BEAUTY & LE CHIC

Move over Big Apple Red, there’s a new classic red in town. Coca Cola red has to be the most iconic red out there, I mean they even changed Santa’s suit to match it, so it only makes sense that OPI and Coca Cola should join forces to pay homage in Nail Laquer form. The co-lab hit shelves over the summer, but OPI Coca Cola Red is so Christmasssy, it’s only now that I’m really excited about it. Plus Birchbox sent it in November’s box – nice timing!

Coca Cola Red £8.92 here is as classic a red as they come and as soon as I clocked eyes on it, I knew it had to be my Christmas go-to. It doesn’t lean towards the pink or orange or blue, it’s true red Red and will flatter pretty much any skin tone. The top quality formula applies easily with OPI’s trademark Pro Wide brush technology. It’s very opaque with full coverage from two coats and has a pretty glossy-creme finish. As for wear time, I’m on day four and still going strong.

What’s your go-to Christmas shade?

Pardon the pun but this month’s box is a cracker! The last box of 2014 is packed full of seasonal must-haves to see you through the party period, all encased in a limited edition, bejewelled Sophia Webster-designed box. The bumber beauty box is packed with SEVEN products, including a full size Eyeko Fat Eye Stick, an exclusive Sophia Webster zip-top purse and the cutest little Benefit Christmas cracker.

Eslor Firming Collagen Day Cream Sample | £50

Give skin a plumping boost with this ultra hydrating lotion infused with Hydrolyzed Marine Collagen - The perfect antidote for harsh winter’s days. You can never have enough moisturiser this time of year!

Eyeko Fat Eye Stick Smoke Full Size £8

Yes! Just in time for the smokey-eye-season! You can glide them on as a thick liner, or smudge them to create a shadow (they go on opaque but blend easily for a sheer look).

Electric Hair Hydrate Shampoo | £17.50

The hydrating shampoo is packed with moisture-rich ingredients that retain hydration and add a beautiful, healthy looking shine. Perfect for packing away in your weekend bag, if like me you’ll be “driving home for Christmas”.

Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil | £16.50

I love Rosehip and Trilogy’s has an excellent reputation. The perfect winter wonder for when your skin needs some extra nourishment.

Models Own Velvet Goth Full Size | £5

And this is the one I’ve been waiting for! This month Birchbox gave its subscribers the choice of four Models Own Velvet Goth polishes and I (painstakingly) chose Absinthe. Packed with glitter, the matte finish multi-faceted formula has us dreaming of nights spent beneath the disco ball. I’ve got a Christmas party next week and I can’t wait to debut this.

Benefit High Beam Christmas Cracker

Cute much? This teeny tiny cracker includes a little sample of Benefit’s liquid illuminator – perfect for faking the glow.

Lifestyle Extra

Sophia Webster designed zip-top purse. Fill with lipstick and liner and pop in your going-out bag.

I thought last month's Birchbox was the best one yet, but this has blown it out the water! Bravo Birchbox!

IF YOU FANCY TRYING BIRCHBOX, USE MY FRIENDS REFERRAL LINK AND WE’LL BOTH GET £5 WORTH OF POINTS TO SPEND IN THE BIRCHBOX E-SHOP.

P.S It's your last chance to enter my MAC LIPSTICK GIVEAWAY HERE

You might recognise this kit from the Beauty Gifts you Won’t be Re-gifting feature? I said then I doubt I’ll be able to wait until Christmas...and guess what, I couldn’t. See, the problem with waiting until Christmas is, you can’t wear them to your Christmas parties!

What I love about this set, it’s a complete look in one! Ideal if you’re short on time, not sure what colours go together or just fancy trying a complete new look. The set includes everything you need to create a neutral shimmering chic look.

All About Shadow Quad, 2.28g containing four soft-to-smouldering shades – a natural cream lid colour, a rich, warm brown with a hint of plum, a shimmering gold and a beautiful smokey olive.
Creamy Shaper For Eyes– A creamy-smooth deep eyeliner pencil with a hint of gold shimmer.
Lash Power Feathering Mascara in Black Onyx – a glossy black.
Instant Lift For Brows in Soft Blonde to highlight the brow bone.

The shadows are beautiful. I have hazel eyes and this colourway really brings out the green. The eyeliner is the star of the show. It reminds me of Urban Decay’s 24/7 liners – glides on creamy, and then does.not.budge. The mascara is light and feathery, but you can easily up the amp with a few coats. The brow highlighter has a beautiful champagne shimmer – don’t be put off by the “blonde” tag. Clearly I ain't no blonde and it works for me.

Clinique Instant Shimmer Kit £35 House of Fraser

Lip liner has been the surprise trend of 2014. Thanks to Kylie Jenner's faux-full lips, the retro beauty trend is well and truly back, but liner doesn’t have to be obvious and some colours, especially dark ones are far better paired with a neat line.

