January Favourites - 2015

I've been trying to mix up my make-up routine a bit and I'm trying to use up a few 'i kind of love you but i'm not mad about you' products however these 5 are 'i'm in love with you products'. I've been using the Clarins Instant Concealer all month after seeing the Pixiwoo girls rave about it. It's £21 which is pricey but you get a massive 15ml of product which is half the size of my foundation so will last forever. It's a gorgeous consistency that works for blemishes and under eyes. I'll pop a full blog up soon on this as I adore it.

I raved about the Stila liquid eye primer at the end of December and I've been using it every single day since. It makes eye shadow last all day and also makes the pigmentation much stronger on lighter colours. I find it hard to do my eye make-up without this product now and I can't imagine not using it. The other primer I am loving is the Laura Mercier foundation primer. It creates the perfect base for my favourite silk creme foundation. It's super soft, light weight and everything I look for in a primer. I've had a few 30ml samples in trial boxes and beauty boxes over the last 6 months or so and I think I'll be buying this once I've run out of it as it's become a staple to my routine. 

I've realised I'm pretty fickle when it comes to mascara - there's so many on the market that are amazing. Right now I'm loving the Estee Lauder Sumptuous extreme - it has a lovely huge brush and gives me lashes length and volume. The packaging is also ever so pretty I love anything that sparkles and metallic packaging is a huge plus for my collection. 

Finally the Kevyn Aucoin sculpting duo has become a firm favourite. I don't contour like crazy or anything but I do love playing around with bronzers and highlighters as I love that glowy bronzed look. When this came I was a little disappointed as it is stupidly small for the huge price tag. However it's very pigmented so you only need a little - it's also great for traveling. The product is so beautiful - super creamy the perfect amount of glow and no orange to the bronzer at all.

Georgina x.

January Wishlist - 2015

2015 for me is all about being a grown up - serious saving and fewer treats. The one thing I've said this year though is when I buy something it's because I've run out of it. It seems a little hard coming from the girl who is a serial bronzer hoarder but the aim is to buy a house of our own and that definitely doesn't come cheap so I'm determined to stick to it. 

I noticed these two soap and glory products come up in lots of 2014 favourites of some of my most visited blogs. They both look perfect for both brows and bronzers. Also the prices are half of what I currently use so fit into my 2015 resolutions perfectly. Soap and Glory Archery - £8  & Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer - £11 . I've been loving the Liz Earle Skin care I've been using recently and only have mini's of these two so full sizes are definitely on my list for when I'm all out Liz Earle, Skin Tonic Spritzer - £20.75  & Liz Earle, Skin Repair Moisturiser - £20.25

I probably have 3 uses of this left - I've been stringing it out but the end is near. I still have some Alpha H Liquid Gold though which I use alternatively to this so I won't repurchase until I'm all AHA'd out. The REN AHA Concentrate - £30  is my favourite it's ever so effective and fits really well into my skincare routine. 

The Body Shop Instablur - £14  has made it onto my list from numerous mentions from one of my YouTube favourites Gabby on VelvetGh0st. I love her make-up and I'm excited to need a primer as this will definitely be the one I buy. 

Georgina x.

Top 5 MAC Lipsticks

 

I really love MAC lipsticks and think they're well worth spending a little more on. MAC has the widest colour and finish range so there's always going to be something in their collection for any look you're after. My favourite finish for day is cremesheen but I love matte and amplified for more evening looks or when I have a little more time to perfect my lip. I never see some of these shades in blog posts a lot so I thought I'd share my favorites. 

VEGAS VOLT is a gorgeous bright red toned coral that is the perfect for summer days or a nights out. I love FLAMINGO  it's a soft pink toned coral that is quite sheen so perfect for a pop of colour without too much maintenance. CORAL BLISS is my go to spring shade again a lovely pop of colour without being too pigmented - super easy to apply and a gorgeous finish. PEACH BLOSSOM is my all time favorite lipstick - I've nearly finished it which is such a rare thing for me. I will definitely repurchase this too I adore it. It's a warm peach shade that is the perfect day lipstick or it's perfect to compliment a smokey eye too. Finally PLEASE ME is my go to matte lip - perfect for more done up face as it's a gorgeous nude pink that goes with most looks. 

Georgina x.

I finally own Estee Lauder Double Wear

I have no idea why it has taken me so long to buy this foundation. I picked it up in shade 2N1 Desert Beige which works very well for my skin tone. I've read so much about it and as a woman who seems to be on a mission to end the day with the face she started it with it seemed like a natural connection. On first application I adored it - especially when I came home and my blemished skin was still covered with not a single cover up. I was so impressed I declared my love here on instagram.  

