December/January Empties

I can't believe it has been almost a week since my last blog post. The past few days were hectic with work and then I had minor surgery yesterday. It just didn't seem like the right time to be writing blog posts as I had other things on my mind. The surgery went fine and I'm at home now so over the next while I'll have plenty of spare time on my hands to write regular blog posts. I was planning on watching some of my favourite TV series too but it seems most of them are on hiatus in the States, I'm so disappointed. I've decided to start watching Pretty Little Liars, I never really got into it before but I've decided to give it another go. I really like the books so I'm surprised I never liked the series from the start, hopefully I'll manage to get through a couple of episodes this time around. So if I'm not writing posts on here you'll know what I'm doing. When I'm not blogging I actually really miss it alot, I have a couple of ideas jotted down in my notebook. Let's just say I'm not short on topics I want to discuss in the coming weeks. Today's post is going to be my January Empties, I didn't do one last month as I hardly had anything to show you guys. Surprisingly I only finished one product during December so I didn't think there was really any point on doing a post centred around one empty. It just wouldn't make sense at all but this time around is different as I have quite a few products.

I'm going to start off with the haircare and shower bits that I finished up this month. I feel like I fly through shower gels regularly. I can't take full credit because if I leave it in my shower someone else is bound to use it. Not going to lie it drives me mad, looking for my favourite shower gel and finding it half empty. My shower gel empties this month are from Lush and Bath &Body Works. The latter is a Secret Wonderland travel mini that Chie sent me over in one of our swaps. I adore the light floral fruity scent and I'd definitely repurchase this if we had a Bath & Body Works store here in Ireland. The travel minis are the perfect size for the gym and travelling, I actually got a lot of use out of this small bottle. The other shower gel I used up is Lush's Snow Fairy. I bought this ginormous bottle before Christmas and I can't get enough of this scent. My Mom loves it too as it's  nice, sweet and of course pink! It's definitely one of my favourites from their range of shower gels available. Unfortunately this is a limited edition scent that  is only released at Christmas time and I didn't stock up on it this year. I have one or two minis that will last me a month or two at the most. When I finish them off I'll have to wait til the end of the year to pick them up again. The haircare duo I finished this month is from Ojon. This is a one of those brand that I'd heard a lot about but never tried myself. Last year they had a one day Trade In event in their stockists where if you brought in a empty shampoo bottle they gave you the Damage Reverse Shampoo and Conditioner. This was a deal that I'm glad I took advantage of as I really enjoyed using these two products.  I have quite damaged hair after years of straightening it. I've laid off using heat styling tools on my hair in favour of the natural look but the damage had already been done. After using this for a while I did see a big different in the condition of my hair, it seems a lot more nourished and glossier. I can see myself buy these again in the future when I finish some of the haircare products I already have. I know Ojon products can be expensive but I feel if you find a range that works you may as well splash out on it a little. I've seen quite a few amazing reviews on their Rare Blend Oil, I'm really tempted to give it a try too. Hair Oils are being talked about all over the blogosphere lately so I'm hoping to find a good one for my locks, if you have any suggestions let me know.

I finished numerous makeup products this month which usually never happens. My favourite out of the bunch is Rimmel's Stay Matte powder in Transparent. I've lost count of how many of these I've gone through. There super affordable and keeps shine at bay which is exactly what I look for in a face powder. A foundation that has made it into a couple of my monthly favourites posts is Urban Decay's Naked Skin (2.0). I love this stuff, it a nice light formula that's quite buildable. I used my Real Techniques buffing brush to apply this and it leaves my skin looking flawless. I can see myself repurchasing this again, it was a bit on the pricey side but it did last for ages so I can't complain. Another product that was influenced by other bloggers' reviews is Bobbi Brown's Corrector. I bought this and the creamy concealer as a birthday gift with a Brown Thomas gift card I received last February. I got the shade Light Bisque which the ideal match for my skintone. It's the perfect size for my makeup bag, has a small mirror in the lid and it's great for hiding those pesky dark circles I get under my eyes. How I wish I got more sleep! I do like this product but I want to try the Laura Mercier Undercover Pot. I've wanted to purchase this for a while but never got around to it and it's that little bit pricey. Seeing as February is my birthday month who knows I may treat myself. I want to use up the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit first though. A primer that I used up is Too Faced Primed & Poreless. I've had this for ages and bought it after I finished a sample size from a Too Faced gift set. It does remind me of Benefit's Porefessional which I also got on with well but both are on expensive. Since I finishing up my Primed & Poreless, I've started using Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch primer which I love. Again this comes in at the €26 mark but one tube of this has been lasting me ages and I'm extremely happy with it. Next up I have a Kiehl's #1 lip balm. I love these a lot and I find they work great on my super dry lips during this time of year. I already repurchased three in a cute tin before Christmas as I knew I was running out. This particular scent reminds me of holidays as it smells like coconuts. If the scents aren't your thing you can buy the original version which is scentless. There's also a tinted version available which would be perfect for those days when your not in the mood for lipsticks. I always throw one of mine in my bag for if I need them on the go.

Lastly I have some skincare empties. Liz Earle came out with this special edition Cleanse & Polish *last year in aid of the Prince's Trust. A young entrepreneur Rebecca Taylor put a twist on the original version and added rose and lavendar essential oils to the mix. The end product was a success and I myself loved it. I used this to remove my makeup at night as I found the scent really relaxing. The packaging is also gorgeous, it was a nice change to the duck egg green packaging. I'm going to keep this on my new desk which I'm getting for my birthday in a few weeks as I think it looks so pretty. £2 from each Cleanse & Polish sold went to the Prince's Trust work with young people. It was nice to know you were making a difference in someone elses life when you purchased this product. From what I know of this isn't available anymore but hopefully Liz Earle may do a campaign like this again in the future. I've never been too fond of MAC's skincare, I used it before I started blogging over two years ago and I never really got on with it. When they brought out their travel sizes a while back, I decided to give their Cleanse Off Oil and Fix+ a go. They weren't too pricey and I knew they'd be great for travelling. I used Fix+ none stop and even bought a full sized bottle. However I quickly forgot about the Cleanse Off Oil until last month. This removes every last trace of my eye makeup amazingly well and I absolutely loved the stuff. This small bottle did last me a good while but I have a feeling I'll purchase the full sized product the next time I'm at MAC. I'm just not too sure how much it is but I'm guessing roughly under the €20 mark I hope. Last but not least I used up all my Beauty Fixation Makeup Removers. This box contains 24 applicatiors which are basically cotton buds that have makeup remover in them. You snap the end with the blue line on it which releases the formula inside the tube. I thought these were really great if I made a mistake with a particular eye look for a night out. I didn't have to wreck the whole look using a cotton pad soaked with makeup remover. Saying that I think these cost around €8 and think you could just buy cotton buds and soak them in some eye makeup remover to get the same results. It may take a little bit longer but it would indeed be a much cheaper alternative.

