2011 Favourites!

Hey everyone!
I know I just did my December Favourites, and in that post I said I didn't think I would do a yearly favourites as this blog hasn't been up and running all year. But a commenter asked me too, and I felt like it might be fun, so here it is.
Fair warning - I couldn't narrow everything down to one product alone, and this will be quite picture/text heavy!
What have been your favourites of 2011?
Also, don't forget you can use the new buttons in my sidebar to check out my Bloglovin', Twitter, RSS Feed and my new Tumblr, where I post pretty things. 


Hair Products

Shampoo & Conditioner:

James Brown Photo Fabulous Volumising Shampoo and James Brown Photo Fabulous Moisturising Conditioner (£6.99)

The Volumising Conditioner in the range is actually better, but I wasn't able to find it at Boots the last time. I've spoken about this range of hair products before and I haven't changed my mind - these are my favourite shampoo and conditioners; they leave my hair shiny but with body, it doesn't get limp or greasy within seconds like it has with other shampoos, and it doesn't leave it overly dry. That's good because my hair is damaged from years of colouring. I used to think that shampoo and conditioner didn't really matter and you could buy any kind but I only buy these two now!

Hair Treatment:

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment (£7.99)

I had heard rave reviews about this product and my boyfriend gave me some to try - I fell in love. It makes my hair feel stronger and treated. I can't tell whether it really helps with growth as my hair has grown anyway, but it certainly feels like it has more volume. The only downside is that I go through the product quite quickly and it's pretty expensive for a hair product in my opinion.

Hair Styling:

Lee Stafford Argan Oil (£11.99)

I spoke about this in my December Favourites, so I'll direct you there for a better review. Suffice to say that I can't afford Morrocanoil on a regular basis and this works well to smooth my dry split ends and make my hair shiny.

Body Products

Foot Treatment

Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Mask (£5.11)

It's been so long since I bought this that the packaging has changed! This is a great minty foot mask that I pop on at night before sticking on some socks. It feels a little weird at first but in the morning I'm rewarded with minty smelling, soft feet.

Shower Gel

Lush Snow Fairy (unavailable until Christmas)

It bugs me that this is a Christmas-only product as it is probably the Lush product I'd repurchase most often, given the chance. It smells sweet, like candyfloss or bubblegum, but isn't overwhelming. As far as I can tell it doesn't treat my skin in any way but I just love the smell of this!

Body Moisturiser

Soap & Glory Butter Up (£14.81 as part of A Butter Suite)

I've mentioned before that this is my favourite body lotion, and how much it bugs me that you can only purchase it in a pack of three lotions. It does come with The Righteous Butter, however, which I know is a lot of people's favourite. This is a very citrusy, orange scented lotion that melts into my skin almost immediately without locking in heat. It's also quite pearlescent so it leaves me with a subtle glow, as well as my skin feeling soft and smooth. 

Face and Hands Skincare

Exfoliator:

Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It (£7.40)

I only included this as it's the only exfoliant I currently own - it's a little too mentholy for my face, so it stings a bit. But it does it's job fine. I just would prefer to buy a couple others to try. Any recommendations?

Hand Cream:

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream (£7.00 for travel size)

I've spoken about this before - this hand cream is perfect in my opinion! Lights but hydrating, and the travel size is perfect for popping in your bag to take around with you. It is expensive, but it works better for me than other moisturisers I've tried which can feel heavy and make my hands greasy. This sinks in almost straight away and my hands really needed it this winter. 

Nail Treatment:

Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (£5.95)

Another purchase I was worried wouldn't live up the hype. I've been using this loads this winter and as a little goes a long way I haven't used too much up yet. It smells fantastic, citrusy and lemony without being soapy, and it does what it says it will - my cuticles are in much better shape now than they have ever been!

Perfume

Perfume

Stella McCartney Sheer (LE)

As this product is limited edition and also appeared in my December Favourites, I'll keep this short. I'm sad that I'm almost finished this bottle as it's one of the nicest perfumes I've ever had. However, I have a few other perfumes to use up and two new perfumes that I got for Christmas so that's brilliant.