Cue Rebel, my winter lipstick of choice. The vivid pinkish-purple is my perfect not-too-dark dark lip. But since it’s dark and so pigmented it’s quite tricky to apply straight from the bullet. It really helps to line and define the lips first. I’ve seen online a lot of people team it with MAC’s Vino lip liner, but honestly I didn’t fancy spending £13 on a lip liner so I popped to Boots and picked up a £1.99 dupe!

Natural Collection Lip Lines in Mulberry is a wonderful red wine colour – dark plum with a hint of pink. Not quite as purple as Rebel, but close enough! It applies easily with no drag and to my surprise, is not at all drying. It’s ideal for lining the lips, or for even longer lasting lipstick, colour the entire lip before applying your colour. Helps to ensure you stay in the lines, reduced bleed, intensifies the lipstick colour and if you want to exaggerate your pout, you can.

MAC Rebel Lipstick - Natural Collection Mulberry Lip Line

A complete snip at £1.99! Available at Boots

Smokey eye is the look that goes with everything and since it’s party season, why not add some festive shimmer – If ever there’s a time to sparkle, it’s Christmas! Ditch the boring browns and greys and choose skin flattering bronzish hues. An eyeshadow palette like Urban Decay Naked is your party-season BFF. With 12 shades from neutrals to shimmers, you can create the look that suits you. A smokey eye doesn’t have to be difficult. You only really need two or three shadows, a liner and a mascara. Balance the heavy eye with natural, luminous skin and a nude lip – or if you feel like being rebellious, why not reach for a ravishing red.

Step 1– Not to prime is a crime! If you want your smokey eye to last as long as you do, you’ve got to lay down the foundations. Apply a long-lasting primer like Urban Decay Primer Potion all over the lids.

Step 2– Take your palette and lay down an all-over-lid base colour with a lighter shade like Buck. Add intensity by applying a darker colour like Smog to the outer corners of the lid and smudge a little under the eyes for extra dram. A generous dusting of gold shimmer (like half baked) to the centre of the lids adds an instant festive feel and really brightens the eye. Add a little in the inner corners of the eyes (near your tear ducks), this will really make your eyes pop!

Step 3– Liner time. It’s a smokey eye so no need to be precise. Take a long-lasting khol pencil to line the lids and under-eye area, then using your finger, smudge out for a lived-in, smoked effect.

Step 4– Lashings of your favourite mascara – If you want full on glamour, why not add some lashes.

The rest of the make up went like this...

MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Perversion

Bourjois One Seconde Volume Mascara

MAC Desert Rose Blush

L'Oreal Lip Liner Honey

MAC Lipstick Pure Zen

Guaranteed to wow, easy to do, ready to rock!

Hello and a very Merry Christmas everyone. I do hope you've all had a wonderful time. By now I'm guessing you're tired of Turkey, stuffed full of stuffing and sick of fending off the mince pies that JUST WON'T GO DOWN! So whilst you slump on the sofa in your (used to be stretchy but now just about fit) sweatpants, I thought you might fancy a little peek at my beauty gifts.

I'm so happy the Zoeva Rose Gold Makeup brushes are FINALLY mine.

This Jo Malone candle smells DIVINE!

Well and truly stocked up on Liz Earle

I'm completely crushing on this OPI Nail Envy Wardrobe- it comes in an actual mini wardrobe!

Well done to my Mum for tracking down the beauty must-have gift of 2014...

I know I've been incredibly spoilt! That's me in blogging material for months. Come back soon for reviews on all these beauts plus my top products of 2014!

LOVE AND CHRISTMAS KISSES CLAIRE X

NOW, BACK TO THE SOFA...

Here we go, here we go, here we go again, girls what's my weakness ~~MEN~~ LIPSTICK! So I've been on a little self imposed lipstick ban for a few months now but I can't help it if a very lovely friend buys me one can I? My BFF went to NYC and brought me back my very own Sephora haul, which included this gawjus Rouge Shine Lipstick.

Miss You No10 is the perfect my lips but better kinda shade. A nudey spiced taupe, it definitely wouldn't be out of place in Kylie Jenner's collection. Rouge Shine Lipsticks are semi-sheer with a rich glossy finish. I don't know about you but I'm tired of my lipsticks clinging to my dry, chapped lips. This moisturising formula, packed with vit E and shea butter is ideal right now for comforting and protecting the pout and also makes it look a little beefed up... must be something to do with the glossy particles. Worn alone it's a perfect everyday lipstick, or pair with your fave lip liner to enhance your look. I'm wearing it with L'Oreal Contour Parfait in Honey. I doubt you need me to remind you but Sephora now ship to the UK. Rouge Shine Lipstick $12.50 here

Whichever lipstick you're rocking tonight, hope you have a wonderful New Year's Eve - all my Love and best wishes for 2015, Claire x

Happy New Year! I don’t know about you but I’m not quite ready to embrace the new year. I’m still in Christmas mode. As I write this I’m wearing joggers, watching Only Fools and Horses and eating mince pies... It’s the good life and I ain’t sick of it yet. So before 2015 really kicks and I’m forced to leave my joggers (for good) I thought I’d start with a rundown of 2014's best beauty bits, the cream of the crop... the class of 2014.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade £15 Cult Beauty

My single most loved/used/can’t-live-without product of 2014, DipBrow is basically brow perfection. I’ve gone from pencil, to powder and now I’m pretty sold on gel. The easy to use formula gives on point brows every time. Full review here.

Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara £9.99 Feel Unique

The mascara of the year! Currently in my top two, just behind Chanel Le Volume, and no one minds being 2nd to Chanel. It coats lashes with a generous amount of formula and scoops them to new heights, fast. It fans the lashes perfectly, thickens and gives a good ol’ curl. Full review and results here.

Liz Earle Superskin Hand Serum £18.75 John Lewis

This stuff is off the scale amazing! In a nut shell Liz Earle does a skincare range called Superskin, which basically smells like heaven! An aromatic blend of 100% pure plant oils including argan, rosehip, neroli, lavender and chamomile, it’s superfood for your hands. A suped-up serum/hand cream leaves my hands visibly softer and plumper.

Benefit Gimme Brow £14.04 QVC

Keeping the BROW GAME STRONG, Gimme Brow gives wow brows and fast. It magics brows where they don’t even exist, ideal if yours are skinny or patchy. A couple sweeps back and forth and my brows look much fuller. Great by itself for a casual brow or paired with a powder or gel for full on va va voom brows. Read all about it here.

Chanel Vitalumière Foundation £36 Debenhams

2014 was the year I finally splurged on the foundation I’ve been listing after. Luminosity in a bottle, I rarely reach for anything else now. Full review here.

L’Oreal Fibrology from £1.99 Boots

Hands down the hair care product of the year. The hair god’s at L’Oreal have taken my wish list – volume, bounce, body, thickness and bottled it for a mere £1.99. And what really sets Fibrology aside... the results last and LAST. X months in and I’m still hooked. Read the low down here.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Luminous Light £38 Space NK

I wrestled my conscience over this one because of the steep price tag, but the reviews were so strong I did eventually cave (plus I got it cheaper in the US). Best described as a finishing powder, it’s able to manipulate how your skin looks under different lighting – highlighting and blurring at the same time. In short, it’s like being in soft focus!!! It’s my “pull out the big guns” product. Review here.

Parlux 3200 Compact Hairdryer £60.50 Lookfantastic

A birthday present back in February, this was a hair game changer. A salon worthy blow out every time and in record time! Never say never, but I doubt I’ll ever use another dryer again. Review here.

What were your stars of 2014?

Sometimes I can be a bit stubborn. If everyone is raving about a product, I'll try to avoid it. For that reason I deliberately swerved the whole “egg” sponge craze. I thought I didn’t need another beauty tool... WRONG! The little gizmo creates the most flawless, airbrushed finish I’ve ever experienced. I’ll spare you the selfie. You know the deal with me by now, I’m all about that base and if you’ve seen a picture of my in the last few months, chances are I applied my favourite foundation with this!

I doubt you need me to tell you the hype surrounding this little pink sponge. The original beauty blender is an ingenious egg-shaped makeup sponge that ensures flawless makeup application. It's reusable and openly endorsed by Hollywood heavies like Oprah, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Shakira, Katherine Heigl and many more.

But still, I’ve dabbled with sponges in the past, wasn’t convinced... until one, literally, landed on my doorstep courtesy of Birchbox. Secretly, I was thrilled to see it there and from first application, I WAS SOLD!

What’s so special?

The shape! Beautyblender’s patent-pending, elliptical-shape fits perfectly to the contours of the face. The fatter “side” of the sponge is great for the larger areas and the point gets right in the nooks and crannies. The sponge’s surface creates an air-brushed finish which means it can be used all over the face with all types of liquid makeup – foundation, concealer, highlighter, it’s got it covered. There’s no beginning, no end, which means there’s none of the lines or streaks often experienced with a brush, just 100% flawless, seamless makeup application.

It’s easy to use too. Simply dampen the Beautyblender with water, squeeze out any excess then it’s good to go. I like to place a dollop of foundation on the back on my hand and dab in the sponge as I go, using a stippling/rolling action on my face. There’s absolutely no need to blend your make up, the sponge is that good, makeup is blended the minute it comes into contact with the skin. Application is pretty quick and completely seamless.

Positives

Seamless, flawless application every time
No need to blend
No edges, lines or streaks
Easy to use
Latex-free, non-irritating, non-allergenic and odourless
Long-lasting and easily washable
Adds a dewy finish

Any Negatives?