Do you do monthly empties on your blog?

Laura<3

Benefit Fine-One-One Event

I know this post is going up kind of late but I really wanted to tell you guys about an event I had the pleasure of attending tonight. As you probably all know Benefit Cosmetics are launching a fabulous new product this weekend called Fine-One-One. It's described as a "sheer brightening cheek & lip trio for" and I love it! I'm going to do a full review in due course after I've tried it out for a bit but my first impressions of this product are really good. I really like how it's universal shades which is going to be perfect for all skin tones. Again like with all Benefit products the packaging blows me away, it's so pretty. 

 I went along to the launch with my lovely friend Nabilah. When we arrived we got our makeup touched by the love police officers. My MUA Sandra put the Brow Zing kit to work on my brows. I've never tried this product from Benefit before and I've always seen smashing reviews on it across the blogosphere. I loved it so much, I never usually go near my brows but after using this only the once I may need to make a sneaky purchase soon. Sandra used Benefit's fabulous highlighter Watts Up which I'm ashamed to say I hadn't tried before. I love the packaging and the name, the brand are know for keeping their products fun. She also applied some Ultra Plush Lip Gloss to my lips in the shade Bella Bamba.  Another product I loved, why do you come out with such amazing products Benefit, my bank balance seriously won't be happy with these purchases. When all the bloggers arrived later on in the evening we were given a run down of the product by the gorgeous Annie & Maggie Ford Danielson. They were both so unbelieveable nice and friendly, it was so lovely to have them there to talk us through Fine-One-One. Everything eas so informative and it was great to hear the numerous ways you can use this product.

Here's some pictures from the event that I snapped when we were there.

Are you excited for the launch of Fine-One-One??

Laura<3

A Few New Bits from Rimmel

With a lot of budget brands bringing out a assortment of new products over the coming month, there's certainly going to something for everyone. One brand that has caught my eye is none other than Rimmel. All the products from their range never cease to impress me. When I was in Boots yesterday I spotted a couple of new products on their stand and I prompted snatched them all up. From past experience their stock usually goes out fast so I didn't want to miss out. I left Boots with three products in total, their Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer (€6.59) and two ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks (€5.95). With the latter I decided to go for two neutral shades that I knew I'd get good use out of. I know there was two other options on the stand, a black and a blue shade but I wasn't too keen on either. I wonder will anymore colours be released.

I haven't used the Exaggerate Undercover Shadow Primer yet so I can't comment on how good it is yet. I always use eyeshadow primers just so my eye makeup stays on that little bit longer. I hate nothing more than seeing my eyeshadow crease as I think it just looks messy. I'll keep you posted on this one. On the otherhand I've used the ScandalEyes Shadow Pencils this morning and I love them. The shades I picked up are 002 Bulletproof Beige (as the name would suggest a nice beige) and 003 Bag Girl Bronze (a shimmery chocolate brown). With a soft buttery texture these blend beautifully into the skin and they are amazingly pigmented which you'll be able to see in the swatches. This morning for my work makeup I applied Stila's Smudge Pot in Kitten as a base all over the lid ,on top I used Bulletproof Beige with Bad Girl Bronze in the crease. This is such a quick and easy natural eye look which you know I love. This is also perfect for those early mornings where you want to get your makeup done fast. I only had one small problem with these eyeshadow pencils, when I went to use them this morning there were almost impossible to open. It felt. It felt like the lid was suctioned to the pencil or something. I just thought that was something I'd tell you guys just in case you have the same issue if you buy one. A couple of the eyeshadow pencils at the stand in my Boots were already broken, some shoppers may of been a bit over zealous in getting the product open. Just be warned as you don't want to break one of these before you start using them.

Rimmel have brought out quite a few products all in the one go, us beauty bloggers will be spolied for choice. There's a lot of talk about the new Apocolips and after seeing many reviews with gorgeous swatches I can't wait to check them out. I don't get paid til Friday so hopefully there not sold out by then, I already have my eye on a couple of shades. I have a feeling the three products I mentioned above may of been overlooked as the Apocolips seems to be what everyone is talking about at the moment.I also seen a Rimmel Match Perfection foundation in compact form. I'm not too sure how new this is but I really want to get one myself, I adore the original liquid foundation it's great.

Has anything from Rimmel caught your eye?

Laura<3

Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan

After going along to the Cocoa Brown tan launch late last year, I came out knowing so much more about the science behind tan. I find it super interesting learning the ins and outs of  certain products. Being beauty bloggers we put alot of different creams and potions on our skins, sometimes we (myself included) don't know how the product itself is technically working. The creator of this wonderful product, Marissa Carter is a fountain of knowledge and it was so nice to get the opportunity to chat to her about her new tan. I didn't realise how much work goes on behind the scenes when creating a product. A serious amount of time and effort has to go into every little detail.

I'm not a big user of tan, I use it occasionally for one thing or another. The main reason I don't use it is because of the time and effort involved. I work early mornings so I'd have no time at all to rinse it off as I'm usually rushing out the door. This problem has become a thing of the past after using Cocoa Brown*. The tan itself takes an hour to develop which is amazing and great for people that are tight on time like me. I literally apply this during the day and leave it on for a hour then rinse it off. Before I apply the tan I use my favourite scrub Soap & Glory Sugar Crush to get my skin feeling nice and smooth, ready for application. Cocoa Brown is such a lovely tan to apply as it glides on effortlessly and blends into the skin nicely. If you want a darker tan you can leave it on for up to three hours. I left mine on for an hour and I was very impressed with the results. A gorgeous light natural glow perfect for any girls like me that aren't regular tan users. My face is the only place were I didn't use this tan and that's by no fault of the product. I just stick to my favourite facial tan, Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning Cream as it just gives a nice glow. I'm using a small sample I got and I've been loving it so far.

I haven't heard of any other tans on the market that develop in one hour so I believe this product is something very special indeed. Another thing to note about this tan that separates it from the rest of the bunch is the fact that it has no scent whatsoever. I was at home watching telly with the family when I applied this and they usually comment if I'm wearing tan that smells terrible. Cocoa Brown definitely gets full marks with them! The biscuity smell is something that a lot of people hate about fake tan so I can already tell that this will be a winner with them.

