My Monthly Favourites - November 2014

Hi guys. I am extremely excited that we have now come to the end of November because we can now well and truly focus on all things Christmas! I cannot wait to put up all of our decorations, wrap up tons of presents and eat too much indulgent food. However, before I can do all of those things, I have the small matter of my monthly favourites to address! I have to admit that I haven't been too adventurous beauty-wise this month as I have had a lot of days indoors or have just been running errands, but I still have a few bits so share with you all. So let's get started!

Garnier Body Oil Beauty Nourishing Lotion - £4.99
First up, my skin has gotten very dry all of sudden now that the cold weather is finally upon us. So when I saw this body lotion from Garnier on the shelf, I just had to pick it up. The fact that this particular lotion was oil-infused made me think that it could do wonders for my skin - and I was right! Not only does it nourish and hydrate my skin but the formulation of the lotion is amazing. It's very smooth and easy to rub in, so you don't have to do too much work in that respect. Although it doesn't sink in super fast, it still does it in less time than you would expect for such a rich product. I would highly recommend this to anybody who's skin needs an extra boost of moisture!

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Standout - £7.99
Like most beauty bloggers around this time of year, I love a good red lip! There's something about it that just screams Christmas and I recently rediscovered my Revlon matte balm in amongst my ever-growing lip crayon collection! The main reason that I love this crayon is because even though its matte, it is not at all drying on the lips. As well as this, it has great staying power too. As for the red colour itself, 'Standout' is a gorgeous true red shade that would suit a whole range of different skin tones. It's definitely a must-have product for me right now!

Nivea Sensitive Day Cream - £4.49
As I mentioned earlier, since the bitter cold weather has set in, my skin has gone haywire and in turn it is very dry in places. However, I have also noticed that my skin in the past month or so has a lot of redness too. So, I picked up this sensitive day cream from Nivea because I had already tried the Rich Moisturising version in the past and loved it. This version claims to reduce redness, tightness and dryness - which I totally agree with. I have really been enjoying this moisturiser a lot and so far it has helped with hydrating my dry patches a lot. Plus as it is quite rich in texture, a little goes a long way with this product, so I have a feeling that this tube is going to last me for quite a while.  

Lush Ultrabland Cleanser - £7.25
This cleanser from Lush is an old favourite of mine and I always come back to it! Sometimes I think that its a good idea to go back to basics with skincare and really strip it back, as let's face it, us beauty bloggers use a large concoction of products on our faces! The fact that Lush's skincare is so natural really appeals to me and Ultrabland is the perfect gentle cleanser for me. Its ingredients include almond oil and beeswax, which means that it leaves your skin feeling so soft and supple. As it is a balm cleanser, Ultrabland is also excellent at removing all traces of make-up without leaving a greasy residue like most oil-based cleansers do. Overall, I will always purchase this cleanser time and time again because it's just excellent and gets the job done!

Miss Selfridge Body Mist - £4.00
Last but not least is this gorgeous body mist from Miss Selfridge. I have to admit that this was a bit of an impulse buy whilst out with my Mum in our local Arcadia store. The mist was right at the checkout and I normally dismiss products like that but this time, I couldn't resist. After spritzing it, I realised that the fragrance was an incredible quality seeing as it was made by a high street clothing brand. On their website, the scent is described as being a blend of lemongrass, ginger and rosemary; so as you can imagine, it is a light and fresh smell. I tend to use the mist on days where I am not doing too much and I do not want to reach for some of my more expensive perfumes - and it certainly does the trick. For such a budget friendly product, I am really impressed with it and I highly recommend to all of you!

So, those are my five beauty favourites for the month of November. I hope you enjoyed reading all about them! Which products do you like the sound of? What are your favourites this month? Please let me know by leaving a comment below. As I said earlier on, I am really happy that November is now over because now I can well and truly get into the Christmas spirit. Also, remember to stay tuned to my blog in the up and coming weeks to see lots of festive posts! Thank you :)

A Soft & Smokey Eye Look

Hi guys. Unfortunately I have come down with an awful stomach bug this week but whilst I had some energy, I wanted to write up a quick post for you all. On Monday, my very talented friend and make-up artist Chloe (otherwise known as Glam By Coco on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) used me as a model to promote her freelancing! We decided to take me out of my comfort zone and start experimenting with eyeshadows because I usually stick to winged liner and not much else on my lids. Eyeshadow is something that I have struggled with in the past but now that I am growing to love it, I am even getting the Naked 2 palette for Christmas! Chloe did an absolutely amazing job and so I though that I would quickly share with you the products that she used to achieve this soft and smokey look!