If I’m being picky, it’s a little more time consuming than using your fingers or grabbing your nearest stippling brush. I tend not to bother Monday-Friday. But, evenings and weekends, it’s my go-to.
The Price? £16 each, but if you care for it and wash it properly, it’ll last a while.

The Original Beauty Blender £16 Cult Beauty. Also available with Blender Solid Cleanser £26 Birchbox. For a cheaper alternative, check out Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge £5.99 Boots... I hear it’s very good!

ANY BEAUTY BLENDER FANS IN THE HOUSE?

Something that definitely falls into the “chic” category of beauty and le chic. My new Larsson & Jennings watch. Beautiful, simple and classic... it’s arm candy without the candy.

Anglo-Swedish watch label Larsson& Jennings are dedicated to minimal designs and maximum quality. The unisex Lãder series pays homage to the classic British dress watch. The clean lines and statement face combined with luxury Italian & British leather straps creates the ultimate subtle and sophisticated fashion piece. The 40 mm Swiss made watch houses a Ronda 762 Swiss movement (I’ve got no idea what that means either but it sounds impressive), gold plated bezel n buckle and durable crystal sapphire glass face.

The LBW (little black watch) goes with anything and thanks to the stunning gold features it really stands out from the crowd. That’s what I love about it; it’s striking without being too in your face. At £205 it’s at the more affordable end of timepieces and it will definitely stand the test of time.... no pun intended.

Larsson & Jennings Lader watch £205 available from Larsson & Jennings | Liberty | Net a Porter

Never judge a blush by its cover! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve over looked this blush. Never, in all of my visits to MAC counters have I ever been tempted to buy this blush on account of two things. 1) MAC describes this as a reddish burgundy, 2) It has a matte finish. BUT THEN, I was on a makeup course pre-Christmas and without looking at the name, applied it to my cheeks and was immediately loved up. Imagine my incredulity when I took it out the palette to reveal its true identity... Desert Rose. Turns out MAC are colour blind because this blush is neither red nor burgundy and I’m stupid to assume all matte blushers are dull, flat and drying... this one is anything but!

MAC Desert Rose Blush £18 in my eyes is a beautiful dusky rose pink with slight mauve undertones. It’s a grown up pink, no dolly or pastel here and fits perfectly in the 90s make up trend – yep, works with the Kylie Jenner style nudey/brown lips. It’s a great neutral too, not overly pink, not too warm.

This blush has a lot of pigment and stays true to the pan colour. A little goes a long way so no need for a heavy hand and it lasts, and lasts without ending up patchy. “Matte’s” have had a bad rep for far too long but I’m starting to see that matte doesn’t equal flat! The blush has a lovely texture that blends wonderfully on the skin. It adds an immediate glow and warmth to the face without being shimmery or highlighty, making it a great everyday blush. The proof in the pudding is I’ve reached for it nearly every day since buying it. It’s definitely sitting top of the blush list!

What’s your favourite MAC Blush?

Monthly subscription is £10.00 Plus £2.95

I normally break my neck to share with you the latest Birchbox. But this month, aside from the jazzy “Women’s Health” design, there wasn’t much that excited me.... at least not at first! Fast forward a week and I’ve had the chance to use the products I’ve decided this month’s box is a grower! The ‘Hit Refresh’ box in partnership with Women’s Health, has the products you need to will help you start the year with your best foot forward.

Stila Lip Glaze Full Size Product £15.00

It’s Stila, and it’s full size, so yeah, a big thumbs up, BUT I’m not much of a gloss wearer these days. Maybe this one can tempt me back? The sheer pink-toned gloss is universally flattering and the built-in vitamin A, C and E keep lips from drying out.

Philip Kingsley Body Building Conditioner 20ml Sample | Full Size 250ml £19.00

YESSS! A product for volume. Just what I need. As soon as I sampled this it gave my hair an immediate plumpness. “Enhanced with keratin proteins and natural cellulose, it improves the hair's strength and condition as well as thickening the appearance of each strand”. I’m tempted to buy the shampoo to go with it now!

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask 10ml Sample | Full Size £30.00

Radiance in a tube! This bioactive peel mask renews the complexion in minutes with a cocktail of natural fruit extracts (passion fruit, pineapple, lemon and grape no less!) gently sloughing away dead skin cells to renew the complexion and remove impurities (blackheads begone!). Papaya extracts also work to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and smooth the skin’s surface.

HealGel Intensive 5ml Sample | Full Size £37.50

I had no idea what this skinny little tube was until a little googling revealed its cult status. Created by a team of leading British plastic and cosmetic surgeons, HealGel Intensive is a scientifically designed, multipurpose, skin rescue gel. Did you say collagen-boosting? I’m in! Also works as a great primer.

