2015 Favourites || Skin & Hair

I’ve never had year end favourites before! I’m pretty excited about this lot, even though my selection is rather tame.

I’ve never used a cleanser as consistently as I’ve used the Superfacialist Vitamin C Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. At first, I wasn’t too keen and I felt it didn’t cleanse my face entirely. But something changed along the line and two bottles later, it’s still my favourite morning wake up call!

I’ve always been lazy with exfoliating, but since I started using Sanctuary’s Radiant Exfoliator I’ve been consistently exfoliating weekly! It’s just lovely, and gritty, and it really makes a difference, and the radiant factor is definitely there!

I bought Caudalie’s Grape Water on a whim, but it’s such a necessity nowadays! It leaves my skin feeling so hydrated and plump, and it’s also helped reduce the oiliness of my T-Zone.

I must love Origins’ A Perfect World Age Defense Moisturiser with White Tea a whole load, because £36 for a day cream is ridiculous! But it’s beautifully hydrating without being greasy, and it has a satin like finish that makes applying foundation a piece of cake! The SPF factor is great for the folk like me that forget it during winter too!

I’ve also not used a different shampoo and conditioner since trying L’Oreal Elvive’s Fibrology Thickening range. My hair used to be fine, but there’s just so much of it now! Both are so nourishing and my hair’s better than ever, so I don’t see me switching these any time soon!

My ride or die products this year though, have been Dr Dennis Gross’ Ferulic + Retinol Triple Correcting Eye Serum and Trilogy’s Age Proof Replenishing Night Cream.

If I had to give up all other night time products and just use these two, I wouldn’t even flinch! The fine lines below my eyes, and those tell-tale signs of tiredness aren’t as prominent with th serum, and the Trilogy cream is a restful night’s sleep and good nutrition in a jar. What more could I need?

My go-to holiday makeup look featuring Becca

I’ve never had a designated holiday look, but I needed a good occasion to use my Becca Ombre Rouge Palette. Christmas seemed a good idea and why not New Year’s too, right?

This palette is a beauty, and it’s easily one of my favourite things I’ve bought this year.

Most of these shades are matte, and I can even work with the satins as they’re all velvety smooth in texture, if a little chalky. Blending is effortless, and if a klutz like me can manage them, anyone can!

I start off with a light sweep of the third shade all over my lids, a faint nude with a hint of pink. The fourth shade, a lovely medium brown with a distinct orange tone to it, then goes into my crease. Of all the shades, that one’s my favourite. On the outer corner of my eye, in somewhat a soft winged out shape, I add the last shade, a deep brown with reddish mauve undertones.

It’s a smoky eye with a twist, as the orange and red undertones complement each other well. Their wear time is good, as I managed eight hours before my look started to fade, with a primer of course.

I’ve tried this look during the day and it was a little too intense, despite using very little product, so using it for holiday parties has been good fun!

Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour Palette

As far as palettes go, Kat Von D’s Shade + Light Contour Palette is insanely beautiful! Made up entirely of matte shades, it’s exactly the kind of product I’d gravitate towards, and it’s that multi-purpose ideal we all kind of love!

But is it worth the hype? Yes and no.

What I like about this palette is that it gives you so much choice. The powders are pigmented and buttery in texture, they blend beautifully, and it’s so easy to fix those overeager mistakes. Whether you just want to add subtle definition or go full-out to sculpt your face, this palette has got you covered!

My favourite is Shadowplay, the chocolate brown shade in the middle. It’s subtle but buildable, a great everyday option, and it complements my skin tone like nothing else! When I want more definition, I’ll mix it with the first of the contour shades, Sombre. Or if I’m feeling brave, Subconscious, the last on the right, is the one!

The highlighting powders are a little too pale on me. But with some careful blending, I can work with them. The soft peace shade, Levitation, is the one I use the most.

Where it disappoints, is that these powders don’t last too long, and my contour starts to fade within about four hours. The highlighting powders last longer on me, and I can go the day without creasing as they begin to fade after about eight hours.

In theory, this palette could be great to travel with, but it doesn’t close securely.

It’s one of my favourite things I own though, so I can deal with the short term wear. I mostly use this palette on nights out, when my contour really doesn’t need to last more than five hours or so. I get a lot of use out of it, but I wouldn’t say it’s a must have.

Have you tried this Shade + Light palette?