Here is a list of products that were used:

MAC Swiss Chocolate Eyeshadow
MAC Embark Eyeshadow
MAC Carbon Eyeshadow
Clinique Quickliner in Intense Charcoal
MAC Coffee Eye Pencil
Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Holy Smokes!
Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara
Tanya Burr Girls Night Out Eyelashes

Albeit rather short, I hope that you liked this post and I will hopefully be doing some more make-up looks or tutorials in the future. I am hoping to be on the mend as soon as possible, so that I can back to blogging properly once again. As always, please let me know what you think of this look by leaving a comment down below. Thank you!

Stay Cosy This Christmas!

One of my favourite things about this time of year is getting into some comfy pyjamas, drinking hot chocolate and snuggling up under a big blanket. As the evenings are progressively getting colder and darker, I am finding myself having a lot more cosy nights indoors sprawled out on the sofa. I am a huge home body and I would pick comfort over style any day; so, I thought that I would share some of the great nightwear options there are on the high street at the moment with all of you. Not only would these items be a lovely treat to yourself to this winter, they would also make great Christmas presents as well. So, let's get started!

Topshop Nude Teddy Robe - £32.00
What can I say about this dressing gown, it's just adorable! The teddy bear ears on the hood are super cute and add a little something extra to an otherwise plain cream and beige robe. The fluffy material of the gown makes it feel really luxurious and snuggly too and trust me, it really is as soft as it looks (I may or may not have had a feel of it in my local store!)

F&F Christmas Pug Pyjamas - £10.00
I love anything pug related, so these pyjamas are right up my alley. This set contains a three quarter length t-shirt with a Christmas pug motif and a pair of plaid bottoms to match. I think that these PJ's would be really fun to wear on Christmas morning whilst opening your presents. Also, they would make a fantastic gift for any dog lovers in your life!

New Look 2 Pack Red Fluffy Slipper Socks - £3.99
Fluffy socks are definitely a winter essential and this pack of two from New Look are nice and festive. One pair features a cute stripey pattern and the other has a snowflake-esque design. Just shy of £4, these socks are a bargain and would also make a great stocking filler for your friends or family.

Topshop Snowflake Hot Water Bottle - £10.00
Hot water bottles are one of the best ways to keep warm when the temperatures are dropping outside. This red and white festive number from Topshop, complete with fluffy pom poms, would be perfect to warm your feet up on during the Christmas period. Plus, again it would make a lovely gift for fellow homebodies too!

New Look White Fleece Christmas Pudding Pyjama Shorts - £5.99
Last but not least are these fleecy pyjamas shorts. The Christmas pudding pattern is really fun and the shorts fasten at the front with a bright red bow to finish off the design. They may not keep you as warm as full length bottoms would but these shorts were just too adorable not to mention in this post! 

So guys, those are some of the best cosy Christmas items from the high street at the moment. I hope you like my selection! Please let me know which garment is your favourite by leaving a comment below and whether you will be buying any of them for yourself or a loved one! :)

The Perfect Stocking Filler!

Hi guys! I went out shopping earlier on today to buy Christmas presents for my boyfriends family. As I had already consciously decided to buy something for both his mum and his sister in Boots, I realised that I would be able to get a third present for free due to Boots' 3 for 2 offer on all Christmas gifts. So, after picking up the bits that I needed, I wandered around the store looking for a third present as a little treat to myself. In the end, I opted for this gorgeous No7 Mini Lip Treats gift set for just £8.00! I personally think that this would be a lovely little stocking filler, therefore, I decided to do a post to show you all how great this duo is just in case you want to purchase it for a loved one.

This adorable gift set contains two mini versions of No7's ever-so-popular High Shine lip crayons. The two shades included in the kit are 'Delicate Pink' (a rosy pink) and 'Daydreamer' (a peachy nude.) I think that both colours would be incredibly flattering on a lot of different skin tones, so this set is very universal in a way. The formulation of these crayons are on point too; they are not at all sticky or drying, in fact they add a fair amount of moisturisation and shine to lips as well as a pop of colour. Although the colours are quite sheer, they can be built up to have a bit more pigmentation if you would like them too.

I honestly cannot decide which shade out of the two is my favourite! Whilst 'Delicate Pink' really brightens up your complexion, 'Daydreamer' is a perfect nude colour that doesn't wash you out which also looks great with a smokey eye. 