I absolutely love this tan, without a shadow of a doubt I'm going to pick up another when I run out. The packaging is gorgeous and girly. The creator herself said it's a product that would definitely take pride of pace on her dressing table and I agree with her completely. At €7.99 for a bottle you really can't go wrong with this one. Just two pumps gave me enough mousse for an upper body tan. With the current weather outside I highly doubt I'll be showing off my legs anytime soon. I'll be sticking to wearing tights until the weather gets a little warmer so this bottle is going to last me a long time. I'm delighted I've found another Irish brand, I've discovered a couple lately so it's always nice to give them our support.

What's your favourite tan? Will you be trying Cocoa Brown?

Laura<3

Where's the Snow?

As you can tell from the title of this blog we didn't get any snow in Dublin. Saying that there is quite a bit of snow up the mountains but I don't live anywhere near them so I'm just going to say we got none. I've seen so many posts talking about snow that I really wish we got some here. We did get the odd shower of sleet but that's it really. I'm not going lie I was pretty disappointed as I would much prefer snow to the rain any day. It's been ridiculously cold here at the moment so I've been wrapping up warm. I don't usually do outfits of the day but as I said in my "Mega Switch Up" post I'm going to try and do more throughout 2013 as I'm sure they're fun to do. This time last year I wouldn't of had the level of confidence that I do now to do these sort of posts. I'm feeling like I've struck another goal off my list or something so in a way I'm really happy. I really enjoyed putting this post together aswell so I hope you do too.

Jumper - Heatons
Denim Shorts - Penneys (Primark)
Tights - M&S
Boots - Korkys
Bag - Warehouse
Watch - Michael Kors Rose Gold

I was going to watch the football match in town today with my boyfriend Paddy. I put this outfit together as I wanted something that appeared dressy but still really warm and snug for the weather we're currently having. I love my red and black heart wool jumper, I've been wearing this to death as of late. I got it towards the end of last year and it was a bargain. Come to think of it I wish I got it in the other colour now too. The denim shorts were a bit of steal aswell, they are from Penneys (Primark) and they were €11. I'm not really a shorts wearing person but I actually really like these alot. I'm not going to lie to you guys I got the size to big which I'm notorious for doing. Who cares though, I can always wear a belt with them. Makeup wise, I've kept things simple with a bit of s smokey eye. I'm using Benefit's Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow* as a base which I'm currently testing out. I like it alot but the shade isn't the perfect match for me, it's that little bit too dark. I used a light dusting of Rimmel's Stay Matte all over my face with a sweep of Smashbox's Pose Blush. The latter is my go to blush as it just gives a nice flush of colour to the cheeks. Nothing to major as I wanted to keep this look simple. As my Mom would say I'm going to watch a football game not to a fashion show. On the eyes I used the lid and the crease shadows from Wet n Wild's Comfort Zone palette. This palette is almost impossible to get on this side of the pond, I'm lucky that Chie sent it to me for my birthday last year. If you can get your hands on it I'd definitely recommend it. The shades are highly pigments and it doesn't cost a fortune either which is a plus. I lined my eyes using Clarins Kohl Eye Pencil in Extreme Black* with a coat of the Korres Black Volcanic Minerals Mascara*. Lastly I applied some of Lush's The Kiss lip balm* to my lips. This is one of their new products for Valentines Day so expect a post on that one very soon.

I constantly carry around a book with me and I wonder why my bags so heavy all the time. Sometimes I get bored half way through football matches if the players turn off or there's no goals. If this happens I usually just whip my book out of my bag. Paddy finds it hilarious as I'm pretty much the only person in a crowded pub reading. Typing this now I guess it would look pretty bizarre. The book I'm currently reading is Lauren Conrad's Starstruck. Alot of you may remember her from The Hills and she was definitely my favourite. Thank god I don't have Channel 5 as I know I certainly wouldn't be watching Speidi on it. I've read all Lauren Conrad's other books and I have to say I'm a big fan of hers. I know truth be told she may have help writing them like alot of celebs tend to do but it seriously doesn't bother me at all. I'm not too far into the book but I'm really liking it. When I bought this in Easons I also bought her Beauty book which is brilliant I'd highly recommend it. It's one of those books that's great to flick through for tips and tricks on applying different products. I have her style book already and this is certainly a great companion for it. I think they'd both make amazing coffee table books or look really nice on your book shelves.

Would you like to see more of these fashion style posts in the future?

Laura<3

Mega Switch Up!

I'm hoping to mix things up on my blog in the coming months. I'm still going to do makeup posts which I enjoy writing but I also want to branch out and do something a bit different. Besides writing beauty posts I really like writing my Slimming World Updates and for your responses on them I guess you guys to do. I'm going to start doing some more posts related to Slimming World and Lifestyle, maybe a few of my favourite recipes from the program that I've discovered so far. I'm by no means an amazing cook so I'll definitely be keeping these posts simple and easy. When I see cookery posts myself, I like when there straightforward as that makes them so much easier to follow. Some of the Slimming World recipes I've tried are seriously yummy so I hope you guys enjoy them too. Follow me around style  posts are something I want to do more of, I did a couple last year for my birthday or when I went on trips around Dublin. It's something I like to see on other blogs and I really enjoy doing them myself. Dublin have alot of lovely gems to see, I just wish we had the weather to do it.

Book and Film reviews are going to make an appearance on my blog this year too. I always say that I'm going to do them but I never got around to doing. I'm big into reading and I have so many books to read at the moment. I'm thinking of doing monthly books reviews featuring all the books that I've read over that time. I haven't read too many throughout January so I'll have to get a move on with that, it seems. I'm always looking for new books to read so if you have any suggestions that I should add to my book list feel free to let me know. I put up my first movie review last week on the incredible Les Miserables which is amazing and if you haven't seen it what are you waiting for. The next movie I'm going to see is Django Unchained with Leonardo DiCaprio. Honestly I'm not looking forward to seeing this movie one bit. Every Tarintino film I've seen has been so violent and I just don't like that at all. My boyfriend rates DiCaprio very highly as a actor and he's a mega fan so I said I'd go. I'll definitely go in with an open mind when I see this movie but I have a feeling it won't be for me at all. Lastly I'm hoping to do some more fashion and makeup looks posts this year. I started doing the latter a bit more last year so I'm hoping to continue on from there. I enjoy doing product reviews but I think it's much better when you can actually see the foundation or the blush on as opposed to just swatched sometimes. I've never done fashion posts on my blog at all but since starting Slimming World I've become alot more confident and I've been able to buy alot more clothes. I'm going to try to do more outfit of the day, it's something that I always thought would be fun so I'll see how it goes. I'm really looking forward to getting started with these posts. I think it will bring something different to All-Made-Up-21 and I really hope you guys enjoy them too.