Makeup Brushes

I'd like to put a little disclaimer here: I haven't tried loads of different brushes. Some of the brushes I included in a previous post turned out to leak dye and shed hair, and so these are the ones I have found work best. I'm still trying to save up enough for a couple of MAC/Sigma purchases though. Any you can recommend?

Face Brush

Sephora Large Powder Brush ($39 in travel brush set)

This is so easy to swirl into powders and dust on the face or the cheeks. I find the domed bristles good for patting colour in specific areas and then blending out. 

Concealer Brush

Clinique Concealer Brush (£13.00)

This is actually perfect. As you can see, I use it with my MAC Studio Finish Concealer and it works really well. It also has a more precise point for applying concealer into the crease of my nose or onto any blemishes, but it blends out really well too. I love this brush.

Eye Brush

Crown Brush BK17 Deluxe Round Angle Stippler (£4.49)

I use this as a blending brush for my eyes, I find it is the perfect size, density and angle to work into my crease and blend powders outward. This has been my favourite Crown Brush from the set I received. I love this brush too! And it's so inexpensive. 

Primers

Drugstore Primer

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer 002 (£4.49 in sale, usually £6.99)

For a drugstore primer, I was really impressed. First of all that Rimmel even had a primer in their range where so many other drugstore companies don't provide an option. Secondly at the price point - even at £7, it's a fraction of the cost of my NARS primer. Thirdly, it does smooth and refine my skin and allow my makeup to last longer. I felt that my skin was noticeably brighter when I applied this primer. Well worth the money, especially at the moment as it's on special offer!

High-End Primer

NARS Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer (£24.00)

Ah, my most loved primer. I had never used a primer before I turned to NARS and since then I have never looked back. This is perfect - to me it feels weightless and absorbs into my skin whilst leaving a slightly matte, smooth base to work with. My makeup lasts much longer with this on than without and it makes my skin feel softer and appear plumper. I know that sounds like an advertisement but it's not, I just cannot express how much I love this. The only (rather significant) downside is the price - £24.00 is an awful lot of money. Rimmel's drugstore alternative is fine for me in the times I can't afford this, but if I had the money this would be my choice each time. Another benefit of both primers is that both come in a tube which can be cut open to scrape out the last of the product.

Eye Primer

NYX HD Eye Shadow Base (£6.67 at the moment, has been £8.00 before)

This is a total cheat. I only got this the other day but I'm already in love. You can see my first impressions here, where I swatch a MAC eyeshadow without this primer then with it. The results startled me. I wore it with MAC Honey Lust and Brown Down all day at work without creasing or fading, my eyes felt smoother although it didn't even out my skintone, and I have to say I don't think I need to try the UD Primer Potion as I've now found an eye primer I instantly love! What do you think? Is the UD primer better?

Foundation

Winter Foundation

MakeUp Forever HD Foundation in #115 Ivory ($40, don't know where to get it in the UK)

I do not remember this being that expensive when I bought it in New York! But I guess it kicked off my love for high-end foundations as I haven't looked back. This is definitely my winter shade as it's paler and pinker than my MAC foundation, but the coverage is great. It's not too matte but it's not dewy either, it's more of a velvet finish and is pretty full coverage without looking cakey. I'd look washed out if I wore it in summer though, but the only downside to this is that I can't get it in the UK. And that it's so expensive!

Summer Foundation

MAC Mineralize Satinfinish SPF15 Foundation in NW20 (£22.50)

Another expensive foundation, I'm afraid. I want to try the other MAC foundations too as this is great but a very satin, velvet finish and I'm looking for something more dewy. This is too dark for me in the winter, but in the summer or anytime that's not consistently grey and overcast, this is perfect. Not full coverage I'd say, more of a medium, but it's very lightweight and easy to apply. I love it. 

Concealer

MAC Studio Finish SPF35 Concealer in NW20 (£13.50)

I know the conventional wisdom is to go a shade up in your concealer but when I tried that in store it gave me 'inverse panda eyes' so I went with this. My dark circles have been a pain for me for years and this at least mostly covers them, as well as any blemishes or redness, with minimum fuss and long staying power. It also doesn't crease which is a plus. This is by far my favourite concealer as it's so easy to blend so it doesn't tug around the eyes. 