Activbod Cooling Finish Lotion Sample | Full Size £12.00 100ml

“If there’s one thing we want to do quickly post-workout, it’s cool down! Thankfully, this menthol-packed lotion from activbod delivers an instant cooling sensation to the skin with its menthol-packed formula. As well as bringing the temperature down, vitamin E helps to moisturise and repair dry skin”. I think this product’s a bit pointless. All I want to do post-workout is get home, have a shower and EAT!

Embrace Matcha Green Tea 1 Sachet | Full Size £24.99/30 bags

If there’s one thing I do tend to embrace is January, it’s herbal teas... so this was a welcome extra. Packed with antioxidants and nutrients (up to 10 times more than a regular cup of green tea!) matcha is a superfood that packs a punch.

Lifestyle Extra – Birchbox & Women’s Health Pilates Band Worth £7.99

This stretch little resistance band is perfect for improving your strength and muscle endurance. Incorporate into your exercise regime, if you have one. If not, hang it round your ankles and extend your legs whilst you watch Big Brother!

Now I’ve had a chance to use and research the products, I think this is a really strong box – good work Birch! If you fancy subscribing to Birchbox, use my friends referral link and we’ll both get some bonus points to spend in the Birchbox shop.

This set is downright divine. It’s every inch as good as it looks in the photos – in fact, it’s better. The Zoeva Rose Golden Brush Set features eight exquisite face and eye brushes. Talk about luxe – expertly crafted with natural and synthetic bristles and designed with a symphony of rose golden ferrules and matte black handles. They’re simply stunning and guaranteed to PIMP any dressing table. Even the free clutch bag it comes with is classic and sleek. Most brushes are vegan friendly and all are wonderfully soft.

The Full Lowdown....

Face:

106 Powder: “Apply loose and pressed powder”

Oh my dream, THIS BRUSH! It’s my favourite of the set, possibly my favourite brush EVER. It’s super duper soft, beautifully shaped and feels like velvet on the skin. I’m using mine to apply my MAC Skinfinish powder, the large shape makes it perfect for all over the face and creates a really natural finish – good for bronzer too.

102 Silk Finish: "Apply and blend foundation"

This is the brush that everyone raves about and I can see why. The silky soft, densely packed bristles make it a perfect liquid foundation brush. A similar style to Real Techniques Expert Face Brush but a million times softer and more rounded which means it navigates around the hard-to-reach areas with ease. Doesn’t seem to drink up too much foundation or have a mattifying effect like some – I’m a dewy gal and this doesn’t change that.

110 Face Shape: "Contour the face shape with cream and powder products"

I haven’t found much use for this one yet but like the others it’s of exquisite quality. It’s billed as a contour brush, but it’s too small and firm for powder contouring (I tried, it looked HARSH), definitely better suited to cream contouring. Would make a decent cream blush applicator too.

127 Luxe Sheer Cheek: "Apply powder blush"

An exquisite blusher brush – this one is probably my second favourite of the set. The angled shape makes it ideal for ultra-soft contouring and shading, however I’m favouring it for blush application. Made from premium quality natural Goat Hair, this is one of the softest of the bunch and yields the most flawless coverage. I often find blusher brushes can be a bit harsh, the way they dump all of the product in one place, this one distributes it seamlessly, almost kissing the skin.

142 Concealer Buffer: "Apply and blend concealer"

An innovative makeup tool which flawlessly applies and blends concealer. It dabs concealer onto the area then buffs for an airbrushed effect. Soft enough for the oh so delicate under eye area too.

Eyes:

227 Soft Definer: "Softly blend and smooth eyeshadow"

This one’s remarkably similar to the MAC 217 brush – aka the best eyeshadow brush in the World, just slightly smaller. The flat sides make it perfect for eyeshadow application and a oveal head blends seamlessly.

231 Petit Crease: "Accentuating and blending in the crease"

I don’t have any brushes in my collection like this one. It’s beautifully tapered with a pointed tip making it perfect for accentuating the crease and deepening the look of a smokey eye. Also fantastic for smudging liner/shadow around the lash line.

317 Wing Liner: "Detailed eyeliner strokes and a perfect wing"

The only one in the set I’m not getting along with. The bristles are a little too long and soft to apply liner with much precision. The brush head is thin, which allows you to get really close to the lash line, but it’s not thick enough to have much of an impact.

And breathe.

I’m running out of superlatives to describe my love for these brushes. If only they’d been made years ago before I spent a small fortune on MAC brushes. They’re better quality and at an average price of £7.11 per brush, significantly cheaper.

UK £56.95 from Beauty Bay and LoveMakeup | Europe 65 Euros Zoeva

Smell-o-vision. What happened to that? Surely by 2015 it was going to be widespread, right? Anyway I wish it was so I could share with you the wondrousness of the Jo Malone Oud & Bergamot Candle.