Of course I'd love to hear your suggestions as to what you'd like to see more of on All-Made-Up-21 throughout this year so let me know in the comments.

Until the next post,

Laura<3

MUA The Artiste Collection Palette

Lately I've found myself reaching for my MUA palettes even more, in particular the Heaven & Earth and Undressed palettes. Both contain gorgeous everyday neutral shadows which is definitely my eye look of choice on a regular basis. The new Artiste Collection palette* is something different to their previous palettes. Inside not only do you get six marbled eyeshadows, there is also two blushers, a bronzer and a nice little highlighter too.

The MUA Artiste palette is the same size as their previous palettes, just a little bit thicker. When I first seen this online I was intrigued to see what it was like. After your foundation, powder, liner and mascara, you'd get everything in this multi-use palette to achieve an everyday makeup look. The eyeshadow pans are huge so it will be easy to get a brush in there, while the blushes/bronzer/highlighter are smaller so it will be hard to get a standard brush in there. I found the Real Techniques Contour brush the perfect size to get into the bronzer and highlighter, it's picks up the colour really well too. All the shades (bar the shadow on the far left) are really well pigmented which MUA are well known for with their range of palette. My favourite shadows in the palette are Mocha, Chocolate and Cookie as they make up a really nice everyday natural eye look. I don't think I'll ever steer clear of neutral shades as they work really well for me. The blue shadow is the only one I can't see myself using from the palette too much. I may pull it out over the Summer, I think it would be real under my lower lash line to add something different to my makeup look. Everything in the palette (excluding the bronzer) has shimmer in it. I love shimmery eyeshadows so this doesn't bother me at all. After buying the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette at the end of last year, I've been using that alot too. I'd love to see MUA come out with a matte palette, I think it's something alot of their fans (including me!) would be interested in.

For £6 you can't go wrong with this palette. MUA have definitely done it again and brought out a lovely product for such amazing value. The Heaven & Earth and Undressed palettes still remain my favourites from the brand but the Artiste palette has some lovely shadows in it too. I can see myself  getting alot of use out of it. If your not familiar with the brand they also have regular offers running on their website, some of them are really good so there worth watching out for. After they reach a certain number of "likes" on their Facebook page they unveil a new one. There next big milestone is 50,000 likes which is huge and when that's reached they'll be giving 50% off everything on their website plus free shipping. That's definitely not an offer I'd want to miss. If you haven't tried their Heaven & Earth or Undressed palette yet, there wouldn't be a better time to treat yourself to them. If you don't own any neutral palettes yourself, both these palettes would be ideal for you. I use mine pretty much everyday, I've hit pan on a couple of the shadows so I may have to buy replacements the next time I'm in Manchester.

Are you a fan of MUA? What's your favourite product?

Laura<3

Vanity Professional Makeup Range

Being an Irish blogger I love nothing more than finding new brands from this side of the pond. Over the past few years a couple of really amazing brands have started up in Ireland so I love to give them my support. It can't be easy to start up your own business so I have to salute people that do it, there so inspirational. Before Christmas I was asked by the lovely Leanne did I want to try some products from her new makeup range, Vanity Professional Makeup. Of course I said I'd love to. Since I started blogging I have come across a couple of Irish brands, but never any that specialised in makeup to the best of my knowledge. I was really interested to see what Vanity Professional makeup range was like so I couldn't wait to try their products. After looking on their website, I've seen that they have a vast amount of products available already so you'll be spoiled for choice. One of the items that stood out for me is their customised palettes, I love picking out my own shades when it comes to eyeshadows and blushes. That way I'll know that I'll use them all and it won't contain that one shadow that is never touched, every pre-made palette has one I guess.

I don't have too many makeup brushes at present, just my favourites from Real Techniques. It was nice to try something new for a change. To be completely honest I never use flat foundation brushes. I had one back in my secondary school days and it never seemed to work for me. That's probably why I stopped wearing makeup to school in general back in the day. I would apply foundation to my face and it just never seemed to go anywhere with these brush and stayed in the one place. Never the look I'd want to go for at all back in the day, no one wants their foundation to stay stuck in the one place. Maybe it's because I'm older now or my discovery of How To videos on YouTube but I've finally mastered the technique of using this particular brush. I do think you have to put a little more time into applying your foundation when using one of these, that's why I almost prefer using buffing brushes as there quick and easy. I'm always in a rush in the  morning so they work best for me. I do like this brush it's super soft which I like and it does apply my makeup nicely, when I have a little more time to kill in the mornings I'll definitely be using this brush.

Next up is one of their blushes in the shade Bella* which is a mauvey pink affair. First off if you don't like shimmer this may not be the one for you, it doesn't bother me a all as it's subtle when applied to the skin. Again if you look close enough you will see traces of glitter so be warned.  I love how this blush gives a natural flush of colour to the cheeks. The only problem I had with this blush is that the pan fell out in transit to my house. That said I'm just happy this lovely blush didn't smash, I just had to get some glue out which wasn't a issue at all. At €15 I don't think this is too bad for a blush, it's very pigmented so a little bit goes a long way.

The only product I wasn't too fond of was their lipgloss in Heat Wave (€15)*, a red with tiny specs of glitter. Don't get me wrong the formula is great (not too sticky) and the scent is nice too, it smells pretty sweet. The shade just wasn't really for me, red isn't a colour I'd usually lean towards getting myself. I don't why I'm afraid of wearing them, I just feel that they don't suit me at all for some reason. I'd hate to get a bright lipstick or lipgloss stain on my teeth too as knowing me I probably would never notice that it was even there. It's weird every time I get my makeup done at a makeup counter, they always go for bright and vibrant shades, the MUAs seem pretty surprised that I don't use them as I have dark brown hair and green eyes. They think with that combination I can pull it off but I don't think so at all. I've decided 2013 is the year that I'm going to be brave and use some vibrant lip colours. I don't know how well this mission will go but I'll definitely keep you updated. Who knows the shade Heat Wave could grow on me!

It's nice to find a brilliant home grown makeup brand that doesn't entirely break the bank. I like how the packaging is sleek and fits in nicely together. I can definitely see myself picking up some more products in the future. I'd love to see what other lipgloss and blush shades are available.

