The Lo Down - March/April Favourites

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I can't believe another two months have flown by, it's insane. You know what that means it's time for my favourites and I'm so excited to show you guys what I've been loving this month. I have quite a few so lets get started.

Lee Stafford Coco Loco Shampoo and Conditioner

As I've told you in a couple of posts already, I love trying new haircare and I get the opportunity to try these two products over the last months. I love them both and I was so impressed. They smell of coconut which to me is so yum!! They also leave my hair looking amazing and squeaky clean, just what I want from any shampoo and conditioner. I highly recommend them both and I can't wait to try some more products from this line once I recover from my head surgery. I did a review recently which you can check out here.

MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick and NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lip Glosses

I have two lip products to share with you guys this month. First up is MAC's Velvet Teddy lipstick. This lipstick has a huge following and is definitely one of the most popular MAC lipsticks that they have to offer. It's so easy to apply and looks beautiful on the lips. It has a matte finish and just goes perfectly with any makeup look which is why I love it so much. I'm almost all out of mine so I will definitely be repurchasing it really soon. A review of this product can be found here. The other lip product favourite of mine is from NYX Cosmetics which is one of my favourite drugstore brands at the moment. I haven't tried a product that I didn't like yet which is really good. My favourite product of theres at the moment is their Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipsticks. They are just amazing, I adore them. They apply as a liquid and dry to a matte finish lipstick. There are so many shades to choose from and I have quite a few that I couldn't pick just one. It's definitely worth your while to go to your local counter to have a mooch if you ask me. If you want to check out my full review you can find it here.

Uriage HandCream

I love a good hand cream as my hands do get so dry as the weather is so changeable out there at the moment. I've been using a new handcream from Uriage lately and I think it's really good. It's nice and thick but it sinks into my skin right away. I carry this everywhere with me and I'm forever pulling it out of my bag when my hands are needing that extra bit of tlc. I recently was sent that intense version of this so I'll definitely let you know my thoughts soon. This handcream smells lovely too by the way. I posted a review of this a couple of weeks ago which you can see here.

Blank Canvas Makeup Brushes

I like having good tools to apply my makeup and I've looked no further than Blank Canvas Cosmetics brushes lately. This is an Irish brand and they are such good quality. I owned a couple of their brushes then when I seen that they had a sale over Christmas I purchased the Dimension Series Hamper and I'm so glad I did. It contains so many amazing brushes from face to eye so it gives great variety. I have been using these so much lately and I definitely want to pick up another set soon. If you want to see my post on these brushes you can check it out here.

Reading

Yes you read it right, I love to read! I've been reading just about anything I can get my hands on lately. I think it's so important to keep your mind active and I love being transported into another world that I made up after reading a good book. I've been reading since I was about 6 and everyone in my house calls me the reader, I'm definitely a bit of a book nerd. I've read quite a few books over the last while so if you look back over my blog you'll definitely find a good few book reviews and there'll be more to come in the next while aswell.

College

Since I did my last favourites post I started college, I actually did a post on it already a couple of weeks back. It had to make it into my favourites as I'm enjoying the course so much at the minute. At present I'm chilling out after getting minor head surgery on Thursday but I seriously can't wait to get back into college when I'm better next week. I'm learning so much and the course is full with interesting content so I'm loving it. If you didn't know I'm studying Social Media for Business in a college in Dublin and I think this course will really help my blog in the future. It's not fully focused on Social Media all the time though which I like, there's alot of marketing content. I studied Marketing in college before so I definitely have an advantage at the moment as I love the module alot. I'll definitely keep you posted with how I'm getting on with the course. Another post about my college life is actually going up on Monday or Tuesday so keep an eye out for that for sure.

That's it, my favourites for the month of April and May. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it, which is alot by they way.My next favourites post will be up in July so definitely come back for that.

Laura<3

The Lo Down - January/February Favourites

Hey Guys and Dolls,

I've decided to do a favourites post every two months cause I may not have too many products to talk about within the space of a month. During January and February I've come across alot of products which are now my favourites that I just had to share with you all.

Too Faced Sweet Peach Palette

I don't think a day has really gone by that I haven't pulled out this palette. It's so beautiful and the range of shades is amazing. I actually did a review on this that you can find here.

Benefit Dew the Hoola & Dandelion Dew

Benefit Cosmetics is one of those brands I always go back to. I just love their products and these two products are no different. Both are liquid products and they are just so easy to use. Just look at that packaging it's gorgeous. You can find the review for both products here and here!

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette - Seductive Beauty
I love Charlotte Tilbury, it's one of my favourite luxury brands they have so many beautiful products that I always reach for. Their latest product I got to try is their Instant Look in a Palette, it's all you need to create a day or night time look. It's perfect it may be pricey but I love it. You can find the review for this lovely product here.

