January 2015 Beauty Favourites

I know I have said this before but this year looks like it is going to be a fast one seeing that we are at the end of January already. Personally, I am very glad to see the end of this month and I explained my reason in this post. Most of the products I have been loving this month are all new and have all been probably reviewed already this month so I would link the relevant posts. So, let's get right into it, shall we?



NARS Makeup/Cosmetics
This month (and the end of December 2014) got me hooked on NARS products and it was also my first time trying them out. I can boldly say I now understand the hype and I absolutely love all of them. My favourite product of the lot is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (full review here) which has become one of the my most used and favourite foundation already. It is a beautiful shade match, glides on easily, stays put all day and leaves such a subtle healthy glow to my skin. I also tried the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (full review here) which I was not quite taken with initially but I have absolutely love it now. It is a lovely concealer for under eye circles and works great for blemishes as well. I eventually got my proper shade match (Caramel) and I just love it so much. Last products on the NARS front are the NARS Lip Pencils (full review here) which I received as a birthday present from Sephora Beauty Insider.  I really wanted to try the NARS Lip pencils and I was thrilled to get the lovely minis in Cruella (Velvet Matte) and Rikugien (Satin) which are just the best shades ever. They have such great pigmentation and they just look so flattering on the lips.


Lorac Pro Palettte Eyeshadow Palette
How amazing is the Lorac Pro Palette? I just can't get enough of it. I already have a full review of it over here. It is a perfect neutral eyeshadow palette with a dash of colours that are very wearable and flattering on a variety of skin tones. I have used this very consistently and I literally have to tear myself away from it and try other eyeshadow palettes within my stash. The pigmentation is insane and it lasts all day with or without a primer. It's definitely one eyeshadow palette I strongly recommend.

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick
I knew one day you would be mine despite all the little set backs we had! I searched everywhere for this lipstick until my friend eventually tracked it down from America for me. I hear it is available on the MAC website so grab it when you can. It's a perfect brownish pink shade which is perfect for everyday wear. I fear that it will be worn down so soon because I have worn it so much this month. I have a full review on here and a post on MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick Dupes here as well.




Maybelline Color Tattoo in Creamy Beige
This was released sometime last year but I was not really interested in getting it because I thought it may look odd on my eyelids. I was very wrong. While it is not very pigmented on my lids because of my skin tone, I find that it gives it such a beautiful blended shade. I apply it as an all over lid colour and it makes my eyeshadow application much easier . I really love this and I can finally give my Maybelline On and On Bronze a well deserved rest.

Soap and Glory Rich and Famous Shower Gel
I know I already mentioned this lovely shower gel in this post but I am obsessed with it. It is enriched with Almond, Brown Sugar and Oats amongst other delicious ingredients and it is so hard to resist the temptation to have a cheeky taste. It smells really sweet and the fragrance lingers ever so slightly after I take a shower. I recently got the matching body cream and I just can't get enough of them.



Jo Malone Tuberose Angelica Cologne Intense
I already have a review of this perfume here but I can say it has to be one of the best fragrances I have tried. Jo Malone London seriously makes the best fragrances. As the name suggests, this fragrance has Tuberose and Angelica along with other ingredients which gives it its unique decadent fragrance. I really love this fragrance and I now reserve it for outings and special occasions because I want it to last forever...yeah, seriously!!





Lifestyle Favourites
I already made a separate post on my non-beauty favourites here where I featured all my lifestyle favourites. I particularly loved my 5-year Q&A Journal which is essentially a journal/diary where you can write entries everyday for a year. I love how the questions are so short and straightforward which makes it really easy to fill in at the end of the day or whenever you fancy. It is also very portable so you can always pop it in your bag. The best thing is it is valid for five years so you can always check back what you wrote the previous year. I absolutely love it. My last product for this month is this candle from "Our Own Candle Company" in the shade "Ho Ho Ho" which I got in the sales for just £6. It was an absolute bargain because you can keep the Kilner Jar/Cup for smoothies when you are done with the Candle. It is definitely one of my many candles that burns very evenly and I love it for that. That's it folks! I hope you enjoyed this lil' post and I am keen to see/hear what your favourites are. See you in my next post...xx

January 2015 Favourites (Non Beauty)

I can’t believe we are approaching the end of January already but I am really glad it is ending. I don’t know about you but January always seems like the longest month for me because it feels like forever before I get paid at work. If you work in a regular 9-5 job (and get paid at the end of the month), you would probably have been last paid a week or so before Christmas. This means you have endured a six week gap before you get paid at the end of January * a big high five*. Anyway,  I thought it would be nice to share a few of my favourite non-beauty items just before the usual January 2014 Favourites goes up.

