March Favourites

My Favourite picks of March

Today I'm going to share with you the products I've been loving this month! There is quite a mix of beauty and non-beauty related products so lets begin...

Beauty:



 

This month has been about investing a bit of spring inspiration into my makeup bag! Out with the matte, high coverage products and in with the sheer, dewy, light essentials. To achieve this look, I've found the perfect illuminating serum that instantly gives my skin a great dewy finish!
Soap & Glory- Hocus Focus Instant Visual Flaw-Softening Illuminator, this serum gives my skin the waking up it needs after a long cold winter and injects an instant glow without looking too shinny or greasy. I've been cheekily mixing a few drops of the serum into my foundation and applying it using a Real Techniques Buffing Brush,, however this product has multiple uses and can also be used as a primer, before you apply foundation or as a liquid highlighter, a very useful product to have in your kit!

 

Benefit- Speed Brow, my eyebrows unfortunately have a life of their own, so when I purchased this quick fix brow gel it made my life instantly easier! I've been using this product on days where I'm either in a rush or need my brows to be trusted to stay put for a long time, it saves me the hassle of carefully applying powder when I can just comb them through with the slightly tinted gel for a quick application which helps re-define and make my brows look a little tamer!
Bourjois- Bronzing Primer (base lissante soleil) - This little number has been in my makeup bag for a very long time and has been my go-to bronzer whenever the sun decides to show its face (so not very often!) However, I've been reaching for this more recently and have re-discovered my love for it!
Its a bit of an unlikely pairing as I'm usually not the sort to experiment with a bronzer of such an unusual texture and that appears very pigmented, mainly because I have quite pale skin, however this product is very easy to apply once you know how.  The bronzer has a moose-type texture that appears to be very similar to Chanel- Soieil Tan De Chanel, personally I like to apply this as a bronzer as opposed to a primer or a contour and to do this I use my Mac 134 Powder brush to achieve an all over sun kissed look.

Hair:

 

Moving on to hair products and this month I've chosen two favourites which I have been enjoying using.
Bumble and bumble- Thickening Hairspray this product has been my go-to hair product of the month, I'm always after something that gives my hair volume and texture and this thickening hairspray does just that! I've been applying this spray to my hair when its damp and been spritzing it in at the roots before blow-drying. After blow-drying my hair looks fuller, thicker and has gained more texture, the results for me are always long lasting  as it is a hairspray as well so it holds the product in at the roots- perfect!
The last hair care product I've chosen is,
Build up Removal Expert Shampoo, Boots This is an old favourite of mine, one of which I keep re-purchasing time and time again. I decided to include this one as I don't feel it gets enough recognition. This product comes from the Boots Expert range which consists of specialised shampoos, conditioners and treatments at an affordable cost. This product in particular I feel is one of my favourite deep cleansing hair care treatments, its designed to remove impurities and build up of products from your hair and scalp and contains detoxifying properties which leaves my hair feeling thoroughly clean and fresh! I use this shampoo around once a week and find it really effective, its great to keep in your stocks as its cheap as well. I may do a blog post on the other products from the Expert range- let me know if you think its a good idea?

 

Skincare:
So only one favourite this month and one that truly deserves a crown. Now I know that the
Emma Hardie- Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm has enough praise but I have just enjoyed every minute of using this since the day I bought it. For me, this is the perfect cleansing balm, it makes my skin feel so soft and smooth with visually clear results. I find it great for removing makeup especially around my eyes, which is a very sensitive area for me and a little really does go a long way, which is relieving as it does come with a hefty price tag.

Non-beauty Favourites Now on to the more random side of things and one mention has to go to Mini Eggs! Oh yes, they are back! Mini Eggs only make an appearance once a year, so when they do you might as well make the most of the chocolatly- sugar coated eggs of joy! I've stocked up and have probably consumed enough to last me well into next year! Ah well its Easter soon, no better excuse than that!
My next random pick goes to my little black bargain boots I recently picked up from New Look. Its not often I go shopping for shoes as I'm very loyal to the ones I have but whilst I was browsing in New Look the other day I stumbled across some lovely Chelsea inspired boots. They are ankle boots with small tassel detailing the zip with a chunky heel. Perfect boots for any season and are so comfortable, but what's best about them is that they were reduced from £27.99 to a fiver! I kid you not, with a bargain like that, I love them even more! ( I couldn't find a link to my exact bargain boots, but I did find another very similar pair with an impressive price tag- http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/boots/black-stirrup-block-heel-chelsea-boots-_294402801
#100happydays This is a little project I've been doing over on Instagram for the past couple of days. I've seen this hash tag pop up occasionally on my feeds and thought I would join in. The aim of the game is to take a photo (preferably everyday) of something that has made you happy. I thought this was a great idea to encourage positivity and to make an extra effort to look for positive, funny and the good things in life which sometimes we all oversee. I'll link below my Instagram so you can see all the little things that have made my day over the past month, and maybe give it ago yourself!?
CTFXC the last favourite comes in the form of a YouTube channel, one of which I have been watching for a long time. This channel belongs to Ali & Charles Trippy and they have been vlogging consecutively for five years, and their content is still as fresh and as enjoyable as ever. They are two really likeable charactors who document their journey through high points and low points in their lives, I think people can learn a lot watching their channel as they are both strong and positive people who appreciates each other and support each other, I've linked their channel below so you can go check them out!
CTFXC YOUTUBE CHANNEL
That is all my faves for the month of March,
Thanks for reading & feel free to comment below your favourites!
-xx

 

Bedside Beauties

My Bedside Table Essentials...

