September, October and November Favourites

You know you've been a crap blogger when you have to combine three months of favourites into one post. I would just forgot about September and October, but they include some of my absolute faves *cough Charlotte Tilbury Walk of Shame lipstick cough*

November

Fleur de Force Cosmetic Bag £8.99

Typically, I don't use a makeup bag because I have so much of the stuff, I just keep it in drawers. But when I was on holiday I really enjoyed having less of a selection and just doing my makeup out of a makeup bag (if that makes any sense). 

Since coming back from holiday I have just carried on with this method and I love this bag so much because you can fit so much in it. Honestly its one of those Mary Poppins type bags, plus you can fit all your brushes in there without cramming them in. 

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Palette £40.00

When it was announced that Gwen was releasing an eyeshadow palette with Urban Decay, I immediately thought it was going to be full of really bright, unwearable colours. So when I saw this palette for the first time, I actually squealed with joy. 

This is a warm toned, neutral lovers DREAM. I would go as far to say its better than any of the Naked palettes, because it has great all over the lid shades. You know, those one colour wonders that you just blend over your eyelid and they're good to go. I am in love, and my current favourites are 'Steady' and 'Zone'. 

I will say there is quite a bit of fall out when you use these shadows, but just tap your brush and you will be fine.

MAC All That Glitters Eyeshadow £13.00

As you can tell, this is one heavily loved eyeshadow. Easily my favourite ever MAC shadow, I have been wearing this religiously with 'Zone' from the Gwen palette in my crease.

Clarins Instant Concealer £18.28 (on offer)

I've had this for ages but for some reason, I just didn't want to use it. I'm glad I finally did because this is a beautiful concealer. It works equally well under the eyes and on redness and blemishes. Its not too thick, so doesn't crease or cake and its the best thing to have in your makeup bag when you are going straight out after work and have rubbed all your foundation off your nose (story of my life).

Burberry Lip Cover in English Rose £23.00

An oldie, but a goodie. This is actually my second tube of this lipstick, which says a lot for a lipstick addict like me. My kind of nude, I forgot just how much I loved this.

Unite 7 Seconds Range prices start at £16.90

I am obsessed with this haircare range for a multitude of reasons, but first let me address the smell. This stuff smells absolutely divine and it stays in your hair, to the point where I find myself sniffing my hair throughout the day. 

I also noticed I started to get more compliments on my hair and I wasn't do anything differently, apart from using this. It just seems to make my hair more bouncy and shiny. 

I have already finished the shampoo (sob sob) so I need to restock asap.

October

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Walk of Shame £23.00

I wore this lipstick for my entire holiday, which was almost three weeks. I cannot put into words my love for this lipstick, I just can't. Honestly typing this up now, all I want to do is put it on my lips. Without a doubt my lipstick of the year. Charlotte I love you.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder £3.99

Last year I used up a lot of pricey powders, and you know what, they ain't got nothing on this £3.99 Rimmel job. This is just the best pressed powder there is (apart from the Charlotte Tilbury one, but you know that is literally £30.00 more expensive).

Wet Brush (Midi Size) £8.50

I have been loyal to my Tangle Teezer for years, but I was kinda getting sick of it flying out of my hand and across my bedroom. I found this in the beauty cupboard at work and decided to give it a go, and I'm so glad I did. 

First of all, it's so nice to use a hairbrush with an actual handle for a change. This also gets through my hair a lot better than a Tangle Teezer and makes it look a lot sleeker. 

I honestly haven't touched my Tangle Teezer since.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation (Warm Sand) £31.50

I only have the tiniest amount of this foundation left, and I'm going to be gutted when its all gone. It might be weird to say, but I love the colour of this foundation. We all know I love my warm tones and this has a very flattering yellow undertone, which really warms my complexion. This is very light, provides a medium coverage and delivers on its promise of looking like skin. 

RapidLash £18.28

This stuff genuinely works. I have been using it for a little over 3 months and my eyelashes have grown so much they now touch my eyebrows. Who knew that would make me so happy. 