I’m no perfumer but this stuff is simply intoxicating. Jo describes it as “hypnotic and alluring”, it’s certainly an intense fragrance with woody notes (get me). This was actually a Christmas present but I could smell it before I even opened that box and frankly, for that kind of money, that’s exactly what I’d expect. It’s not overpowering, but reassuringly intoxicating like a good fragrance should be. As soon as I sniffed it I loved it, and immediately thought this would make an amazing fragrance! Which of course they do, but it costs a fortune (£100 here). Cult candles– Diptyque, Jo Malone, Neom et al are having a real moment. I know they’re crazy expensive, and like my boyfriend says, it’s like burning money, but everything about this candle is luxurious and indulgent! The packaging (which can be recycled as a makeup brush holder) looks classic and stylish on any coffee table, the scent fills the house for hours, even days after it’s been burnt, and with the lid off you can smell this one without even burning it and they do last ages! I burnt this for a few hours on last night, in an attempt to beat the Sunday night blues; it barely went down and smelt heavenly. If I could afford it, I’d fill the house with luxurious candles... but for now, this one’s doing a good job, all by itself.

Intoxicating Jo Malone Oud &Bergamot Candle £48 Jo Malone | John Lewis | House of Fraser

Luxurious Candles, are you sold?

Firstly, apologies for the quality of these pictures. Have you seen the daylight lately? No, me neither.

January, it’s probably the one month of the year you shouldn’t shop. We’ve overspent in December and we’re stocked up form Christmas but there’s something about this miserable month that makes me ~~want~~ need to shop! It’s also the perfect month to spend those loyalty points “earned” Christmas shopping for others and weigh in the Christmas gift cards.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage SC3 £26 here

There’s a reason this features in every makeup artists’ kit and I’m about to find out why! It’s been on my lust-list for a long time thanks to Queen Lisa (Eldridge) who used this in just about all of her makeup tutorials, so I weighed in my Birchbox loyalty points, which by the way are easy build up if you complete the monthly surveys. I’ve had a quick play with it and the texture is very stiff/solid, which is strange but man, do they pack a punch. As if by magic I developed a nasty spot on my chin the next day and with this and a bit of pin-point concealer – spot be gone! A full low down will follow soon.

OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go £9.60 here

So this ended up in the same Birchbox order because I had £30 of points to redeem. I’m a big fan of OPI Avoplex but it is a tad annoying the way the oil runs down the fingers. The on the go version has more of a gel like texture which is applied with a handy pointed brush. In the handbag it goes!

Liz Earle Botanical Fragrance No 15 £49 John Lewis

I have wanted this perfume since the minute I smelt it. The girl at the Liz Earle counter was smelling ah-maz-ing and I thought it was Tom Ford Vanille and Tobacco (which I adore but could never justify the £145 price tag). When I asked her, turns out it was Botanical Fragrance No15. I decided then and there I’d save my points up and go back when I had enough. Fast forward around 6 months and I finally had the points I needed, £50.02 to be precise. I will say I’m a little confused. The bottle in the store is cream and opaque, but when I opened my box the bottle is clear? Still, it smells exactly the same, which is wonderful and intense and sexy and... yep, I love it. I don’t however love having 102 Boots points.

Liz Earle Brow Brush & Liner Brush £12.50 John Lewis

I didn’t go looking for another brush; it just caught my eye whilst I was paying for the perfume. I’ve nailed my Dipbrow application – Anastasia Brush no.12 is perfection, but I’ve been struggling for a powder counterpart. The MAC 266 brush used to do the job but lately it hasn't been giving me the precision I've needed. I wanted something smaller – step forward Liz Earle Eye & Brow Brush, which is smaller and has firmer bristles.

Rapid Brow Eyebrow Enhancing Serum £37 Boots

I may have been growing my eyebrows back for what feels like an eternity, but no matter how hard I try, some stubborn patches will not grow back. Praying, PRAYING this works! Will report back... in up to 6 weeks!

L’Oreal Elnett Heat Protecting Spray Volume £3.99 on promo Boots

Confession time, until now I have not been protecting my hair from heat. I know, bad beauty blogger! I also cane the mousse as it’s the only thing that really adds the oomph. I picked this up in the hope it would do both. To really put it to the test I used it without the mousse and it definitely added plenty of volume. Next time around I used it before the mousse and wow, full on volume PLUS heat protection. Winner, winner, hair aint getting thinner!

The good news is, only a few days of January left. Have you been shopping through the January Blues?

Lip liner, aka the comeback kid. In a serious turnaround, the trend’s gone from retro to on fleek! Taking inspiration from Kylie Jenner faux-full lips (that’s faux-full, not awful), we’re taking to lip liner in our droves. But it’s not all about the over lining trend, lip liners can enhance the colour and shape of the lips, prevent bleed, stop lipstick from feathering and used all over the lips, give lipstick something to cling to – which means it lasts, AND LASTS.