Is there any makeup brands that you have just discovered? Had you heard of Vanity Professional Makeup?

Laura<3

A Trip to the Movies #1 - Les Misérables

Last Friday I dragged my boyfriend along to see Les Misérables. Ever since I seen the ads online last year, I wanted to go see this movie. The original musical was a big part of my childhood memories growing up. My Mom and Dad went to see the stage production in the Point years ago and loved all the songs even before then. Of course my brother, sister and I couldn't get away from the songs as the were played constantly on long journeys down the country or whenever we got into the car for that matter. They were on repeat even more after they went to see the show. We didn't mind though as we grew to love the songs and knew all the words. It was nice to go to see the movie as it jolted my memory and it was like I never stopped listening to them at all. The stellar cast gave an unreal performance that really sucked you in, who knew they had those amazing voices. I know alot of movie critics would disagree with me on that statement but I really thought they were brilliant. My boyfriend who wasn't too keen on going at first really enjoyed it too. He loved Sacha Baron Cohen in it, he thought it was good to see him in a serious film, even though he still played a comedy role.

The two stand out stars for me were Samantha Barks and Anne Hathaway, the latter definitely deserves a Oscar win. While I hadn't heard of Samantha Barks beforehand this performance will definitely cement her place as a big name actress and hopefully we see her in some movies soon. It's hard to believe she was the second runner up in Andrew Lloyd Webber' s "I'd Do Anything" in which she was trying to win the role in Oliver!. It just shows that you don't have to win these shows in order to make a career in music. The two young stars of the movie, Daniel Huddlestone and Isabelle Allen also deserve a mention. They were both astounding, I wish I could sing like that now, let alone at their age. My Mom and Dad went to see Les Misérables on Saturday night, a Christmas present from me. Having see the musical production themselves already, I knew they had set the bar high for the movie. They couldn't of praised this movie enough when they got home. They said it definitely did the musical justice and both of them enjoyed every minute of it.

Well did this musical that took over most of my childhood exceed my high expectations? Yes it most certainly did. The only other musical film I've seen recently was Sweeney Todd and  Les Misérables definitely tops it.

Have you seen Les Misérables? What were your thoughts on it?

Laura<3

My January Sales Purchases & Other Bits

I've made quite a few purchases over the past few weeks, most of the bits I picked up were on offer which was a definite plus for me. Instead of doing one small haul post I decided to do a collective one, I by no means picked these up all at once that's for certain. My bank account always runs low around this time of year and the end of January can't come quick enough for me. Once Christmas has come and gone, the Sales is the next big event that the majority of people, myself included have great interest in. My Christmas seemed to be so short this year as I was back into work on Stephen's Day so I wasn't up at the crack of dawn to join the end of a monster queue to get my first Sales bits.. I saw the giant line outside Next at 8am and it wasn't pretty let me tell you. I'm glad I wasn't a part of it, I know I probably would of preferred to be at home in bed at that time. I've never went into the Sales really early, fighting over a discounted dress or heavily reduced bag wouldn't be something I'd call fun and isn't something I'd ever want to do. If there's nothing there when I finally get down to the Centre after a good lie in then it wasn't meant to be. I headed into Boots and House of Fraser after I finished work at 1pm and I was surprised at the amount of stock that was left. It certainly shows that online shopping is taking over, who in there right mind would go to a shop the day after Christmas when they can do it in the comfort of their own home. Spending wise I was good this year and bought stuff I really wanted and that I knew I would use in the long run. To be honest I'd buy stuff regardless of if it's in the Sale.

The majority of goodies I bought are of the Beauty variety,  I found most of my purchases in Boots and House of Fraser, a few bits were picked up in other shops which will be mentioned below. I found this year that alot of my Sales finds were put on the shelves in early January, I could be wrong but that's when I spotted them. I did pick up some new bits from Soap & Glory that were full price but I heard such amazing things about all three products so I couldn't leave them behind. They all smell amazing so if your anywhere near a Boots I'd definitely recommend you go give them a sniff. It wouldn't be the Sales without going into the Lush and picking up a couple of shower gels. I got three, Twilight, Snow Fairy and Ponche. They all smell amazing and I know this lot will last me ages. I also sneakily purchased the much talked about MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish. I tried this at my local MAC counter in BT2 Dundrum and I did think it was nice at the time, what I didn't like is the hefty price tag of €28.50. Rip off, I think so and I know alot of people will agree with me too. It's disappointing as I really love MAC as a brand but the prices are awful. I'm not going to rant and rave too much about it as I'm still going to remain a loyal customer but I do think they should look into this.

Here are some of my big bargain of the Sales, first up is one of YSL's Rouge Volupte lipsticks. These retail for around the €32 mark and I got this for €18, which was a bargain that I couldn't let slip by. The shade is Frivolous Pink which is a fun pink shade, I thought it would be a bit too bright for my liking but I'll make it work. I've decided for 2013 that I should be a bit more daring when it comes to lipstick choices, until I'm brave enough I'll be patting this down with some tissue. I picked up this Bliss Fabulips set, it was more than half price at €25.50. I wanted to try this for a while but I'd never fork out the whole €57.50 for it. Bliss products and I have a love/hate relationship, some of their stuff I've tried have been a real disappointment and just plain rubbish. One of their products I absolutely hated was their Lid & Lash Wash, you can see a review I did on that here. I bought this thinking it was going to be an amazing eye makeup remover, turns out it was pretty awful. I have to hand it to them their body butters are gorgeous, my favourite product of theres. In this lip product set you get a cleanser, scrub, plumper and balm, so far I've only tried the balm which I was very impressed with. I'll definitely put up a full review post on this when I've tried the other three products. I also was surprised to see these two fragrance sets still on the shelf when I popped into the store. Both were half price which was such a steal as they are gorgeous fragrance that come in decent sized bottles. There scents that I could happily use all year round so they'll be used for sure. In the Ralph Lauren set you get a body lotion while in the Marc Jacobs Daisy 50ml set you get a shower gel and body lotion. I've always wanted the latter fragrance for a long time but I could never justify the price, I'm glad I could finally pick one up for myself. At €30 each, these two sets were definitely worth every penny. Here are two other bits I picked up in the Sale which I fell in love with. The vintage inspired floral mirror in between the two fragrance is from Boots, It was half price which I couldn't say no to. I think this will look really nice in my room when I have it all nice and tidy. The little pink Minnie Mouse makeup bag is from Boots aswell and it's so pretty. It's a great size too, so I'll definitely be carting this around with me.