Make sure you buy this from Amazon, unless you wanna pay £40.00 in Boots!

Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer £25.00

My fellow bronzer addicts, you need to try this. The perfect warm toned bronzer, but be warned, a little goes a long way. I also ended up wearing this all month long as an eyeshadow.

Lancome Grandiose Mascara £20.83 on offer

The first time I used this mascara I thought it was shit, but I'm so glad I persevered because its actually amazing. This gives my lashes so much length and volume, plus it doesn't smudge or flake all day, which for me is a miracle. I would 100% repurchase this.

Sachajuan Ocean Mist Volume Shampoo and Conditioner £19.00

Excuse the dodgy picture, I actually finished these on holiday but took a picture so I could include them in my favourites post. I don't know whether it was the ridiculously soft water, or this shampoo and conditioner but my hair was #onfleek all holiday. Honestly, loads of volume and bounce, without me even using a hair dryer. I definitely need to try these in the UK to see if they work as well with our ridiculously hard water. 

September

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm £32.30 on offer

I rely on balm cleansers to take off all my makeup in one go, mascara, lipstick, foundation the lot. This is a really luxurious cleanser, which transforms to an oil once you massage it into your skin. It removes all my makeup effortlessly and really is a joy to use. 

Shout out to the cloth that comes with it, much nicer than my bog standard flannel!

OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Shampoo and Conditioner £6.99

I am an absolute sucker for any beauty product containing coconut, I think my goal in life is to smell like a tropical holiday. 

Not only do these smell amazing, but they also leave my hair feeling really clean. You know that kind of squeaky clean feeling, that anyone who suffers from greasy hair craves. 

Smashbox Brow Tech Gloss Stick in Brunette £16.50

I know a glossy brow sounds weird, but I actually really liked this pencil. I didn't find it overly glossy and I really liked how creamy the pencil was, as it meant I could fill my brows in really quickly. This does seem to be a bit of a love hate product though, as I gave one to my friend and she hated it :(

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Walk of Shame £23.00

I did warn you I was obsessed with this lipstick.

Make Up Geek Foiled Eyeshadow in Grandstand $9.99

Not going to lie, I 100% bought this because Jaclyn Hill uses it. You can actually buy Make Up Geek from Beauty Bay now in the UK, but it looks like everything is sold out! I ordered from the Make Up Geek website and had no problems shipping to the UK.

These foiled shadows are INTENSE, but beautiful. If you like your shimmer, you are gonna love these.  I wear these alone, all over the lid, you don't need nothing else.

Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting Blush in Baby Love £25.00

The most adorable makeup packaging I have ever seen and my favourite kind of natural, browny pink blush colour. Its a no brainer.

And this is how organised I almost was in September…..this is all my September makeup faves on ma' face!

I will be a better beauty blogger I promise!

My Favourite Sea Salt Sprays

There is something you should know about me, I am a bit obsessed with looking like I just walked off a beach, if you can walk off a beach in all black ;)

For me, Jennifer Aniston is the epitome of #beautygoals the sun kissed hair, the golden tan and those, I put no effort in but really I've spent 2 hours in a salon waves. 

In my desperate attempt to become the Suburban Jen, I have become obsessed with sea salt sprays. I am too lazy to do anything to my hair and if I dry it with a hair dryer I look like the girl from the grudge. So instead I always wash it at night, sea salt spray it when its wet and go to bed. That is pretty much my hair routine, but its the only way my naturally straight hair can get any type of natural wave.

I have tried a fair few sea salt sprays so I thought I would save you the trouble and let you know what ones work best.

John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray

You know how certain smells take you back? One whiff of this and I'm 14 again on my family holiday, lying on the beach, listening to the Backstreet Boys and praying for a boyfriend (not much has changed!) Seriously, this stuff just smells like holiday in a bottle.

This sea salt spray was a bit of a game changer for me. Prior to rediscovering this, I would happily shell out on more expensive sprays, but now I know how good this is I don't know if I would. 