I then bought myself a little pump on eBay - it was only £4 (I can't find my link so I won't post one but they're easily available. 

I think I then fell in love a little more as a foundation without a pump isn't my friend. I still love this foundation - I can't wear it everyday as it's damn hard work. I want to wake up and stay in bed for the longest time possible contemplating getting cold and dressed - this means getting ready has to take as little time as possible. This foundation is amazing and for amazing you have to work a little harder. My Laura Mercier Silk Creme blends effortlessly and seamlessly into the skin I find this takes a little more effort. I've tried my fingers, the real techniques buffing brush, the real techniques foundation brush and the everyday base brush. The real techniques buffing brush gives me the best finish but it still takes a good buff and blend to get a flawless base. 

I think that's fair though as come the end of the day that full coverage flawless base is still there. It's never going to be my everyday base but if I'm having a bad skin day, a night out or I want to spend a little time putting on my face at the weekend this is the one. It comes in at £29.50 which I think is more than reasonable for a high end high performing foundation. I know a lot of girls say mascara is there number one. For me it's a good foundation - I've learnt it's the one thing to spend a little money on if you find one you love.

Georgina x.

Warning - I'd recommend serious or double cleansing when taking this bad boy off a drunken night leaving a trace of this on clogged all my pores and left me with a sad face.

Coffee Obsession - Beanies

I've been obsessed with Beanies coffee as soon as I first saw it on the shelf of my local Sainsbury's about 3 months ago. The flavors are amazing and the great thing is it's only 2 calories a cup which means you can get the taste without the calories and sugar intake of the flavored syrups. My favorites are chocolate orange and amaretto almond. It's £2.50 for a very small pot but if you love coffee it's worth it. I'd recommend following them on twitter as I picked up this stash with a 20% off code they posted at the end of last year.

Georgina x.

Elegant Touch Moisture Balance Nail Polish Remover

I've always just picked up 99p polish remover from the supermarkets but I was obviously feeling a little flush on my recent trip to tesco and bought this Elegant Touch polish remover for an entire £2.10. I'm pleased to say this was a brilliant choice and money very well spent. This polish remover is a kind of ombre in the bottle but after a good shake it turns a bright green shade. It's an acetone free remover - the top is the bit that removes the polish and the bottom is full of evening primrose oil and vitamin B5. I abuse my nails a lot so I always welcome another part of armour to help nourish them and make them a little tougher. I've been using lots of things recently to strengthen them so I can't blame it all on this remover but I'm sure it's helped. It's nice to use a remover that doesn't feel stripping and harsh. I will definitely be buying this again for as long as a remover lasts I've found it well worth spending a little more to get a few extra benefits from it. 

Georgina x.

Neom Complete Bliss Candle

I received the Neom Complete Bliss in a gift with purchase on a huge Cult Beauty order at the end of last year. I've never really bought into the expensive candle thing as it's always seemed a little strange to me to literally burn money. However as I've gotten a little older I like nothing more than to light a lovely scent before bed. This is the complete bliss travel candle which burns for up to 20 hours and retails for £16. I don't like huge candles as I'm stupidly fickle and like to change scents often. I've also fallen into the trap of loving getting to the end of the candle, cleaning it out and using it to store make-up brushes/ hair grips etc. 

It came in a super luxe white box which I adore. It contains the essential oils, Moroccan blush rose, lime and black paper which they say is the perfect accompaniment to romantic evenings in. Which it is but I also find it really soothing yet uplifting so it's perfect to pop on when you're getting ready for an evening out. Unless I win the lottery I won't be buying into the £40+ mark candle brands that people seem to love. However under £20 and a scent that really does linger after use is money well spent in my opinion. Tranquility and Real luxury will probably be falling into my next Cult Beauty haul I'm sure. These would also make the most perfect gift too! 

Georgina x.

Aesop Resurrection Rinse-Free Hand Wash

I love Aesop packaging, scents and as a brand - I also love hand sanitiser so it's no surprise this little £7 pot fell into a recent Cult Beauty haul. It's described on the website as an upper class sanitiser which is exactly what it is. It's super indulgent but it's a cut above all other hand sanitisers - who'd have thought this was even needed? I love having this in my bag the scent is Mandarin Rind, Rosemary Leaf and Cedarwood making it perfect for both sexes. It is expensive compared to others on the market but it is wonderful. I hate the handwash at my work so this is a massive necessity and the scent lingers for much longer than others. I probably won't repurchase as I need to do boring stuff like save this year but if you know someone who always carry's a hand sanitiser this would make a lovely little gift. 

Georgina x.