The final reason why I think that this gift makes a brilliant stocking filler is its packaging. It's super festive and girly-looking at the same time; I love the pink and gold glittery design. Another thing that I like about the packaging is that there is a little fabric loop hole at the top of the box, which means that you could hang the duo on your Christmas tree instead if you decided not to wrap it up or put it in somebody's stocking. I thought that was a genius idea!

(Top: Delicate Pink - Bottom: Daydreamer)

Overall, I think that this lip crayon duo is a perfect stocking filler for any beauty lover in your life. Not only are the shades extremely wearable and pretty but the dinky packaging is very cute too. After trying the crayons out for myself, I cannot recommend them enough! Do you like the look of this set? Which shade is your favourite? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

My New Autumn/Winter Wardrobe Staples

I am a summer girl through and through, therefore, most of my wardrobe is made up of cute crop tops and flowy floral dresses. However, this year, I have been enjoying buying new clothing for the winter months a lot more than usual! I am loving a large amount of what's on the high street at the moment and so on a recent shopping trip, I picked up two new items to update my autumn/winter wardrobe. I think that both of these pieces are very versatile and bang on trend too, so obviously I couldn't wait to share them with you all! Let's get started...

First up are the Moto Sulphur Joni Jeans (38.00) from Topshop. Up until late last year, I wasn't a huge lover of jeans to be quite honest! I always hated how thick the denim was and how restricted I felt in them during the day. However, there are now lots of jeans that are made of much thinner materials that almost feel like you are wearing leggings instead. I bought my first pair of Joni jeans at the end of last year and I have been obsessed with them ever since. They hold their shape, are super skinny and the added fact that they are high-waisted means that they can be worn with a variation of different tops - which is something that I definitely need! My Mum treated me to a new pair last week and I decided to opt for the version with ripped knees, as they are really popular right now. I love the effect that they give and I can definitely see myself wearing them to death over the next few months.

Next up is this gorgeous Tartan Scarf (£8.00) from M&Co. Tartan is a huge trend every autumn/winter but this year especially, it is absolutely everywhere on the high street! I tend to wear a lot of monochrome in the winter and so I was after a scarf that could inject a little bit of colour and interest into my outfits. Of course, blanket wraps are the style to go for this year but they just simply drown my petite frame and do not suit me at all. I much prefer lightweight scarves instead but nice, tartan ones have been harder to find this year because of the blanket wrap craze. Nonetheless, I have finally found one that I love! Believe it or not, this scarf is from the teenage range in M&Co but it is the perfect size for me. I have gotten so much wear out of it already and I am sure I will be using it non-stop all winter long!

So guys, those are the two new additions to my autumn/winter wardrobe. I hope you like them! I am so pleased with my purchases and I know that both of these items are going to become absolute staples for me! Which out of the two items is your favorite? What fashion item is key for you in the colder months? Please let me know, as always, by leaving a comment down below and letting me know what you think!

The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

Last week, I realised that my favourite night time cleanser (Lush's Ultrabland) was very close to running out and even though I have been using it religiously for quite a while now, I wanted to try out something new. I like to use heavy duty cleansers at night time so that they can easily remove my make-up and any dirt and grime that my skin has picked up throughout the day. I had been hearing a lot of great things about this camomile cleanser from The Body Shop ever since reading about it on Essiebutton's blog, therefore, I decided to take the plunge and give it a whirl! So, here is a little review about how I have been getting on with it so far. Let's get started!

The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil retails at £10.00, which is a great price because a little bit of this oil goes a long way - one or two pumps is literally all you need! One of the main reasons that I was drawn to this particular product is that its main ingredient is camomile, which is well known for having a calming effect on your skin. Since the sudden change of weather here in the UK, my skin has become much more sensitive and red (despite me having combination skin,) so I definitely need a product that is gentle yet effective. 

The Body Shop claim on their website that this cleansing oil leaves your skin feeling clean and refreshed and that it even removes waterproof make-up, which I totally agree with. My make-up, no matter how light or heavy it is, can be removed incredibly easily. I tend to remove some of my make-up before hand with some micellar water and a cotton pad but following up with this product ensures that my skin is clear of all product. Plus, although this is an oil based cleanser, once you rinse it off it leaves no traces of grease or any other type of residue on your skin either. Not only this but it also leaves my skin feeling extremely soft and nourished too!