Powder, Blush and Bronzer

Powder

MakeUp Forever HD Microfinish Powder ($30, don't know where to get it in UK)

I really rarely wear powder but when I do it's this translucent powder by MUFE. I got it in the US and don't know where to get it here. The downside is that it's a messy powder to use - it gets everywhere - and it doesn't whiten in flash photography. But adding a little to your cheeks or eyes can make powder shadows and blushes easier to blend. This isn't a must have for me, but it's the only powder I'll use as it feels silky and fine, not chalky.

Shimmery Blush

NARS Oasis (£20.50)

So expensive! But so worth it. I love this pink shimmery champagne colour. It's easy to overuse but adds such a lovely warmth to the face. I love the formula of this - it's so easy to blend, and butter soft. I've barely dented it too so need to start using it more, but you do get a lot of product in my opinion! A gorgeous blush, you can see it (and other powder products) swatched below.

Matte Blush

Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Rose Petal (£20.50)

This is another thing I got in New York, so I didn't really realise the price of it. It's a gorgeous pale rose pink, perfect for adding the subtlest pink flush to the cheeks. It was my go-to blush in the autumn as it seemed such a perfect colour, making it look like the healthy flush of pink you'd get from taking a walk in cool weather, if that makes sense?

Bronzer

Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder (£6.99)

I had tried the E.L.F Bronzer before this to test if bronzer worked for me but that was way too dark and heavy. I love this - the cute design, the nice smell and the way it's quite a subtle, warm colour without being orangey, and can be built up for contouring. I wear this pretty much every day ever in winter - a light wash of colour can stop me looking ill!

Eye Makeup

Palette

MUA Immaculate Collection Palette (£8.00)

I'm sure if you read my blog you'll know how much I love this. In fact I have a couple more parts of my series on it to finish, but you can see my swatch and review of it here. For the price you get so many eyeshadows, the majority of which as extremely pigmented, and blend well. I love the available colours too - the golds are lovely particularly. These are super soft, creamy eyeshadows that I can't recommend enough!

Single Shadow

MAC Amber Lights (£9.50 for pro pan refill)

My first MAC eyeshadow and still my favourite. A beautiful bronzed gold which you can see swatched below, if I could have only one eyeshadow forever, it'd be this one. It's such a warm colour which can be washed over the lid or built up to gold-plated intensity. I really love this - it's maybe even my HG shadow.

Mascara

No7 LashAdapt Mascara (£12.50)

To be honest, I wasn't sure about this. I got it with a £5 off voucher and don't think I'd repurchase at full price. I've never bought a high end mascara but since many of them are only a few pounds more expensive than this I might have to. In comparison to other mascaras I've used though, this is the best. Non-clumpy, although it doesn't hold the curl very well. It's pigmented and lengthens my lashes, but don't trust it's claims that you can use it so many times in an evening - you can use it a few, but it does dry out your lashes!

Eyebrows

Sleek Brow Kit in Dark (£7.99)

Ahhhh this brow kit is brilliant! The gel-powder combination works great for my brows, shaping them and filling them in without making them look overdone - although I'm sure you could build it up to striking full brows if that was your thing. This instantly defines my face and tames my ridiculous brows. I have swatched it here. 

Lip Products

Lip Treatment

Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub (£4.95)

This smells lovely - sweet and like candyfloss. It works great too, getting rid of my dry and chapped skin in this freezing winter! And plus it's nice to have a little bit of pink sparkle.

Lipgloss

No7 High Shine Lipgloss in Smile (£9.00)

As I mentioned in my December Favourites, I got this ages ago and hadn't used it very much, but just recently got into using it again. I like it on its own but it looks great layered over nudes too. It's a peachy pink nude with a subtly golden shimmer, and it's not gloopy or sticky at all. That's important for me as I have hated lipglosses in the past for the sticky residue they leave on the lips.