Q&A a day 5-Year Journal

I heard about this journal a few years ago but I just forgot to get it. I think somewhere in my mind, I thought it was huge. It’s quite the opposite as it’s really small and easy to pop in your hand bag if you wish. The Q&A 5-year journal is essentially a journal that lets you make an entry for five years. It’s not your typical diary where you write all about your day and all (I had so many diaries when I was younger). Every day you get new questions to answer which gives you something to look forward to at the end of the day. One of my favourite questions so far was "what makes "you" you? I love how easy these questions are and you don't have to think deeply to answer them because they are fun.  I really love this journal and I can't wait to read what I have written by this time next year since it will also be on the same page. I also thought it would be nice to start in 2015 so by 2020, I would have completed it BGG and it would be amazing to look back on what changes I have made in my life. I got mine from Amazon for only £10.49 with free delivery.



Oliver Bonas Scarf
My first Oliver Bonas scarf was given to me by my lovely colleague in my former office and I loved the scarf so much (it's actually the one on my profile picture). One day, it went missing just like that. I was so sad because it was a really sentimental gift from her (it was my farewell gift) and I think I may have left it on the bus to work. So, I really wanted to get another Oliver Bonas Scarf even though they are a little pricey and cost £24. During their sales, I got this Soft Blue Printed Scarf for only £5.00. Can you believe it? Nah, neither can I.  It was originally £24 so I felt really pleased to get such a huge discount. Most Oliver Bonas Scarves are very soft and feel silky even though I think they are just polyester/cotton. This scarf goes with a lot of outfits and adds some colour to my overall look since I usually stick to neutral colours. I think this scarf will be even more amazing during Spring.


Oliver Bonas Socks
These socks were actually what drew me into the Oliver Bonas store because they just looked so comfy and colourful. I don't think I have ever had such colourful socks and I am slightly obsessed with them. They are quite long which is good especially for just chilling at home. They come in this amazing packaging/box which I love to leave them in when they are washed and clean.  It just feels extra special bringing them out from this box (I am so silly). They go on my feet immediately I get home and it makes me feel very relaxed. They were also on sales for £4. I may have even worn it under my Boots to work a few time; they are that comfy...hehehehe



Lauren Ralph Lauren Caldwell Equestrian Wallet
I got this lovely wallet during Christmas and I absolutely love it. I generally love wallets and I tend to change my wallet once a year. This is my first designer wallet even though I think it's one of the diffusion lines from Ralph Lauren. It is a bi-fold wallet which means it does not have a zip closure but it has a small click button or closure which secures the wallet. The only snag is it won't close if you overload it which is really good as it forced me to downsize my wallet to the barest essentials. I love the design and all the lovely compartments it has for cards. It has a small zipped compartment at the back for coins and any other random stuff you want to throw in. It looks small but it's actually a normal size wallet and it can hold  a whole lot more than you would expect. I may do a separate review with more pictures of it. It is a really good quality and I know it will last for ages.




Candles
During A/W, I love to burn candles because they put me in a good mood and they actually keep me warm. I am not really too fussed with candles but I like scented/fragranced ones. If they also have lovely packaging, that's even more incentive to purchase them#bloggerissues. One of my current favourite candles is from Our Own Candle Company in Ho Ho Ho (I think it's a USA brand) and I was drawn to it particularly because of its packaging. It smells lovely and burns evenly without tunnelling (what happens when the edges of the candle don't burn along with the middle). It smells faintly of mulled wine and it has lasted me for a long time. I am quite anxious to get my hands on the packaging (Kilner Jar/Cup)  when it is burnt out because it will be useful for my smoothies. Its original price was £12 but I got it on sales for £6 in a store called Chickidees in Bentalls Centre, Kingston.




Artificial Potted Succulent Plant
Ohhhh did you think it was just a blog prop? Well, it has served well as a lovely blog prop and has made a few features on the blog already. However, it is one of things I have been loving this month as it is really different from the normal plants/flowers I would go for. It's a fake plant obviously but I think it looks very realistic and it photographs really well. I got it from Sainsbury's for only £2. I buy majority of my blogging props from Sainsbury's Home section because they just have the best hidden gems. That's pretty much all I have been loving this month. What have you been loving this month? See you in my next post...xx
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