A New year couldn't go buy without me picking up a 2013 diary. I always wait and buy mine after Christmas as they are always heavily discounted by then. I got this pretty diary in the Calendar Club and it was 40% of the marked price. Purple is my favourite colour so when I saw this I had to buy it. I also picked up this two puzzle books that were on special aswell. They are called Posh Puzzles, I thought they'd be good to have for travelling and the like. It has to be said I am a bot of a nerd and I love doing wordsearches and kriss krosses, but a a crossword in a front of me and I would probably throw it back at you. I couldn't do one to save my life. I probably wouldn't of bought them if they weren't reduced as they were €9 originally which I felt was a bit overpriced for a small puzzle book. After I bought these I picked up this gorgeous Paperchase lined notebook. It has a nice soft cover and again the design had me with this one, it was also €4 in the Sale need I say more. I thought this would be great for writing down some of my blog ideas which I have a few of so far. If you guys have anything you'd like to see covered on my blog definitely let me know as I would love hear your ideas. Last year I had a numerous different notebooks for blogging but this year I just want to stick to the one, I definitely need to add this to my goals. I always see pretty jotters and I end up buying them which results in me never filling up just the one. I know it is indeed a complete and utter waste so I'm hopefully going to stick with this one for most of the year. Until I fill it up anyway that's for sure.

Today is going to spent finishing off my assignment for college. I can't wait to get this done and dusted. Saying that I have another due at the end of February which I'm going to be even more stressed out about. Yesterday I went to see Les Miserables with Paddy in town. Wow I really enjoyed this movie, I'm going to put up a post tomorrow with all my thoughts on it.

Did you pick up any good bargains in the Sales this year?

Laura<3

Slimming World Update #8

You may of noticed that I haven't posted a Slimming World post in quite a while. I've been super busy with college and work, that I missed a few weeks here and there. I didn't want to put up a post showing just two classes I attended so I waited til I made up a month to put up my next update. Rest assured I haven't stopped doing these posts as I really enjoy reading your comments and it motivates me even more. I've been doing Slimming World for almost 9 months now but this is my eighth update what with missing classes and the like.

Since my last update Christmas has come and gone, I know alot of people were unsure with how this time of year would go for me. I'm happy to report I didn't fall off the wagon yet, I did treat myself to a hot chocolate or two here and there but that's it. There was still lots of chocolate around the house but I guess after doing Slimming World since April, I have gained alot of will power along the way. Something that I don't think I really had 9 months ago. Before Christmas, I along with my group were given these sweet little decorations. Just to congratulate us on how we got on so far, I'm really delighted with mine and I'm going to hold on to it. Slimming World goes on for 52 weeks a year so there's no breaks to be had there. I like it this way though as going to class every week has turned into somewhat of a routine and it was helpful to have over Christmas and the New Year.

Over Christmas and the New Year, I've lost a further 6lbs which brings my total weight loss up to 6st 4lbs. I'm over the moon that I did so well over the festive period, at some points I wasn't so sure how I was doing. I've bought some new clothes over the last month which I love and that I don't think would of suited me as much if I didn't get the weight down. That's one of the highlights for me since starting Slimming World, I'm enjoying buying new clothes even though it's not so good at all for my bank balance. I still haven't joined the gym yet, but I have looked into a few and there is one that I'm considering signing up for. I find that alot of them can be very expensive but this one has quite a good deal for students. I know I've said that I'm going to be joining a gym in recent blog posts but I'm genuinely serious about this one as it looks great. Aswell as aiding my weight loss, I'm hoping to tone up a bit aswell so I'll definitely keep you posted on how it goes. You guys who go to the gym will have to give me song suggestions for my Work Out playlist for my Ipod! After paying your join up fee, you can use the gym and attend any of their fitness classes on the side, I don't think you can really go wrong there. I've always heard that spinning classes are brilliant so I want to possibly do that, though I think my legs will be dead the next day. I don't have too long left to go on my Slimming World journey, I'd like to lose another two and a half stone which I hope to achieve by the Summer of this year. I want to give it a bit of time as I know it's hard to lose that last few pounds or so but it will be unreal when I reach my target.

Until my next update,

Laura<3

A Look Back Over 2012 & My Hopes for 2013

When I look back on 2012 there's alot of positives to take from it. I've done so much this year that I'm very proud of indeed.

First off I joined Slimming World way back in April, when I started I would never of imagined that I could achieve so much in a short period of time. In my first month, I lost 1st 3lbs which I was literally ecstatic about it. Every week I was excited to go to class to see how I was doing. I started doing Slimming World Updates here on my blog after the first month. I wasn't too sure if I wanted to put my weightloss journey out there but I'm so glad I did. You guys have been such and amazing support and to read your comments on those posts seriously make my day To see some people go as far as saying I'm a inspiration to them is very overwhelming it has to said. I'm happy that people that something from it for themselves though too, I know how hard it is to lose weight. I had tried so many weightloss programs and none of them worked for me. When Slimming World came along I wasn't too pushed on going until my Mom said what can it hurt to go and give it a try. I'm so glad I listened to her in the end, she's such an amazing person and I owe alot to her. Since I started way back in April I've lost over 6st which is insane! I couldn't be happier, it is hard work but once you get into the program I found it's all plain sailing from there.

At the end of July I went over to Manchester to do a PR Internship. I yapped so much about this when I was going so I'm not going to tell you guys what you probably already know. I really enjoyed the whole experience. The people I worked with were so sweet and I took so much out of  my time there.While I was there I went to a see Team GB play in Old Trafford which was amazing. I'm big into football if you didn't know already, I've been to Old Trafford before to see United play. They lost that game to a fairly terrible side so my boyfriend may say I'm not a good luck charm when it comes to seeing his favourite side win. I went to see Morrissey in the MEN too.  Before I went I wasn't the biggest fan but now it has to be said I love the man. The gig was amazing and seeing as he doesn't play them too often, it was great to experience him sing live. I went to two other amazing concerts during 2012, Florence & the Machine and The Cribs. They were both amazing live, definitely two acts that I would love to see again. I also did alot of shopping in the space of ten days whilst I was in Manchester, surprise surprise. I always feel that the makeup is so much cheaper over there. There's some brands like Sleek and Look Beauty that you can't get over here, so I love picking up some bits from them. I've been to Manchester three times now and it's definitely a favourite destination of mine. I think I may plan another trip over there very soon.