Drugstore Matte Lipstick

Revlon Matte Lipstick in Mauve it Over (£7.49)

Another item from my December Favourites. You can see these lip products swatched below, by the way. This is a lovely dusty peach pink with a lovely matte finish that doesn't dry out the lips. Other than NYX I think Revlon have the most dedicated drugstore line of matte lipsticks which is great, and I would definitely repurchase this. It's long-wearing, non-drying and a gorgeous colour.

High-End Matte Lipstick

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in La Fascinante (£23.50)

You can see a more full review and swatch of this here, but this was my first proper expensive lipstick and I'm so glad. It's a beautiful deep blue-based red with a hint of pink, that wears beautifully on the lips with a velvety, satin finish. It's so long-wearing and so classic, and it barely dries my lips at all. The packaging is so luxurious I feel like it was worth the money. A definite future repurchase.

Drugstore Lipstick

MUA Lipstick in Shade 1 (£1.00)

I've said it before, and will again - for £1 this is a ridiculously good lipstick. The colour is beautiful - a deep purpley-pink tinged red, the formula is creamy, the little pot of lip tint you get in the tube is a lovely touch. I couldn't believe the quality of this when I tried it and can't recommend it enough!

High-End Lipstick

MAC Lipstick in Hue (£13.50)

My go to nude. I love the shade, the finish, the formula. It's a Glaze, which is like a slightly creamier gloss. This is a subtle pink nude which is so easy to swipe on throughout the day. A definite repurchase in the future and a recommendation. I guess a lot of people love it too as it's a really popular shade. 

Nail Polish

Drugstore Nail Polish

Models Own Nail Polish in Juicy Jules (£5.00)

I've said before that Models Own Polishes are my favourite in terms of price for quality, and this hasn't changed so far. For £5 these polishes are high quality, with a great selection of colours and finishes. This is a brilliant polish which has sold out loads as people really love it. You can see me wearing it here - I love it. I'd wear it every day if I didn't feel like I had to try out my other polishes!

High-End Nail Polish

Chanel Le Vernis in 527 Nouvelle Vague (LE)

You can't get this on proper shop websites anymore as it was an LE polish. My boyfriend got this for me and it's as beautiful as people say. I've been trying to ration my use of it but realise that's a silly idea now and plan to use it loads more in the new year. It's a very Tiffany blue which you can see me wearing in the early days of this blog here. The formula is lovely too.

Swatches

Left to right: MAC Amber Lights; NARS Oasis; Laura Mercier Rose Petal; Bourjois Delice de Poudre

Left to Right: No7 Smile; Revlon Mauve it Over; Chanel La Fascinante; MAC Hue; MUA Shade 1

So, what were your 2011 favourites? Any recommendations would be so welcome in the comments!

Don't forget to check out my new blog buttons and subscribe for the new year :)

And finally, I'd like to say a massive thank you to all of you who've read and interacted with my blog this year. I never realised I'd love doing this so much and all of you have made it so much better. Thank you, really. 

S xx

NYX Haul! And Matte Lipstick Series: NYX Matte Lipstick and Soft Matte Lip Cream

Hey everyone!
Since NYX were having a 20% off sale, I decided to buy some stuff to try out. I am so impressed with the things I bought I might be cheeky and spend some more of my Christmas money on some more things. I'm also really impressed with their speedy service - I purchased everything online yesterday and it arrived this afternoon!

These are the things I got. I'll swatch and review these here as I've worn most of them today, and use the two matte lip products as part of my Matte Lipstick series, of which there is only one more product left to review before I post my collective review post.

The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk (£4.50/ £3.60 in sale) is something I've wanted for a while - actually I want all the eye pencils! This is a creamy, pigmented and easily blendable formula that really provides a great base. The Milk shade is great for pale colours like light golds and champagnes or nudes. I'd like to get others like Black Bean for darker colours. This really needs an eye base though as it's so creamy it would crease without. I apply this from the pen to the eye and then blend it with my ring finger. It's really good, and although I haven't tried the Urban Decay equivalents, I don't feel the need to spend more money on them now.