This gives me soft, noticeable waves, without any crispiness. You can't feel it in your hair but you definitely notice the results. Proof that you don't always get what you pay for. 

Based on the affordable price and amazing results, this is by far my pick of the bunch.

£4.00 Boots

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

I do love a cult beauty item and this one definitely deserves its place in the beauty hall of fame. Out of all the sea salt sprays, this gives me the best and biggest waves. If I spray this in my hair at night when its wet, I will wake up in the morning with actual curls, which is a miracle for me. The only downside is that this can get a little bit crispy and you can definitely feel it in your hair, but I'm prepared to put up with that.

£21.50 Boots

Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion

When I first heard about this I was so excited and immediately made a Boots trip. Sadly my excitement didn't last long and for my hair type this is the worst of the bunch. Like I said, I love the original B&B Surf but sometimes it can get a little bit crispy, so I hoped this would give me the same amazing waves but with some much needed softness, both in look and feel. 

Sadly this didn't give my hair my hair any kind of wave. The oil in it really weighed my hair down and it looked pretty lank and greasy. To be fair, this is recommended for dry, coarse hair types, which my hair isn't but I was still left feeling pretty gutted. 

£21.50 Boots

Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray

At £34.00 this is a very decadent sea salt spray. I love the smell of this stuff, all Oribe products have the same amazing scent and every time I spray this someone will ask me what perfume I'm wearing. I really like that this comes in an aerosol, as the mist is very fine and you get a good, even distribution.

This gives my hair a natural wave, without any stickiness or crispiness. 

I do really like this, but since discovering the John Frieda, I don't think I could justify repurchasing this, even if it does smell like heaven. 

£34.00 Space NK

Sachajuan Ocean Mist

The whole aesthetic of this bottle really pleases me, especially the colour. I can just stare at it and visualise a summer holiday far away. Now apparently Jennifer Aniston actually uses this, so of course I had to try it ;)

The first time I used this I wasn't impressed. I think I sprayed too much and it left my hair without much wave and looking a bit lank. I tried it again, this time using a lot less product and I was left with subtle, beachy waves. This did the job that the Bumble and Bumble Surf Infusion didn't, soft waves, with zero crisp.

£18.00 Beauty Bay

March Favourites

There is a bit of everything in my favourites this month, makeup, hair, perfume and body care. When picking out my favourites, I'm pretty strict. There are a lot of things I have been consistently using throughout the month, but I have to really love them to include them here.

Diorskin Nude BB Creme

My favourite of all my favourites, I LOVE this BB cream. 

I finally finished my MAC Studio Fix foundation and I can't tell you how nice it has been to switch to this. This actually gives pretty decent coverage, but doesn't feel like you are wearing anything. The finish is very natural and although it provides coverage, your skin still shows through. The other reason I love this BB Cream, is because I can apply it with my fingers. 

Boots £30.00

MooGoo Fresh Cream Deodorant 

When my Mum was going through chemotherapy last year, MooGoo was a natural skincare brand that was recommended to her. She swears by the brand and I also love their moisturiser for blemish prone skin. I have wanted to switch to natural deodorants for a while, my Mum has made the change and she recommended this one to me. 

I was worried a natural deodorant wouldn't be enough and lets be honest, no one wants to smell at their desk! I started using this on weekends first to test it, before using it in the week. I would say this performs well, maybe not something I would want to be wearing on the tube in the Summer months but we will see!

MooGoo £5.90

Living Proof Satin Hair Serum 

Since having some highlights put in my hair, I noticed the ends were slightly dryer. I don't like to put a lot of product in my hair, but my Moroccanoil on its own, just wasn't cutting it. I love Living Proof products in general, so was intrigued to try their Satin hair Serum and as expected, I love it. 

I just put 1 to 2 pumps of this through the ends of my hair when its wet, and it leaves my ends looking and feeling more sleek. 

