My 15 Beauty Favourites of 2015

Whenever I do this post, I always miscount and forget a product and of course this year was no exception. It was only when I started typing this, that I realised I only had 14 products and had forgotten to photograph my beloved Colab dry shampoo…..fml

Yesterday I shared my Makeup Favourites for the year and today its the turn of my beauty favourites, because there is no way I could edit it down to 15 out of both categories.

1. Unite 7 Seconds Shampoo and Conditioner

I think I only tried this shampoo and conditioner for the first time in November but I instantly loved this combo. First of all it smells divine and the smell lingers in your hair, but more importantly it seems to give my hair that elusive Kate Middleton bounce. 

2. RapidLash

I have used RapidLash before so I knew it worked, but I got lazy and didn't repurchase. Earlier this year I kept getting serious eyelash envy from my friend Chloe. She had kept using RapidLash and her eyelashes were ridiculously long (bitch) so in September I purchased a new tube and started again.

I apply RapidLash once a day at night before I go to bed and after 6 weeks you start to notice a massive difference in the length of your lashes. My lashes now touch my eyebrows and I've had so many people asking me if I'm wearing eyelash extensions. I am vowing to keep using this now.

If you are thinking of buying RapidLash make sure you buy it from Amazon, it's less than £20.00, whereas in Boots it's sold for about £40.00!)

Before RapiLash

 After using RapidLash for 4 months

3. Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster for body

I don't fake tan, mainly because I am too lazy but also because I have had one too many fake tanning disasters. When we were discussing potential nominations for the beauty awards at work, my colleague Bridget recommended these. Bridget is one of those people that you can't help but bask in their beauty so of course I had to try them.

Rather than having to apply a separate fake tan, all you do is mix a few drops of this in with your normal body moisturiser. There's no fake tan smell, no streaks and no extra steps to your routine and I love the subtle colour this gives my skin. If you are a die hard tan fan this probably won't be enough for you, but if you just want to add a bit of colour to your corned beef arms, meet your new best friend. I have almost finished my second bottle and will definitely be repurchasing. 

4. Bobbi Brown Beach Perfume

If you want to know what I smelt like all year, this is it. From January to December I literally smelt like a summer holiday and I loved it.

5. Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge

I love this little orange sponge so much that I have somehow accumulated 4 of them! I much prefer this to the Beautyblender because of the flat side, in fact the flat side is the only side I use. I use this sponge to blend in my concealer and go over my foundation to get rid of any streaks of patchiness. 

6. Bumble and Bumble Don't Blow It Air Styler

I am notoriously lazy when it comes to my hair. I wash it at night, sleep on it wet and in the morning its dry. As I rarely heat style my hair I don't use that many hair products, but if ever a hair product was tailor made for me, this is it. 

This is designed to give air dried hair, texture and body without feeling like there is anything in it, and that's exactly what it does. After brushing my hair and applying Moroccanoil, I rub a blob of this throughout my whole hair and it just gives me exactly what I want, a natural 'wave'. 

7. Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Jelly

I think I have gone through three pots of this moisturiser this year, so that has to be a good sign. I actually use this as a pre-moisturiser before my serum and main moisturiser. I just find it keeps my skin hydrated, I rarely suffer from dry patches and touch wood, so far my forehead is staying pretty line free. 

8. Eylure Fleur Loves Lashes

If you asked me to pick a favourite YouTuber/Beauty Blogger I would always say Fleur. I actually reviewed her entire Eylure collection on Cosmopolitan and can safely say, this is not a case of someone just slapping their name on a product. From the designs, to the packaging, everything about these lashes  is original. The Fleur Loves (closely followed by the individuals) are by far my favourite. I just love how three quarter lashes really give you that feline look and there really is nothing similar that's available in Boots or Superdrug.

 I always know if a product is good if I can convince my 'real life' friends to use it and I have now got my friend Chloe swearing by these too.

9. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo +

I don't think I will ever not have this in my skincare regime. I swear that this saved my skin from some seriously spotty outbreaks and even though I don't need to use it religiously everyday, I always use it at least 3 times a week to keep those suckers at bay for good.

10. Zoeva Makeup Brushes

2015 was the year I tried Zoeva makeup brushes for the first time and they have easily become my favourite makeup brushes. My beloved Real Techniques Buffing Brush has now been replaced with the Zoeva Silk Finish Face Brush and the Petit Crease Brush was a revelation. The best brush sets in terms of quality and value. Plus who can say no to those copper handles.

11. Moroccanoil

Ahh Moroccanoil, the only product that has stayed in my yearly favourites since 2013. I have tried other oils and I know this has silicone in it, but I don't care because it really is the only oil that smooths the ends of my hair without leaving them feeling or looking greasy.