I also got the NYX HD Eyeshadow Base (£8.00/£6.40 in the sale). I have never had a proper eye primer  and this has converted me! The only thing I dislike about it is that it has a doefoot applicator and that means I'll never be able to get all the product out unless I try to cut the packaging open. A squeezy tube might have been better. Whilst it doesn't even out my skin tone, it has provided a brilliant base for my eyemakeup, it makes the eyeshadow seem more pigmented, it prevents it from creasing or fading and it smooths out my lines. On the bottom I've show MAC Eyeshadow in Honey Lust without primer on the left and with primer on the right. The difference really surprised me! Well worth the money!

I also got my first ever cream blush, the NYX Cream Blush in Glow (£5.50/£4.40 in sale). I loved this blush! The bottom picture is the blush swatched heavily on the right, and blended out on the left. This is a lovely glowy pink flush. I only had to dab my slanted blush brush in it and dot it on my cheeks then blend it out. It would maybe be easy to be heavy handed with this blush but when used carefully I really love this. I bet this becomes one of my most used blushes.

I got the NYX Tinted Lip Spa in Sake (£4.50/£3.60 in the sale). It's good but totally melty so I might have to put it in the fridge. I think it may have broken at the base and that's why it keeps scraping against the sides of the tubes. Otherwise it's a good glossy sheer tinted lip balm and I love this colour - it's a sheer rose pink. It's quite hydrating but doesn't last very long. I still like it though and would probably repurchase it. 

I also got the NYX Matte Lipstick in Tea Rose (£5.50/£4.40 in sale). I'd been looking for a matte lipstick in this dusky rose colour for a while and this seemed perfect. The formula is great, creamy and easily applied, and it lasts for at least 4 hours on me without the need for reapplication. I really love this colour, and the formula, and the price - so all in all a great lipstick. I'd like to get some other colours too - NYX has the best range of matte colours I've seen for a drugstore matte lipstick. I think it's awesome that they offer this at the price they do where many other brands don't offer a matte at all.

I also got the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam (£5.00/£4.00 in sale) because Romzs of Norwegian Elephant recommended it after I tried the Collection 2000 Cream Puff and loved the colour but was disappointed by the wear. This is a brilliant deep true red (blue based) that is pigmented and velvety to apply. There is still transfer if I press my finger to my lips after application, but it lasts longer than the Collection 2000 on me. I love this! It's so easy to apply and the velvet finish is lovely.

Because the lighting was pretty bad in the lip swatch photos above, I took a photo of the lip colours swatched on my hand so you could see them. From left to right: Soft Matte Lip Cream in Amsterdam; Matte Lipstick in Tea Rose; Tinted Lip Spa in Sake.

Can you recommend anything else I should buy while the sale is still on? What are your favourite NYX products?

S xx

December Favourites.

Hey everyone!
Can you believe it's almost 2012? Next year I will graduate. In less than a month it will be a year since I left to study abroad in New York. In 2012 my mum will get married and (fingers crossed) I will celebrate my 6th anniversary with my boyfriend. I hope the coming year is bringing you lots of good things too.
As the last month of this year comes to an end, I thought I'd do another roundup of this month's favourites. I thought about doing a yearly favourites but since this blog hasn't been running for the whole of the year I decided not to.

You may also have noticed that I've played around with blog design a little bit. I made a new banner, adjusted the layout, added a new sidebar photo and also some new blog buttons in the sidebar that link you to my Twitter, RSS feed, my new Tumblr (still figuring out what to do with it) and my Bloglovin'. Let me know what you think!


What were your favourites this month/year? Any recommendations? And what are you most looking forward to about the new year?