In addition, I love the products packaging. Albeit simplistic, the fact that you can clearly see how much product you have left I can imagine will be very handy once you are running low. As well as this, the pump can be opened and closed by twisting it left and right, so there is no risk of the oil leaking in your bathroom or in your bag if you are travelling.

Overall, I am loving this cleanser so far and I would highly recommend it! I think that this product is especially great for people with sensitive skin or for those who wear a lot of make-up on an every day basis and need a cleanser that really dissolves and breaks it down. I can see this oil lasting me a long while and I would definitely consider re-purchasing it again once I do eventually use it all up! 

My Boots Christmas Present Picks: Part 2

Hi guys! Welcome back to part two of my Boots Christmas gift guide. If you missed part 1 of this post on Tuesday where I focused on all things make-up and bath & body, then where have you been?! In that post, I explained that I like to start planning out and buying presents for my loved ones as early as possible. This is because I am an extremely organised person but also because I hate the last minute rush in all of the shops, I would much rather avoid the laborious queues and mad dashes to the till! 

As I also mentioned in the first half of this post, Boots is one of my favourite places to shop for Christmas presents when it comes to the ladies in my life. I love that there is so much variety and gifts that span all different price ranges, so you are certain to find something that is not only perfect for each person on your shopping list but that also suits your budget too! So, I thought that it would be a great idea to show you all some of the amazing items that I have come across on the Boots website. Hopefully my little gift guide will give you some inspiration as to what to buy your friends and family, or perhaps you will see something that you want to add onto your own Christmas list. Todays categories are fragrance and skin care, so without any further ado, let's see what I have found!

DKNY Be Delicious Eau de Parfum Gift Set - £34.99

Prada Candy Florale Eau de Toilette Gift Set - £49.50

Marc Jacobs Eau de Parfum Gift Set - £49.50

Benefit Delecta-belles Crescent Row Fragrance Set - £29.50

Bleach London Spin The Bleach Bottle Kit - £12.00

Mark Hill Blonde Bombshell Gift Set - £10.00

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Mini Kit - £16.00

Toni & Guy Create The Look Tousled Waves - £14.00

So, that's it for part two of my Boots Christmas Present Picks! I hope you have enjoyed this little two part series and I am hoping that it has given you tons of inspiration for your Christmas shopping. Which gift featured today is your favourite? Feel free to let me know by leaving a comment below. As we have only just entered into November, I am sure that I will be doing a few more gift related posts in the next few weeks and as we go into December, so remember to keep your eyes peeled for those too. Thank you!

My Boots Christmas Present Picks: Part 1

I, personally, like to start buying Christmas presents for my friends and family as early as I possibly can! This is because I am an extremely organised person and I like to make sure that I am prepared for the big day weeks in advance. I cannot stand the last minute rush of going out shopping and there being crowds of people and queues absolutely everywhere. Plus, getting in early means that you get the best selection of presents to choose from before they end up selling out! Now that is is November and Halloween is well and truly out of the way, I have already started buying a few bits and bobs for my loved ones.

One place that I have always enjoyed shopping for the females in my life is Boots! They have such an amazing and extensive selection of gifts, so you are always bound to find the perfect one for each and every person on your list. Today, I thought that it would be a great idea to show you all some of the items on the Boots website that really stand out to me this year. Part 1 of my gift guide is based on make-up and bath & body gifts, and part two of my guide (which will be posted in a few days time) will be focusing on fragrance and hair care. Within my gift guide, I have tried to show you an array of different gifts that suit all types of budgets too, so hopefully there will be something that you like the look of either to buy for somebody else or even add it onto your own Christmas list. So, without running the risk of rambling on any further, here are 'My Boots Christmas Present Picks.'

Smashbox On The Rocks Photo Op Eyeshadow Palette - £29.00 

Benefit Sweet Tintations Gift Set - £19.50 

Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Crayons Gift Set - £16.00

Fearne Polished To Perfection Nail Polish Set - £12.00

Sanctuary Best Loved and Beautiful - £20.00

Beauticology Gingerbread Tin - £8.00

Soap & Glory Nothing But The Fruits Gift Set - £30.00

Joules Fizzing Bath Bulbs - £6.00

I hope that you all like both the make-up and bath & body gifts that I have compiled into the first part of my Boots Christmas Present Picks. Which one is your favourite? Remember that part two of the gift guide will posted in the next couple of days, so keep your eyes peeled for more gorgeous gift ideas soon!