The concealer lips....

MAC Lip Pencil Naked £12.50 Debenhams

My go-to when I’m channelling the classic smokey eye, nude lips looks. It’s the perfect partner of my fave nude lipstick, MAC Creme d’nude. It’s also perfect for blocking out lip colour if you’re going for a bright lipstick and need to neutralise your base. It’s creamy, very pigmented and long lasting.

The bargain liner!

Collection Lip Liner Mulberry £1.99 Boots

Natural Collection Lip Lines in Mulberry is a wonderful red wine colour – dark plum with a hint of pink. I bought this to go with MAC Rebel and it’s a pretty good match. It applies easily with no drag and to my surprise, is not at all drying. See it in action here.

The good by itself liner...

NYX Slim Lip Pencil Sand Pink £3.50 NYX

A medium, blue toned pink, it has a real brightening effect on my lips. I pair it with any medium to bright pinks, or wear alone and add a touch of glossy for a glossy pink pout. The formula I find is very similar to MAC’s lip pencils and a snip of the price!

The tawny one...

L'Oréal Contour Parfait Lip Liner 656 Honey

A pinky, browny nude. If I was going for the Kylie Jenner look, this would be my weapon of choice. I was going to buy MAC’s In Synch liner when I realised this was basically a dupe. This is my most used liner, the my-lips-but-better shade. Very smooth, glides on easily and it’s long lasting, without being drying, even when used all over the lips. I love this one. It just makes my lips look define and done, but no one would ever know I was wearing lip liner.

The Lisa Eldridge endorse one..

No7 Precision Lip Liner Nude £6.75 Boots

What’s good enough for Lisa... It’s a light browny pink, similar to the L'Oréal one but slightly browner. Another good candidate for the 90s fawny lip trend. It’s a twisty up pencil, rather than a sharpener. This makes it less precise but a little creamier and just as long lasting.

To line or not to line?

Oh Hello there unsung hero. As I opened a brand spanking new MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder and marvelled at its beauty I realised I hadn’t given it the airtime it deserves. It’s probably my most used, most repurchased piece of make up. It’s also sporting a chic little make over! In case you hadn’t noticed, MAC recently changed the packaging of its Mineralize Range. If I’m honest, I wasn’t a fan at first. Have you ever seen fake MAC products kicking around the markets of Egypt or Greece? Well that’s exactly what it reminded me of. I liked the old packaging with the see through window, but I’m over it now and I will admit the mirror is a welcome edition.

Packaging rant aside, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, you’re my kind of powder! I’m all about the natural, dewy base and this is the first powder that doesn’t mask it. Ideal for “setting” foundation! And I don’t mean set like concrete, more finish it off and make you look done. I use shade Medium Plus which suits my skintone (MAC NC25-30 for reference) perfectly. Described as a "Tan Beige" it's quite light and neutral. It’s fairly sheer and won’t change the colour of your foundation and its mineral pigments and natural-matte finish make it lightweight enough not to cake or mask your look! It does however add a little extra coverage and can be worn alone like a mineral foundation. After foundation application I lightly dust it all over my face paying attention to the Tzone. Aside from setting the foundation and reduce any obvious shine, it has an almost airbrushing effect leaving behind a flawless, glowing sheen - think Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders but a hella lot cheaper. See it in action in my All About That Base feature.

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powders £23 MAC and Debenhams

I may have been beating theJanuary Blues one purchase at a time, but a beauty junkie is always looking for her next hit. Cue my wish list of so-called-fabulous products that I haven’t got my greedy little mits on yet...

Nars Creamy Concealer £21 LookFantastic

Every time I open my blogger feed, someone else is r-r-RAVING about this! A great all rounder, it’s apparently as good for under eye bags as it is for spots!

Real Techniques Bold Metals Brushes from £10 Boots

Talk about brush porn! Just when you think Real Techniques brushes couldn’t get any better, they go and bring out the Bold Metals Collection. Now I’m well stocked up after adding the ZoevaRose Gold Brushes to the stash at Christmas and there’s no way I can justify adding these... but my heart does desire. Maybe I’ll just visit them from time to time in Boots.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Palette £39 Cult Beauty

The contour palette for novises and make up artists alike. I’m yet to see a bad review on this easy to use and wins every time contour palette. And with waiting lists as long as my wish lists, it’s more of a when, than if this will be mine.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz £15.50 Cult Beauty

Anastasia, what are you doing to me! I regularly browse Cult Beauty drooling over her products. Dipbrow (review here) has indeed wowed me and next on the brow wish-list is Brow Wiz. I’m expecting this will be ideal for times when I need to brow n go. The only thing I’m hesitating over is the shade. Cue hours lost scrolling through swatches online.