1. Lee Stafford Argan Oil (£11.99) - A cheaper alternative to Morrocanoil that I have been loving this winter as it smooths my damaged hair. I put three pumps on damp hair and then let my hair dry naturally as I have been trying to avoid damaging my hair with heat. Then I put more in if I need to when my hair is dry. It makes my hair all smooth and shiny. I love it.
2. No7 High Shine Lipgloss in Smile (£9.00) - I bought this lipgloss ages ago - almost when I started this blog! You can see me wearing it here. It's a lovely pearly sheer pink, with perhaps the lightest gold shimmer in it. It looks great alone but better layered over a pinky nude lipstick.
3. Revlon Matte Lipstick in Mauve it Over (£7.49) - Have I mentioned how much I love a matte lipstick? Revlon's Mauve It Over is gorgeous - you can see me wearing it here - and has such a great formula. It's matte lipstick without being too bold, for days where a matte red or pink lip is too much. Perfect. 
4. 17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick in Beehive -on sale at £2.29, usually £4.59 - I know this is kind of cheating as I haven't had it for a full month but I love it. My lips got really dry this winter and this sheer, hyper glossy lipstick was my saviour. It added a lovely sheer pinky tint without being drying and made my lips look and feel hydrated - which sounds like a press release but really isn't! I think this lives up to the hype. The only downside is the cheap packaging; the lid keeps falling off in my bag. 
5. Stella McCartney Sheer (LE) - I'm almost out of this LE Stella perfume and it's so lovely I don't want to finish it! I've spoken about it before but I won't go on too much here as you can't get your hands on it anymore.
6. Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub (£4.95) - I know this is essentially sugar and oil, and you can make similar scrubs at home, but I love this. It smells (and tastes! haha) brilliant, sugary and sweet and exactly like bubblegum or candyfloss. It also works to remove dead and dry skin from my lips which I really needed this winter. 
7. Lush Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter (£5.95) - My hand saviour. Again, my hands suffered this winter, especially around my nails. I had such ragged skin and cuticles, and this really made a difference. I was sceptical at first but it does work and it smells great. My hands looked better in about two days with using this. And a little goes a long way so this should last me a while.
8. MAC Studio Finish SPF35 Concealer in NW20 (£13.50) - I think this was in last month's favourites too but this is fast becoming my favourite concealer. Maybe I haven't tried enough (NARS was my last favourite) but I don't mind - I use this is a V shape under my eyes and whilst it can't conceal everything (my dark circles are ridiculous) it really brightens and evens out my skin.
9. MAC Blush in Pink Cult (LE) - Another LE so I won't go on too much, but this has been my go to this month for a subtle hint of pinky purple flush.
10. MUA Immaculate Collection Palette (£8.00) - I promise soon I'll move on to new eyeshadows but this has been the palette I reach for every day. I may use the golds and browns more commonly than any other colours (golds and browns being my go-to) but they are great. What value for money!
11. Sleek Brow Kit in Dark (£7.99) - Something I've mentioned before as well but this is great. On next-to-no-makeup days I'll just pop on a touch of concealer, a little lip gloss, mascara and this. Defined brows really do change your face and this is a great kit. I use it almost every day and have barely made a dent in the product too!
12. Models Own Nail Polish in Juicy Jules (£5.00) - I feel like this is cheating too since I haven't had it all December but this is really gorgeous. You can see me wearing it here. It's amazing - when I wear it I can't stop looking at my nails and it has really helped me in my quest to stop biting/breaking my nails. A gorgeous silver glitter. 




Hope you liked it!
S xx

Christmas Presents: Feeling Spoiled!

Hey guys!
I'm back from Christmas celebrations and thought I'd share some of what I got with you! I know some people hate birthday/Christmas 'hauls' but I got some pretty amazing stuff this year, and I feel incredibly lucky, grateful and a little spoiled too! I'm showing the beauty/fashion things I received cause I figured this isn't really the place to show books and cooking equipment (although my Dad got me some amazing things for making cakes and Thai food!). I'd like to say, although I'm sure most of them don't read this, a huge thank you to my boyfriend, and my lovely family for their generosity.
I'd also like to say thank you  to you, the readers. I recently hit 150 subscribers and it has made me so happy! It was like a little extra Christmas gift when I signed on after Christmas, so thank you very much. You're awesome!

I'll be doing reviews and swatches and first impressions soon, but this is more of a quick overview. If you got awesome stuff for Christmas or anything else, please leave it in the comments below or link to your own blog or video - I love watching them. And please know my intention is not to be bragging here.

I also got some nail polishes from my boyfriend's mum that I'll be swatching and reviewing next (using a portable light studio set up that my boyfriend got me!) so those aren't included here.