Favourites || November

Considering I don’t feel festive at all this year, my November favourites certainly look the part. You can’t go wrong with those berry tones, am I right?

My favourite of the lot is my Cranberry Zest Yankee Candle. I’m no expert at describing scents, but it strikes a perfect balance between something sweet and zesty, with a warmth to it. Does that make sense?

The Body Shop’s Early Harvest Raspberry Shower Gel and Body Butter were also all I used. I’m just feeling fruity, what can I say? I find this time of year, my skin needs something heavy duty, but I prefer to stay away from anything greasy. The Body Shop’s body butters are just perfect, and the shower gel lathers much better than their others I’ve tried.

My go-to skincare product when I’m severely sleep deprived, a.k.a every other night, is Trilogy’s Rosehip Oil Antioxidant +. It’s just an awesome salve, and it also helps my self-inflicted acne scars fade faster. I also switched to a more hydrating eye cream in the mornings, with the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Eye Cream.

For taking off the day, Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing Water for Combination & Sensitive Skin had me covered. It’s gentle and doesn’t feel soapy like Bioderma, and it takes everything off, even stubborn eyeliner. I like it so much that I can ignore the faint cucumber scent, something I absolutely loathe!

I’m still obsessed with Maybelline’s Colour Show Nail Polish in Midnight Taupe! Anything that can look this pretty and last six days without chipping (underneath a top coat), gets a major thumbs up from me!

Everyday Face || November

Mornings are tough. As much as I want to spend ages playing around with my makeup every day, a quick and easy go-to face will have to do.

For my base, my favourite Givenchy Eclat Matissime Foundation in the shade Mat Ginger comes out to play. I love its silky matte finish, it blends effortlessly, and it’s medium to light coverage, although I prefer very little and to sheer it out completely.

I then go in with Maybelline’s Age Rewind Concealer in Nude on my raccoon eyes. It’s a fair few shades lighter than my favourite Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer, but they work so well together and hide my dark circles.

I’ve been setting my makeup with Soap & Glory’s One Heck of a Blot. I ran out of my Too Faced Primed & Poreless Pressed Powder and this is a good alternative. It keeps shine in check, but it’s not as fine a powder as I prefer.

Skipping eyeshadow is a novelty for me. I love the stuff! But I needed to get more sleep so I’ve just been using my holy grail Topshop Kohl Liner in Sable to tightline, with loads of Bourjois’ Twist Up The Volume Mascara. I can’t believe I didn’t like this mascara when I first tried it! It’s brilliant!

Cheeks are my main focus with this look. For definition, I use my Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder first in the classic ‘3’ shape. Then I add Bobbi Brown’s Bronzing Powder in Natural to the back of my cheekbones, along the back of my jawline and a tiny amount to my forehead. This might sound full on, but the trick is to use very little of both products and to build the bronzer as needed.

On the apples of my cheeks, I use Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush in the shade Exposed. As far as dusky rose shades go, this is the prettiest I’ve ever seen!

And as I don’t tend to use a lip product other than a lip balm, that’s it!

What are your go-to products every day?

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit

There are stunning things in life and then there’s this.

I’ve never gotten myself down to Space.NK faster than I did for this Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit, although I hadn’t yet tried Hourglass products, a realisation I find quite shocking myself. I’ve meant to, but I’ve just never quite been sure what I wanted to try first.

This palette seems like a great option for those like me who’re unfamiliar with the brand. I do agree this palette isn’t good value for money when you compare the individual edits against the full-sized Hourglass compacts. But what I like about this edit is that it’s a great all-in-one option. It’s travel friendly, the mirror is huge, and considering how undecided I was about which Hourglass powders to try first, it’s also quite a relief for me.

I’ve had so much fun trying all of these, and switching things up every day. There’s so much choice! I wouldn’t use the Ambient Lighting Powders to set my makeup, instead I prefer to dust them over the high points of my face as a highlight.

Iridescent Light (middle, top row), is the one I gravitate towards the most, but I also like mixing Diffused Light (right, top row), and Dim Light (left, top row) for when I want a very subtle hint of something.

Predictably, Mood Exposure is ridiculously beautiful (left, bottom row), and Luminous Bronze Light is the pretties shade of bronze I’ve ever seen. I don’t like shimmery bronzers much, but this one I can live with. 

But what are your thoughts on this palette?