Today I've decided to show you all a few of my favourite beauty essentials that sit pride of place on my bedside table so they are close to hand for whenever I need them morning and night!
There's a tough criteria when it comes to selecting a few products which will have my full attention first thing in the morning and last thing at night, each of these goodies have proven the test of time and have made themselves worthy of only being at arm length away!
Having said that I am prone to switching these products up a bit and trying out new things, but for this moment in time its safe to say these guys are sitting very comfortably!

The Moisturisers  

Now I love to moisturise and for me there's three products that do the job.
First up we have Soap&Glory Butter Yourself  Moister Lotion, this is currently my go to evening lotion. The scent is a much more mature fragrance then their signature girly scent, very subtle on the skin and has great lasting power, in fact when I apply this after my evening bath and go to sleep the following morning I can always guarantee catching a whiff of the slightly musky tone while sipping my breakfast tea.
The huge 500ml bottle, which comes with a pump may I add, very convenient, is part of the "Fruitigo" range and is infused with orange oil and green fig that leaves me smelling fresh all night long!
The next culprit is Soap&Glory Righteous Butter- this one is much more feminine and girly scented, perfect for the daytime. This time, packaged in a tub the thick whipped cream which is formulated for dry skin, leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and clean. Smelling very differently to the latter this lotion is more perfumed and slightly stronger bursting with the Soap&Glory's original scent. (We all know the one.)
So finally we come to the "emergency moisturiser" as I like to call it, the go to in-a-rush lotion that's super fast drying but still very effective (yes there really is such a thing!) Behold the god send to all lazy body care fans, Vaseline - Spray & Go Body Moisturiser. This really is genius in a bottle, everything from the easy continuous spray, to the non-greasy formulation, it dries in seconds and perfect if you need sprucing up quickly before rushing out or even if you're having one of those days where you have more important things to be getting on with other than sitting like a manikin waiting for your moisturiser to dry.

Hand & Foot Creams

Moving on I have two hand lotions that I use regularly, one is my daytime hand cream and the other is one that I apply just before bedtime. The daytime cream is Soap&Glory Hand Food (can you notice a recurring trend yet?) This hand cream is lovely, smells delicious and is non-greasy so its perfect to quickly apply throughout the day. Costing only £5.00 this product is a bargain and you can even buy the travel size as well, to fit even more comfortably in your bag!
For evenings I like something slightly heavier, that will work into my hands as an overnight treatment, and for this I've chosen Burt's Bees Beeswax&Banana Hand Cream. This cream comes in the cutest glass jar which looks really nice displayed on my bedside table and smells like banana milkshake- always a plus! Obviously not idea for on the go and because of the packaging it does tend to get a bit messy, but nevertheless ideal for use just before bed.
I suffer from very dry hands, especially after showering so this product is great as its really thick and leaves a slight residue that I tend to leave to soak in over night. I personally wouldn't recommend this if your hands are already in tip-top condition as it may leave them greasy, but for me the formulae is what my hands need after a long day!
I've personally always taken care of my feet, being on them for hours on end at work- they do need some TLC and whenever I have time to spare a good smothering with some scrubs and a good polish up is always needed. Usually I tend to go for the typical peppermint foot lotions, and Lush Fairtrade Foot Lotion is one of my favourites, but at the moment I'm loving Burts Bees Coconut Foot Cream.

I received a tester of this product in a gift set at Christmas and enjoyed it so much I decided to re-purchase it the moment I ran out. What I like best about this cream is the texture- its nothing like what I've experienced with any foot product before. Its got a very thick gloopy feel that coats the feet when applied, I like to put this on any problem areas or if I feel they really need it, all over and then put my big comfy bed socks on and let the cream do its work while I sleep. When I awake the results are always the same- super soft (like baby soft) and smelling strongly of coconuts, makes a refreshing change from peppermint! If you can get the hang of the odd formulae and learn to apply as little as possible (as a lot goes a long way) then this is defiantly a spring essential!

Finally the Face

When it comes to skincare a good night time moisturiser is key. I keep all my skincare products either in my dressing room or in my bathroom (cleansers, face masks and hot cloth treatments) but I do like to have a tub of Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins close by. The main reason is I like to take my sweet sweet time massaging in the cream, sit back and relax in bed and enjoy all the goodness it gives! The "High Potency" cream works as a renewal moisturiser and is ideal to use at night to deeply hydrate, keep care of any dry patches and ensure skin looks bright and awake by morning.
Finally we have Lush Lip Scrub, in bubble gum (of course), if you haven't tried a lip scrub before, you really are missing out. The sugar base treat is applied to rough, chapped/dried lips, for a sweet bubble gum flavoured exfoliate. After you've applied it you can either lick it off (being made of sugar and Jojoba Oil) or dab it off with water, I choose the first option! Your lips are left smooth and soft and perfectly primed for a good date with a lip balm.
When it comes to lip balm I have lots of favourites, all dotted about in various location, to my locker at work, my hand bag, my coat pocket and even in my car, a few top ones I love are Nuxe Reve de Miel and  Elizabeth Ardens Eight Hour Cream! So there we have it- an insight into my bedside essentials! Do you have any essential products you keep close? Or do could you recommend anything for me to try?
Thanks for reading!-xx