12. The Wet Brush

I never thought I'd see the day where I turned my back on my Tangle Teezer but I have, and it's so nice to use a hairbrush that doesn't fly out your hands every time you brush your hair. The Wet Brush just brushes my hair so much better than the Tangle Teezer. It gets to all that knots at the back of my head, whereas the Tangle Teezer only ever really brushed the surface. 

13. OPI Strength in Colour Tinted Nail Envy in 'Hawaiian Orchid'

2015 was the year that I officially fell out of love with nail polish. I used to love painting my nails bright colours and would paint my nails 4 times a week just for the pure joy of it. Now I hate bright colours on my nails and I'm sitting here with chipped nails that are in desperate need of painting. All those neutral colours that I used to think were so boring are now my new BFF's and this colour in particular by OPI has been a favourite. I just find the colour flattering on my skin tone and I love that its an opaque neutral, because there is nothing worse than streaky nail polish.

14. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

I genuinely don't understand why people still fork out for Bioderma when this micellar water costs about £4.00 and lasts forever. I also don't understand people who still use makeup wipes, but there you go!

15. Colab Dry Shampoo

Luckily I rave about this dry shampoo enough that I knew I would have a photo somewhere in my iPhoto. This is the dry shampoo that stopped me hating dry shampoo. It genuinely is sheer and invisible, and sometimes I even think my hair looks better with this in it. The only problem is that I end up using half a can every time. Oh and make sure you get the Sheer and Invisible version, because the Extreme Volume version is NOT THE ONE.

13 Beauty Favourites of 2013

14 Beauty Favourites of 2014

The Beauty Graveyard

Time for a round up of all the products I have used up lately. If you haven't read one of my Beauty Graveyard posts before *'s indicate how many times a product has featured in previous Beauty Graveyard posts.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Foam Wash Shampoo **

I am a massive fan of the Bumble & Bumble Surf shampoo and conditioner. They leave my hair feeling squeaky clean and bouncy, plus help me achieve the tousled effect I love.

Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray **

This stuff is sickeningly expensive but it works so good I cant be without it! This gives me that tousled bed hair I love without any stickiness. In fact when I use this it doesn't even feel like I have anything in my hair at all. Plus it smells amazing and I always get compliments on my perfume when I use this!

Living Proof Full Discovery Kit

I have used up everything in this kit except the thickening cream. I did a full review on the kit here and I would highly recommend trying it, as its really good value for money. One thing I would add to my original review though, I didn't really rate the shampoo and conditioner but when used in conjunction with the thickening cream and root lifting spray, I really did notice a major difference in the volume of my hair!

Garnier Body Repair Anti-Dryness Restoring Lotion *****

One of my favourite body moisturisers. 

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion*

I really don't like the smell of this moisturiser, I think it must be the oat in it. Its not a bad moisturiser but the bottle is too small I use it up in no time at all. I probably wouldn't buy this again.

Clarins Body Shaping Supplement

I nicked this off my Mum as she wasn't using it. First of all I don't believe that any cream or lotion will shape your body in any way shape or form but as this is an oil you mix in with your normal body lotion, I thought it might be nice to use when your skin is drier in the Winter months. 

I don't have anything good to say about this, of course I noticed no "body shaping" results and it wasn't even particularly hydrating. Don't waste your money!

The Body Shop Deep Sleep Dreamy Pillow and Body Mist

I definitely think these kind of products are used as a placebo but it was quite enjoyable spraying this on my pillow before bed and smelling the calming scent. I am a bit of a sucker at times, so I probably will purchase something similar to this again one day.

Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks

I did a full review on these masks in this post but I have to say I wont be repurchasing. In this pack you get 4 masks for £20.00 and I would just rather buy a tube of hydraluron for the money.

Yes to Cucumber Soothing Daily Calming Moisturiser *

You know I love the Yes to range because of their natural ingredients. I have tried all their moisturisers now, Cucumber, Carrot and Tomato. They feel nice and light on my skin, which is good for me as I cant stand heavy moisturisers on my face.

Neal's Yard Rehydrating Rose Toner

I really liked using this toner after cleansing as it left my skin feeling refreshed and hydrated. It didn't feel at all stripping or drying, just very gentle. I would definitely buy this again.

Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel **

I forgot how much I loved this cleanser. For one reason or another, when I used up my last tube I didn't repurchase it. Then the other month I remembered how much I loved it and since then I have bought 2 tubes! I use this with a muslin cloth, it takes my makeup off so easily and feels really luxurious on the skin.