I got this amazing build-your-own Recesky Twin Lens Reflex Camera from my mum, plus some film to use with it. As you can see in my blog header, I think twin lens cameras look amazing. That is me in my header by the way, but it's not my camera! So this is a plastic camera you build yourself and it takes lovely Lomography style photos. So cool - I'll let you know what my photos turn out like.

My mum also got me this gorgeous bag from Barbara Wiggins (yellow is my absolute favourite colour) and these ABE Chelsea Boots from Topshop. I love them - I actually chose the boots myself but they are just so amazing. And I love the bag too - it's the perfect thing for next semester.

My friend got me these lovely Betsey Johnson bee earrings (bees are my favourite animal) and my mum got me this gorgeous pieces of jewellery, but I'm not sure where from. I love how sparkly they are and can't wait to wear them! I'm sure they'll pop up in OOTDs soon!

These candles are from my cousin and my friend. On the left is this giant scented candle in the gorgeous box! I was so pleased because I had been saying I wanted a nice scented candle for the house - this one is in Asian Lychee and it smells amazing. I wish I knew where it was from! And the right one is a candle holder my friend made for me from a golden syrup can - I love it! It's so thoughtful. You can check out this friend's amazing illustration work here (some images NSFW).

I got a lovely set of Sanctuary body products from my Secret Santa at work, a L'il Lush Pud from my friend which is so cute but no longer on sale, and a Soap and Glory A Butter Suite from my mum. This is awesome because it's the only way you can get Butter Up, my favourite Soap and Glory moisturiser. I also really love The Righteous Butter so I can't wait to start using these.

My lovely boyfriend must have looked at my Christmas Wishlist because he got me a Dolce & Gabbana The One gift set, with the perfume and body lotion. It smells amazing - a vanilla, jasmine and fruit mix that has a lovely drydown. It seems to me like a grown up alternative to many of my younger perfumes. My mum got me the new Miss Dior Cherie Couture Edition - we had been in House of Fraser and when I tried it on I kept smelling my wrist all day. I love the Miss Dior Cherie line in general, but this is my favourite edition. The hand tied silk bow on the bottle is a lovely touch as well.

Sorry for the lack of focus. My mum got me all this - a NARS Pro-Primer (I love NARS Primers, they are amazing and worth the money in my opinion, but I find it hard to part with the money for them myself. This is oil, paraben and synthetic fragrance free and creates a wonderful smooth, mattified base), a MAC Wedge Sponge, and two MAC pan eyeshadows - Honey Lust and Brown Down which I will swatch and use in a future post. They are gorgeous shades and exactly the kind of shadow I would have bought for myself.

I was so excited when I opened this gift from my boyfriend. I couldn't believe he'd got me it! It's a Liz Earle Skin Essentials set with full size Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, Instant Boost Skin Tonic, Skin Repair Moisturiser for Normal/Combination Skin and Superskin Concentrate (it also came with a sample of Men's Face Scrub). I cannot wait to start using this - it has won so many awards and been touted by so many people as the must have skincare that I can only hope it works as well for me. I love using skincare from the same line as well as you know it is meant to work together. Also, how gorgeous is the packaging? I can't believe I got the Superskin Concentrate as well because I had been wanting it for ages. Thank you, amazing boyfriend!

So, what did you get for Christmas? Let me know below!
S xx

OOTD: My 5th Anniversary

Hey guys!
This is just a super quick post as I'm currently celebrating my fifth anniversary with my lovely boyfriend. We went out for dinner and a movie tonight, and this is what I wore.
I'm not wearing heels because I broke my toe recently! I'm actually wearing a new pair of Chelsea boots that my mum got me for Christmas, but which I was allowed to wear tonight for the special occasion. Tomorrow I have to give them back though!
I'm also wearing 17 Lipstick in Beehive which I'll be reviewing soon - I love love love it.

Bandeau - Aerie

Shirt - New Look

Jeans - New Look

Chelsea Boots - Topshop

Rings - H&M

Earrings - Primark

I'd also like to say Happy Anniversary to my lovely, amazing boyfriend. 

And if there is anyone out there who knows a bit about blog design - headers, icons, graphics and so on - please get in touch I'd really love some help!

S xx