Last but certainly not least I've met some amazing Irish bloggers throughout the year. It's so nice to meet someone when I've been reading their blog for so long. There's so many Irish bloggers, old and new now and I enjoy reading all their blogs. The Beauty Blogging Community is huge and I love how it's such a friendly community and everyone is so welcoming. I can't believe I'm going to be blogging two years at the end of April. It's true what they say, time goes fast when your having fun. I hope to meet some more of you this year, it's so nice to meet like minded people who love all things beauty related too.

Looking back over my 2012 Goals post I was happy to see that I accomplished some them. This a why I prefer to write up some small goals as opposed to a New Years resolution as I'm not likely to fail on these. This year I put a bit more thought into my goals and came up with this list.

Take Chances and stop being so indecisive 
In simpler terms take more risks. When it comes to making big choices I never can decide what to do so I definitely want to take more chances this year.

Travel 
I have a couple of holiday destinations I'd love to visit in 2013. One of them being Paris. I went back when I was 13 so of course I don't really remember it too much. My boyfriend and I are thinking of going before Summer so watch this space. If I do go I'll take lots of pictures to show you guys!

Save money and use up more makeup - 
pretty self explanatory this one! Being a makeup addict I doubt I need to buy any more makeup this year. This is never the case though, I always cave and buy new things I don't need.

Blog Regularly - 
with college and the like I know this may be pretty difficult but I'm hoping to get at least 3 or more posts up a week. I think this is manageable with my current work load so any more posts than this and I'll be happy.

Learn another Language
I've always wanted to learn another language I took French in school and I remember loving it. I hope during 2013 I can improve on my French and also brush up a little on my Irish. Both my Brother and my Sister can speak fluent Irish so let's just say I'm a tad jealous!

Continue doing Slimming World and hopefully reach my target by the end of this year!
As you all know 2012 has been such an amazing year for me when it comes to weight loss. I join Slimming World back in April and since then I've lost over 6st. I'm on cloud 9 at the moment about it, it still hasn't sunk in. The only issue I have is getting new clothes all the time, my bank balance is seriously declining.

Pass my Theory Test and Finally Learn How To Drive
This has been a goal of mine for an awfully long time and I've never gotten around to doing it. I don't know what it is every time I go to organise my Theory Test I end up putting it off for one reason or another. I think I may be just scared that I won't pass but finally this year

Get College over and done with
I was lucky enough to head back to college this year. I'm doing a Diploma in Marketing, PR,Sales and Advertising and so far I'm really enjoying it. I think doing the PR Internship in Manchester during the Summer of last year really showed me what line of work I'd like to get into in the future. The assignments I have been given has really taken up alot of my time so that's why I guess I haven't been blogging as frequently as I would like to.

Read More
I'm a big book worm if you didn't know already and I have a mountain of books to read. I have a Kindle but I like physical books to fill my shelves with at home. My Aunt's friend gave me the full  Game of Thrones book series recently, I can't wait to get stuck into them as I've been hearing really good things. All the books seem to be huge so I know it's going to take me some time to get through. I'm hoping to start doing some more book reviews and my blog, it's something that I know I'd enjoy alot.

I have some really exciting things planned for 2013 which I can't talk about yet but when I can you'll hear it first here. I'm looking forward to seeing what else this year has in store for me. I'm hoping to get tickets to see Ed Sheeran in concert next weekend so maybe that will be my first gig of 2013. I just wish the tickets weren't ridiculously expensive.

What's your hopes and dreams for 2013?

Laura<3

2012 Beauty Favourites

I know I'm a tad bit late with my 2012 Beauty Favourites but I wanted to still put it up so I hope you guys don't mind. Last year has seen alot of amazing beauty releases, some I've absolutely loved and as always some I didn't think were worth the hype. I have quite a few beauty products to show you so sit back and enjoy.

I haven't tried too many foundations over the last year, as I've been sticking to the ones that I feel really work for me. One of the new foundations I tried this year which quickly made it in my favourites is Urban Decay's Naked Skin foundation. I've featured this foundation in other favourites posts over the year. I've had it since the middle of the Summer so I'm surprised it has lasted for so long. There's a great shade range for this foundation which pleased me alot. I use the 2.0 which is the second from lightest shade and it suits my skin tone perfectly. I like how this foundation is light on the skin but has quite buildable coverage aswell. I've always been really impressed with Urban Decay's range of products. You'll see another one featured in this post, I bet you can alreay guess what it is. I've seen on their website that they've just released a BB cream. I can't wait to have a look at this when it hits counters over on our shores soon.

Like I said in my November favourites I couldn't possibly pick one favourite out of these brushes. They've definitely replaced any other makeup brush in my collection. I've bought quite a few Real Techniques brushes since they were released in Boots, I hope they add to the range. I find them very affordable in comparison to other brands like MAC, Bobbi Brown etc. They do a even better job in my opinion, I hope they have new additions to the range in 2013 as I know I'll definitely be buying them for sure.

Since I started using Rimmel's Stay Matte powder in early Summer, I've gone through almost four. I don't see a point in forking out on expensive face powders when there's a product like this in Boots. It comes in a number of shades, I stick to transparent as I always end up picking ones that are way too dark for me. The packaging may not be like you'd get when buying from a luxury brand but it works and that's all that should really matter. This is always in my makeup bag just in case my skin goes a little on the shiny side and I need to touch up. I do believe it's around the €7 mark so it definitely won't break the bank. I seen the gorgeous new lip products that Rimmel are bringing out showing up on plenty of blogs so I can't wait to try them when there released. Going from the products that I've already tried from the brand they haven't disappointed.

This gorgeous palette wasn't brought out in Ireland so I was really lucky when Chie sent it over to me for the States during the year. I had seen so many posts about the ever popular Danmari palette so I was really excited that they brought out this shortly after. The All About Cheek palette contains a bronzer (Laguna), a highlighter (Albatross) and four blushes (Angelika, Luster, Orgasm, Gaiety). I've been using this palette a hell of alot this year, the shade selection is brilliant so I really can't fault it at all. It's also very compact so great for travelling, which I'm hoping to do more of in 2013!

I wish the brand Sleek was more readily available over here. I know we can get it online but nothing beats going into a shop and swatching products to your hearts content. To do this I must wait til I head over to Manchester with the boy, who is super patience and doesn't mind me browsing different makeup counters/stands for hours. One of my favourite buys from the brand during 2012 was their Face Contour Kit in Light. I heard so much talk about this product before I bought it so I was really looking forward to picking one up for myself. This is great for bringing out my cheekbones and giving shape to my face. Sometimes I find that the bronzers in these sets can be too dark but that wasn't that case with this at all and I was really happy with it. The highlighter included in the kit is brilliant and I've been using it alot aswell. There's also a decent size mirror in this which would work really well for touch ups and the likes. For the price you can't go wrong with this and I can see myself picking up another the next time I'm away.