L'oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder Foundation

I really loved this foundation. It gave a light to medium coverage and felt really light on my skin. I would definitely buy another bottle of this. More in depth review here

L'oreal Miss Manga Mascara

This mascara really grew on me the more I used it. I felt like it really lengthened my lashes and gave volume but wasn't at all clumpy. I have done a full review here and again I would definitely repurchase this.

Rimmel Stay Matte Long Lasting Pressed Powder

Crappy packaging aside, this is a really good setting powder. It kept my oil at bay for the whole day which is important for me, as apart from lipstick I don't tend to touch up my makeup during the day. You do need to be careful with this though, as if you apply too much it can look a little cakey.

Givenchy Hydra Sparkling Magic Lip and Cheek Balm *

My all time favourite lip balm. This was in a limited edition peachy shade which they released a few years ago. I wish they would release more of these in different shades. 

This is a staple for me and I will forever be repurchasing it.

Illamasqua Brow and Lash Gel **

Another staple, the best brow gel I have found. Not only does this groom your brows and keep them looking natural. It also has amazing hold, I like to brush my brows upwards and this keeps them in place all day.

Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask

I love a good face mask, so was very excited to see these new Hydraluron masks in Boots. 

In this pack you get 4 sheet masks for £19.99 not cheap by any means, but they have some big promises.

From the back of the pack:

"Hydraluron moisture boosting sheet masks contain next generation 3D hyaluronic acid. Hydrate your skin from beneath the surface for 24 hours of long lasting moisture retention. With each use skin feels softer, smoother, plumped and glowing"

The masks come in individual, sealed packets. The mask inside is very wet and does feel nice and refreshing on your skin. These are sheet masks, so you need to unfold them and fit over your face. It would be impossible for these to fit everyone's face perfectly, so you may have to do some fiddling around. Once your mask is comfortably in place (i.e you have a hole to breathe through!) smooth it down onto your skin and leave it on for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes remove the mask, these aren't re-usable so you will have to throw them away after use. Any remaining serum can then be massaged into your skin, follow up with your usual moisturiser of choice.

I have now used 2 of these masks and I have to admit that after the first time I wasn't overly impressed. I cant say I noticed any real difference in the appearance or texture of my skin. 

I used another mask a week later and this time there was a noticeable difference. My skin felt very smooth and soft and when I looked in the mirror I felt my skin looked healthier, more plump and glowing. You could also still tell a difference the next day.

Overall I do like these masks but they are pricey at £20.00 for a pack of 4. Its nice to splurge on these kind of beauty products once in a while but I don't know if I could justify buying these on a regular basis. For £5.00 more I would rather buy a tube of Hydraluron, which I will get a good few months use out of and therefore get more skin care benefits from.   

The Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks are available from Boots £19.99 for 4

Hydraluron Serum is available from Boots for £24.99

New In Boots

I was browsing in Boots yesterday (surprise, surprise) and was excited to see some new launches coming out for the New Year. I haven't had a chance to try these yet but I'll make sure to write full reviews once I have.

Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask

The beauty world went crazy over Hydraluron last year so I have no doubt that these masks will be very popular. In this pack you get 4 sheet masks for £19.99 which is pricey so they better be good! These masks promise to hydrate your skin from beneath the surface for 24 hours of long lasting moisture retention. I am excited to try and report back!

L'oreal Mega Volume Miss Manga

The new mascara from L'oreal intrigued me, as the whole Japansese Manga marketing is really not something I would expect from a more traditional brand like L'oreal. I say that in a good way though, its nice to see a brand branching out and trying something new and unexpected.

This mascara promises to give you big, open eyes like the characters in Japanese cartoons. Sadly I don't think we will all be turning into Disney princesses, with eyes the size of half our face but L'oreal do make good mascaras, so I'm expecting good things. One thing I did notice is that the wand is extremely bendy, I'll wait and see if that's a good thing or not! I got mine in black but they have also released this mascara in turquoise and purple. 

Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

Maybelline's Baby Skin range has been extremely popular and it looks like their Pore Eraser primer is no exception to the trend. I managed to grab the last one in Boots before they were all sold out.

This is a makeup primer which promises to reduce the appearance of your pores for smooth, poreless looking skin. Now, I did try this last night and I wasn't that keen on the texture of this primer. It feels very silicone-y (technical term) and I don't like the feel of it all over my face. Personally I would only apply this in certain areas, where I wanted to smooth my skin. 

This primer is clear so you don't need to worry about finding a colour to suit your skin tone and once applied, this left my skin with a matte appearance. I need to try this a bit more but based on my first impressions I think its a good primer, maybe just not for me.