Space NK £25.00

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in Golden Pink

I've actually just finished this eyeshadow after wearing it for the whole month of March. This is so easy to apply, literally takes seconds and the colour is super flattering. Think MAC All That Glitters but in cream form.

Bobbi Brown £20.00

Elie Saab Resort Collection Eau de Toilette

I pretty much religiously stick to one perfume which is Bobbi Brown's Almost Bare, but I am prepared to make an exception for this. I am a sucker for fresh, summer scents and this perfume from Elie Saab smells like a holiday in a bottle. With sweet fig, mandarin, cedar and amber, I can already tell this will be my scent of choice for the summer. Plus the bottle is beautiful! 

John Lewis £47.00

January Favourites

There is only one item of makeup in my favourites this month, which for me has to be some sort of record! 

As I mentioned in my last post, I am in the process of trying to use up and finish a lot of my makeup, so I'm currently using a lot of my not so favourite products. 

I do still have some noteworthy items worth sharing though and its made me take notice of all the other beauty products I have been loving which I don't usually acknowledge, because I'm so focused on makeup, makeup, makeup! 

Lush Dark Angels Cleanser

This was a recommendation from my friend Chloe. I'm not a massive fan of Lush, probably because I don't have a bath in my house, but when it comes to beauty recommendations I trust her!

This is an exfoliating cleanser which contains powdered charcoal, rhassoul mud (no clue!) avocado and rosewood oil. This is quite an abrasive exfoliator, so its definitely not one you would want to use on a daily basis but I love using it in the shower after cleansing. It looks like mud both in the pot and when you apply it to your face but don't let that put you off! I love that it leaves my skin feeling really clean without that horrible stripped feeling. Its good for those days where you have worn a lot of makeup or are just feeling particularly grubby!

Available from Lush £6.75

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 'Boy'

Can you believe that out of my 106 lipsticks, I only own one Chanel lipstick? Don't worry though, I wont be giving myself a pat on the back for that 'achievement' anytime soon! As I try and whittle down my lipsticks, I have been going through my collection, picking out my most used ones and trying to finish them first. Chanel Boy was one of my favourites back in the day but I had forgotten about it along the way and its sat in my makeup drawer unloved for too long. 

The Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks are very sheer and just give a hint of colour. They feel really moisturising and have a glossy finish but this does mean that they don't last very long and you do have to reapply several times throughout the day. 

I am so happy I dug this out of my makeup drawer!

Available from Debenhams £25.00

Living Proof Prime Style Extender Spray

I am a big, big fan of the Living Proof haircare range. I originally discovered it a couple of years ago in America and was most definitely lured in by the advertisements with Jennifer Aniston. When it comes to hair care I am extremely low maintenance, I don't even own a hairdryer and I love anything that makes life easier. 

I loved Living Proof's original Prime Style Extender so was intrigued to see if the spray bottle made any difference. This is designed to help your hair hold its style and stay cleaner for longer. 

I actually think I prefer the original tube packaging to the spray. I felt I noticed more of a difference with my 'style' lasting longer and I felt like I had more control over where I applied it. I still enjoyed this but out of the two I do prefer the original.

Available from Space NK £18.00

Topshop Nail Polish in 'En Pointe'

I noticed this colour on my friend Sop's nails, made a mental note to buy it and its pretty much all I've worn on my nails all month long. I have just been removing this when it chips and repainting, which is unheard of for me!

En Pointe is a very nude colour, I call it my skin colour but I love it because its opaque. As I get older I find myself gravitating more towards nude colours but they have be opaque, sheer nail polish makes me shudder! 

Available from Topshop £5.00

Sigma Blending E25 Eyeshadow brush in Copper

The day I discovered the MAC 217 eyeshadow brush is the day my eyeshadow application changed for the better! I love that brush, it applies and blends your eyeshadow at the same time, whats not to love?!

This is Sigma's version of that brush and I already had a couple but because I use them everyday I  thought I would get a couple more. Also the fact that I found these rose gold ones on Amazon, may have slightly influenced my purchasing decision! 

