfect powder with beautiful packaging. This has already made itself into my every day essentials! Well done Charlotte.

 

Next I got my hands on the Laura Mercier - Hydrating Primer and this was another product that had been on my wish list for ages. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, I have never found a primer that I've actually liked enough to re-purchase and this is always something I have struggled with. I always find that they are either too drying or far too oily for my skin type. This however seems to be working very well with my skin and I will give a full review once I have tried it out for longer. Very hydrating (like it says) and it blends out your foundation like a dream!

 

Last but not least I wanted to give this little guy a mention! It wasn't from Selfridges but I bought it on the same day and didn't want to not include it at all in my post. This is my new KIKO pallet and I must say I am very impressed with the quality of these shadows. I didn't realise KIKO had its own store so I was thrilled when I spotted this on Oxford Circus. The store was absolutely heaving so I only had time to grab a couple of eye shadows but these are all beautiful and so so cheap. The pallet itself cost £2.50 for three spaces and each eyeshadow cost 5.20 so this really was bargainous for the quality you get. Unfortunately I can't remember the names of the shadows I bought and I already threw the boxes away (silly me) but the beautiful champagney highlight is my absolute favourite. I definitely want to try some more of KIKO's products and hope I can get to a store soon!

 

Thanks for reading. Have you tried out any of these products and if so which are your favorites?

 

January Favorites!

Okay, so this is definitely a belated January favourites - but better late than never right?

Beauty wise, there hasn't been too many products I have stuck to day by day, as I got a lot of makeup and skincare over the Christmas period and therefore have been experimenting with different things daily. However, the few products I have chosen to feature are all amazing and have definitely been the products I've found my self reaching for the most over the past few weeks. I'll also mention a few of my favourite non-beauty things at the end of this blog too for anybody interested as there have been SO many series, films and songs I have been obsessing with over the January period.

I always enjoy reading people's monthly favourites as they give me new idea's on what to try out for myself so I hope you enjoy.

 

Talking skincare, there have been 2 products that I have started including in my daily routine and they are amazing for my skin type. The first is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which I was very late to jump on the bandwagon with as I've been seeing this on blog posts for absolutely ages now. However I'm glad I did because for £2.99 (currently the price in Tesco) it works like a dream! It's been compared to the Bioderma Micelle Solution and for over half the price you really can't go wrong. Removes all dirt and makeup easily, makes your face feel so clean and it's so quick and easy to use - love it.

The other product I have been loving is the Triple Performing Facial Emulsion by Benefit and I have been using this everyday before I apply my makeup. It's amazing if you're someone with dry skin as it's super hydrating and lightweight and makes your skin look so healthy and awake. I have been loving using this underneath my foundation as it helps give your skin that flawless look. It also has SPF 15 in so it's going to be a good one to use in the summer as well as the winter!

 

I have been wearing this lipstick almost every day and this is Darkside by MAC. It is the most beautiful plummy/vampy colour for winter and because it's an Amplified formula it gives the most perfect shine too! Not matte or drying at all but very very pigmented. I wanted to find a colour similar to Rebel but slightly darker and more Burgundy rather than Purple and this ended up being the perfect contender.

 

Next for makeup favourites I wanted to mention the YSL - Touche Éclat Foundation which I have done a full review of on my blog so go and check that out!

I wear it every single day and it makes my skin look and feel flawless. It's light to medium coverage and it's very brightening and hydrating on the skin. Well worth the price you pay and perfect for people who like a 'Dewey' finish.

 

Probably a slight cheat for putting this next product in my January favourites as I only bought it a couple of weeks ago but what the hell - I've been using it almost every day since I purchased so it definitely deserved its place here. This is the Revolution Hot Spice Blush Pallet and the colours in it are beautiful. I went for all the orange/deep pink colours and they look so lovely on the cheeks. They're extremely pigmented and easy to blend which surprised me as this pallet was only £6! Bargainous!

Last but not least for beauty I have two brushes from the Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection and I was so so excited about getting my hands on these! It literally took me weeks just to find a Boots store local to me that stocked them so I was thrilled when I finally did. I'm not going to go into too much detail because I am going to do a separate review all about them but they are amazing quality and well worth the hype! I got the 301 flat contour brush and the 100 arched powder brush and I use them both every day when applying my makeup. Definitely like nothing I have used before and good brushes to add to my collection. Well done Sam and Nick!

 

Now for a few of my non-beauty faves! If you know me, you'll know how much I love T.V and film and just how much of it I watch on a regular basis. Whenever I get any free time I will always use it either going to the cinema or just sitting in catching up on the weeks T.V I've missed.

Netflix definitely has to be part of my January favourites I have been non-stop using it since I signed up to it two months ago. I've become hooked on so many new series but there are two that I have dedicated a lot of time to lately and they are;

Orange Is the New Black and American Horror Story! It's sad to say I have finished both complete series of these already and considering I've only had Netflix for two months - that's a lot of watching!

 

A couple of weeks ago I went and saw American Sniper at the cinema and it was absolutely brilliant! It's a film based on modern warefare and therefore I didn't think I would enjoy it as war films are not a bit of me but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and I'm glad I did because Bradley Coopers performance (as always) was memorising! I'm not going to go into any more detail because otherwise I'd be here forever but definitely go and give it a watch!

 

Last but not least for music I'll mention a few albums I've been non-stop listening too lately are;

George Ezra - Wanted on Voyage

Fifty Shades of Grey - The classical Album
Hozier - Hozier Deluxe

 

What have you been loving this January?

                                                                   Thanks for reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our little weekend away

I thought I'd post a few pictures from mine and Jacks long weekend away. Not only was it fabulous just having some time off work but it was also nice to get away and focus on some us time (which doesn't happen all that often as we're both very busy.) A lot of food was eaten, a lot of wine was consumed and lots and lots of shopping took place. I also managed to pay Selfridges a visit which had been on my to do list for a while and bought some beautiful things - but that's for another blog post all together! I didn't take all that many because I really didn't think about it until last minute but there we go.
just a few pictures - Enjoy!

 Found a KIKO store which I didn't realise existed so this excited me a lot!

A standard selfie of me experimenting with my new makeup!