I featured this brow kit by Fashionista* in my December Favourites and I have nothing but good things to write home about it. Before 2012 I would of never worried too much about my brows and I always left them as they were. After I started using brow pencils I realised that your eyebrows really do frame your face. I use to get mine waxed quite alot but now I've found myself leaving them to do there on thing as I've found they haven't been growing as much. I finally settled on using brow powders as opposed to pencils as I feel there easier to use and the latter also seemed to break on my anyway. The Fashionista Brow Kit contains 3 different brow shades and a gel. I don't use the tweezer or brush included, I've been using the Blank Canvas Pro Deluxe E30 alongside this kit and it works great. I know that this brand is hard to come by in Ireland but if your in the UK you should be able to come by it no problem.

Another Rimmel product that I've been flying through in 2012 is their Wake Me Up Concealer. Before get started on this product, I'm just going to put it out there that I didn't like the Wake Me Up foundation. I think I may of liked it a little to start but my relationship with this product dwindled quickly. I found it to be way too dark for me and just didn't sit right on my skin at all which was disappointing for a product that at the start I loved. On the other hand the concealer is brilliant. I use the shade Ivory and it works fine for me. I'm on my third tube of this so far and I'm nearly all out so next time there's a 3 for 2 promotion in Boots I'm going to have to pick up some more. Brightening up my eye are plus giving amazing coverage this concealer is the bomb for me. If you didn't get on too well with the foundation like I did I recommend giving this a try either.  It's not too pricey so if you don't like it I'm sure someone else will.

My favourite mascara from this year has to be the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill*. Its a given that this is a expensive product but definitely one that I will be repurchasing in the New Year. This is exactly what I want in a mascara, it doesn't clump and it gives that extra bit of much needed volume to boot. I've had mine for a while now so I'm happy to say that it hasn't dried up like I found the YSL Faux Cils did. The packaging itself is also very luxurious, it's almost metal like and kinda heavy.

I've definitely seen myself using alot more eyeliner throughout 2012 and one I've been using for the most is Soap & Glory's SuperCat Liquid Eyeliner. I wasn't expecting too much from their makeup range, I can now put my hands up and say I was proven wrong. This is one great eyeliner, it literally doesn't budge all day and I've been using mine pretty much ever since I've bought it.

The Naked 2 palette got released in early in 2012 and I've been using it alot this year. All the neutral shades are right down my street. This palette contains 12 shadows that would be perfect for looks from day to night. I use mine for both, my favourite shades in the palette are Bootycall and Verve, I've almost hit pan on them. After I bought this back in January of last year I've been totally neglecting my original Naked palette, it does make an appearance now and again but not too regularly. A new spin off on the Naked palettes, The Naked Basics Palette has just been released over the past month or so and I love it so far. I included it in my December favourites post but seeing as I haven't had it for too long I didn't want to add it in. If you haven't seen yourself yet, it's definitely one to look out for indeed.

Seeing as I'm not eating anything sweet at the moment, Lush's Popcorn Lip Scrub has been a lovely treat for my lips over the Winter months. Like alot of people I get horribly dry lips, unattractive I know and this stuff is a lifesaver. I love lip scrubs from Lush and I've tried quite a few of them already but Popcorn by far is my favourite. It smells and tastes amazing! These lip scrubs come in at around the €8 mark and there shelf life is a year so I feel they are definitely worth the money in my books. I know it's pretty easy to make homemade lip scrubs, I've seen plenty of "how to" posts but I don't think I'd have the time or patience to do it. Being honest I'm also not graced with being highly skilled at making things so it would probably be an epic fail!

My favourite lip product discovery of 2012 was the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm in Honey. I went a bit mad when these first launched so I have quite a few shades floating around my room but Honey has to be my most used one. I find that this particular shade is perfect for everyday and gives an extra something to my daily makeup look. These are really moisturing aswell which I love. When I run out of Honey I'll definitely be repurchasing it, I don't think that will be for  a long time yet though as I still have plenty left. Again there is a great range of shades to choose from if you don't think Honey would be your thing!

My first extravagant Jo Malone purchase came back in July when I was heading over to Manchester. I decided to fork out on one of their fragrances as I had been doing so well with Slimming World. After having my Mam driven mad with smelling numerous perfumes I finally went for the gorgeous Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne. It smells amazing and I've been using it alot. When I first bought this I told myself that I'd only use it for special occasions but sure that's never the case at all. Since buying this I was given another fragrance from the brand, English Pear & Freesia which I love aswell. I'd definitely recommend trying them both out.

During 2012 I've fallen in love with more Bath & Body Works products. Pink Chiffon is a range of theirs that stands out for me the most. It smells amazing I've been using this alot since Chie sent it over to me. I fell in love with it after she sent me a over a travel sized Pink Chiffon body lotion for my birthday back in Februay. I've been a big fan of this scent ever since. The Triple Moisture Cream feels really nice on my skin and leaves it feeling lovely and soft. The tube is huge so I feel that this will last me for a while yet.

Before I forget I do have two random non makeup related favourites for 2012. They are not pictured but I do love them both alot. First up is Taylor Swifts's new album, RED. I have this literally on repeat on my Ipod it's such an amazing set of songs. I've been lucky enough to see Taylor Swift twice in concert in the past three years. If she tours with her new album you'll know where to find me! It's so hard to pick a favourite song from this album as all the songs are great so I had to pick two. My favourite songs for the CD itself are Red and 22, there both such catchy tunes and I love them lots. My other favourite for 2012 is Slimming World and what it has helped me achieve last year. You can check out my progress since I started back in April here.  I promise I'm going to got into this topic more on my "Thoughts on 2012" post in the next few days. For now all that I'm going to say is that this program really changed my life. It seemed like the perfect time for me to lose the weight and I couldn't be happier.

I'm sure by the end of 2013 we'll have discovered more beauty products that we've all been loving. I for one can't wait to see what new products grace us with their presence during the year. I already have my eye on a few bits that I've seen make the rounds on some blogs. I definitely feel that 2013 is going to be another big year for new product release for sure.

I'd love to hear what made it into your 2012 beauty favourites!

Laura<3