I really recommend Sigma's eye brushes, cheaper than MAC but practically identical. However I do not recommend their face brushes. I've have a couple and had to throw them all away because they shed hairs so badly. 

Available from Amazon £14.95

Diptyque Noisetier Candle

I love Diptyque candles, they fill the room with scent like nothing else and I have an obsession with collecting the empty jars. They are definitely pricey but feel like such a special treat when you burn them. I like to ask for one at Christmas or on my birthday and my Sister picked me the Noisetier scent for Christmas. I'm terrible at not really branching out when it comes to candle scents but I'm so happy she picked this because it smells amazing, very warming and woody with a hint of spice. 

Available from Space NK £40.00

September Favourites

Its scary how quickly Christmas is approaching but I'm not complaining because that is my favourite time of the year. 

As I was on holiday in September I feel like my monthly favourites are slightly redundant now because they are not really in keeping with the season, but if you are going away for a bit of Winter sun maybe these will inspire you!

YSL Couture Palette 03 Afrique

What originally attracted me to this eyeshadow palette was just how beautiful and wearable all the colours were. You know how there's always that one colour in a palette you will never wear, well that's not the case with this. However, despite that being the initial appeal, I have only used one colour in this palette so far but in fairness that's because its so damn pretty. The perfect peachy bronze, which makes blue eyes stand out and looked awesome with my post holiday tan, which has now well and truly faded. Welcome back corned beef arms, you weren't missed.

Available from Boots £39.50

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Heat/UV Protective Primer

I am predicting that hair primers are going to be the next big thing, you prime your face, why not your hair? Having tried and loved Living Proof's primer, I was intrigued to see how the Bumble and Bumble version compared. I have to say they are quite different but I love both. Living Proof's primer is a styling product, it makes it easier to style your hair and makes your style last far longer. Bumble and Bumble's primer is more like a leave in conditioner. It's multi purpose so it acts as a detangler, heat protectant and frizz tamer all in one. I do also find it gives my hair a bit that bed head look, which I love. 

Available from Boots £19.00

No7 Instant Radiance Foundation

This does exactly what it says on the tube and gives a radiant boost for tired, stressed skin. This applies like a tinted moisturiser but with more coverage and I just love the glow it gives my skin. Healthy skin in a bottle and for a pretty reasonable price as well, whats not to love?

Available from Boots £12.50

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Heftiest Hibiscus

Definitely not a seasonally appropriate shade now but I loved this bright orange/coral colour on holiday. Its really flattering for such a bright shade and I love the stain it leaves on my lips, as it means you don't have to constantly worry about touching up your lipstick!

Available from Clinique £17.00

MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy

 I have finally fallen back in love with eyeliner and its mainly down to this little guy. This metallic brown is not as harsh as black and is also a really beautiful shade for emphasising blue or green eyes. I like to apply this and smudge it out, just for  little something, something ;)

Available from MAC £14.00

Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Finish Micro Powder

I have a love hate relationship with this powder, I love how soft it is (it feels like velvet on your skin) and its so finally milled it never looks cakey. However I hate that after only two weeks I had already made a hole in it :( you really should get more product for the amount of money this costs. 

If you are feeling a little indulgent go for it, but don't say I didn't warn you!

Available from Charlotte Tilbury £33.00

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold

This highlighter is beautiful, the light copper colour is really unique and gives a bit of colour as well as glow. Its limited edition and already out of stock on Space NK but you can still find it online!

Available from QVC £26.00

True Detective

I always like to include a non beauty favourite, to prove there is more to life than makeup! 

My friends will tell you about my future dream southern life. It involves me living in the deep south, in a beautiful wooden house with a porch all the way around it, with my husband who is permanently topless and in dungarees. That's my dream, so as you can imagine I have a slight Matthew McConaughey obsession (its the voice). If you haven't watched True Detective yet, you need to get on it. I loved the relationship between Woody and Matthew's characters and they are both played so brilliantly.