Real Techniques Bold Metal Collection - It's Love. 301 & 201

I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new Real Techniques Bold Metal Collection when it was announced. I have nearly all of their original collection so new luxe collection was a welcomed addition. The collection consists of 7 brushes which I won't go into as the Pixiwoo girls say it best here. I would easily use and love to have all of the brushes in my collection but the premium brushes do come with a premium price tag, each brush is £25 - £10.

301 Flat Contour Brush £22
This brush is seriously beautiful - there's something so stunning about the rose gold - I'm such a sucker for anything made in this tone. The handles are weighted and the bristles are seriously soft. I know I'll use this nearly everyday it makes adding some bronzer the easiest thing in the world. The bristles are really dense so you can pack on a lot of product whilst also being soft enough to blend it out. This is so different from everything in their original collection and I adore it.

201 Pointed Crease Brush £12
I've been using the crease brush in the eye starter kit or the shading brush for the dark crease shades in a smokey eye but the crease brush is a little too fat and the shading brush is better for under eye colour application I find. This pointed crease brush is perfect for that and is one of the only eye brushes I felt I needed. Again the bristles are dense and super soft the shape makes blending really easy too.

I love this range - it's a little pricier but the whole collection feels really thought through and much more premium than the originals. I love the core original collection and I do hope they continue adding to it as they're such good brushes but if you're looking for something more premium and for a more specific use I really recommend this range. On a vanity point they look absolute stunning on your dresser too :D I think I'll save a few of these for birthday and Christmas wishlists but I would love to get the tapered blush brush in my collection.

Georgina x.

Jade Facial Roller

This Jade Facial Roller came in a gift with purchase at cult beauty during December. It's the small version that costs £20 - they also sell the large for £28. I'd seen a few bits about them before but not really thought a lot about getting my own. Jade is said to have healing properties and is a cleansing stone used in chinese medicine.  The baby roller is designed to be used around the eye area to increase blood flow therefore eliminating dark circles and puffiness. I'm not one hundred percent convinced of the benefits of this but I absolutely love it. It's recommended to be stored in the fridge but as it's so cold at the moment it's nice and gold every night. It's weirdly relaxing to just roll this around the eye area and across my cheeks before bed. I also use this in the morning after cleansing and before applying make-up too as it settles any sleepy puffyness. I love using this but I don't know if I'd actually of purchased it myself. If you have spare money and fancy an extra beauty tool in your stash I would really recommend this I've used every night since I bought it - it's a little addictive. 

Georgina x.

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2015 New Year Clear Out

Today the Christmas decorations came down and what followed was the beginning of a new year clear out. The first section to be tackled as a small clear out of my make-up collection to make way for some new presents and sale purchases. I did a couple of posts at the end of last year on a clear out so this was just a brief follow on from that. Eye and nail clear out. Cheek and Lip clear out. 

Skin/ Base

A couple of natural collection foundations were still lurking at the back of my base drawer so they had to go. They're very thick and hard to work with - they texture screams cheap and it's not something I'd ever choose over the others I own I owned shades biscuit and ivory. The nivea BB cream is again way too thick for me it's again never something I'd choose - the one I own is in shade light. The Nude Magique foundation is again an empty bottle of the stuff - this is my go to summer foundation and will definitely be repurchased it has great coverage, a gorgeous finish and is ever so lightweight - I use shade 110 warm ivory. Finally the clinique moisturising lotion sample is making it's way to the bin finally. This is for dry skin which mine isn't it and this really doesn't work for me.

Top to bottom - Yves Rocher, shade 22. MUA, Shade 7. ELF lipstick in Nostalgic. Maybelline, 728 Honey Beige. Vivo, Tangtastic. 

Lipstick

My lipstick clear out is down to just not using these shades and opting for others over any of these. I've worn all of these at some point apart from the Maybelline which was in a beauty box and is way to dark for me. 

Blush and Bronzer 

I thought I'd gotten rid of all of the natural collection blushers but this in bourbon bloom was still holding on at the back of my drawer. They're great blushes for starting out but I don't find myself reaching for them anymore so it was time to get rid. The ELF HD blush is in shade superstar. I found this really hard to work with - you get so much product for your money but it's super pigmented and hard to blend. I thought I'd thrown the glossybox blusher out ages ago but it was lurking at the back again its too chalky and never gets used. The L'Oreal glam bronze is nice and shimmery for the summer but the packaging broke after just a few uses and drives me mad so it has to go. Finally a gold shimmer from a brand called bella pierre from a glossybox ages ago and it has no place in my routine. Its crazy amounts of glitter and shimmer and the loose powder goes everywhere. 

Georgina x.