By Terry Touché Veloutee Highlighting Concealer £37.50 SpaceNK

Terry, Terry, you’ve been on my wish list for years. Heralded by many as the best under eye concealer/highlighter in the World and with a wider brush for extra coverage, I’d love to try it but the price tag makes me whince. At £37.50, I’d rather have eye bags :)

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask £15.75 John Lewis

It may surprise you to know that there’s actually quite a few Liz Earle products I’m yet to try and next on the Liz-wish-list is the Deep Cleansing Mask. It’s the time of year skin needs some extra nourishment and I’ll be honest, I think the cute little sponges this one comes with is winning me over

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick £15.50 MAC

What’s all the fuss all about? There’s a reason this has been out of stock for the last three months (Kylie Jenner effect) and I’m in intrigued to find out it it's worth the hype?

Lorac Pro Palette $42 Ultra

I may be awash with eyeshadow palettes (Naked 1,2 and 3) but I have an unstoppable urge to own this. Miss Maven has been championing this in her videos for yonks and I'm desperate for a slice of the action. 8 mattes, 8 shimmers - perfect! Probably a blessing that it's only available in the US.

What's on your wish list?

MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION IS £10.00 PLUS £2.95

This month’s Birchbox is keen! Hardly seems like two minutes since January’s landed on the door mat... not that I’m complaining. So it’s February, and Birchbox are in the mood for luuurve with the Birchbox Loves box.

Wild About Beauty Golden Skin Glow | Full Size £21

A bronze tinted gel/moisturiser. I had a swatch as soon as I got my hands on this... don’t be scared, it may look like Ronseal but the semi sheer coverage means you won’t look like Donatella. Instead it adds a natural bronzed glow with a tiny hint of shimmer.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum 10ml | Full Size £45/30ml

When it comes to serums Caudalie is king. I’ve tried the Vinosource S.O.S Thirst-Quenching Serum so I’ve got high hopes for this radiance-boosting, oil free formula.

KMS Tame Frizz Soothing Lotion £15.50

I wince whenever I see hair masks, hair smoothers, de-frizzers. If you could veto one product from your beauty box, this would be it. I have fine hair with greasy roots! Understandably I steer clear of anything like this. Still, if this is your thing, the lightweight leave-in lotion detangles and tames frizz.

T London Darjeeling Bath & Shower Wash – Travel Size 50ml | from £6.50

A new one on me, but it does smell remarkably like chamomile tea and travel size shower gels always come in handy.

theBalm cosmetics Stainiac in Beauty Queen | £10

Add a pop of long-lasting colour to lips and cheeks with this gel stain... Looks remarkably similar to Benetint.

Lifestyle Extra – The Chia Co Oats + Chia pack – RRP £4.95 (pack of 5)

I do applaud Birchbox for the quirky lifestyle extras. I’ve had everything from green tea to lipstick shaped pens – and this one, I can vouch for, is de.lish.ious. I will be purchasing.

A decent mix of products this month. Very happy with the serum and the skin glow lotion. I’m slightly disappointed that they didn’t make more of the Valentine’s theme, but that’s me being soppy.

IF YOU FANCY SUBSCRIBING TO BIRCHBOX, USE MY FRIENDS REFERRAL LINK AND WE’LL BOTH GET SOME BONUS POINTS TO SPEND IN THE BIRCHBOX SHOP. ALSO CHECK OUT THE NEW LETTERBOX FRIENDLY SLIM BOX!

Imagine you’re a mascara on Benefit’s production line. You wouldn’t want to be the one that follows They’reReal, AKA the UK’s no1 best selling mascara, would you? But then you're a Benefit mascara and they’ve been working on you for four years and it turns out, you’re pretty damn good yourself.

Benefit 'Roller Lash' Mascara is all about the curve – and we’re talking serious, close-your-eyes-and-the-curve, curve! Bin the eyelash curlers because this one does it all. It curls, it lifts, it lengthens and it boosts.

97% said it visibly lifts lashes

87% said it gives long-lasting curl

94% said eyes look more wide open

The skinny, curved “Hook’n’Roll” brush gets right down into the root of the lashes. Laced with mini lash catches, it scoops the lashes and drags them to new heights, fanning, separating and lengthening as it goes. With minimal effort it makes my lashes look inconceivably long and adds some major curl action. And unlike other curve/lengthening mascaras, it doesn’t neglect the volume. It plumps the lashes with jet black, glossy formula and fans them perfectly for a more wide open look. Absolutely no clumping, no smudging. I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by this mascara, but I am!

Benefit 'Roller Lash' Mascara goes on sale at the end of February. Thanks to Elle Magazine you can bag a sample (or two) this month and if you’re impressed, you can pre-order at QVCadvanced order £15.82 RRP £19.50.

p.s please don’t judge the brows in these pictures. They’re going through a major grow back mission and have NOT seen a tweezer this year!