Max Factor Fusion Mascara
Even if I don't have a full face of makeup on I love putting on lashings of mascara. Max Factor Fusion mascara is my current fave. It leaves my eyelashes looking phenomenal, loads of volume which is just what I want. I haven't reviewed this mascara yet but a review will be coming soon.

Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipstick
As you all know I've always been a fan of Urban Decay so of course I was excited to hear about their latest launch, the Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipsticks. This product comes in many shades and I love the shade 22 which is a gorgeous pinky mauve shade which looks perfect with any makeup look. As there are so many other shades to choose from I'm definitely going to pick up some more soon. You can find the review for this product here.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
I loved all the Harry Potter books so I was really excited when I found out JK Rowling was writing a screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I got this as a birthday present off my Aunty Val two weeks ago and I'm just about half way through it. I really like it so far, I haven't saw the movie yet but my favourite actor Eddie Redmayne plays the lead so it's sure going to be good. I'll definitely be doing a review on this book soon once I've read it.

I hope you enjoyed my favourites, I'll be doing another one in April so stay tuned for that.

Laura<3

September Favourites & Giveaway!!

September went by for me like a whirlwind, I had so much going on! The highlight for me was going on holidays to Spain with my family. It's true what they say nice weather really does make you happier. You can check out pictures from my holidays on my Instagram and in this post. Hard to believe we're in October!! It's freezing here in Ireland and I've already stopped off at Penneys to stock up on my winter woolies. Halloween wasn't my favourite time of year growing up but now I love it. I like the fun atmosphere and of course all the spooky goodies in shops that goes along with it. I can't wait to bring my nephew out tricker treating, he already knows what he wants to dress up as, a train driver. Random I know! I'm doubtful I'll be going out on Halloween night as it falls on a Thursday this  year and unfortunately I will be in work on Friday. I'm not going to dwell on it for too long as I have more important thing to talk about like my September favourites. Most of the products I have to share with you are ones that were used alot by me on holidays, some were purchased there aswell. I'm going to start with the two products I bought in Spain.

During my time in Spain I took a trip to Gibraltar which I loved. Whilst I was there I came across a MAC counter, I picked up two of their new release Pro Longwear Paint Pots. Quite Natural is my favourite shade out of the two. It's a gorgeous matte neutral shade which I think is perfect for everyday. One thing to bear in mind is that it does look alot lighter in the the pot than on your skin. I literally put this on my eyelids, blend, slap on some eyeliner & mascara and voila I'm good to go. Couldn't be more simple! I'm not one for matte shades normally but this product has definitely opened my eyes to them. Another product I pick up in Spain is this makeup remover from Klorane. I did come across Bioderma but the chemist was trying to flog it off to me for €28! No thanks! This 400ml bottle cost me a more reasonable €17 which I could live with. I'm new to the brand Klorane but if this makeup remover is anything to go by I'll be checking out their products online. It takes my makeup off beautifullu plus it's nice and gentle on my skin, what more could I ask for?

Now for some of the products that made the journey with me to Spain!

At a recent Harvey Nichols Press Day I was given this deluxe sample of Ginerva's Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream. I seriously couldn't get enough of this stuff on holidays. It was great for those days when I didn't want to lash on makeup in the heat. It gives a really nice even coverage which I like, sometimes I find BB creams can be a bit dodgy on my skin and can go patchy throughout the day. When set with a bit of powder I didn't have this problem at all. The tube may seem small but it got me through my whole holidays and I still have a far bit left. I may take a trip to Harvey Nichols soon to pick this up but I'm dreading to the thought of reading the price tag.

Another MAC product I dug out of my collection to bring on holidays is MAC's Mineralise Skinfinish, Soft & Gentle. I've had this for ages and I seriously don't use it enough. It's such a lovely product that definitely came in handy on holidays. I used it in two ways as a blush and highlight. It gives a gorgeous glow to the skin. Some people use it as a eyeshadow too but I haven't tried that yet.

Lastly I have a nailpolish favourite from Wet n'Wild's Megalast Salon Nail Colour (mouthful) in I Need a Refresh Mint. This polish certainly lived up to its name! I applied it to my nails the day before I jetted of to Spain and bar one or two minor chips it stayed intact for the full seven days. It's such a pity that we can't get this great brand over here, I know I along with lots of other bloggers would keep them in business.

To keep with the holiday theme I have a little giveaway for you guys. The lovely folks at La Roche Posay have given me some goodies from their suncare range. If your heading on a Winter Getaway these will just be perfect for you. If you are heading away I'm already super jealous! I haven't tried some of the products myself so you'll have to let me know how you get on. 

Here's all you have to do to enter, let me know in the comments what your favourite products are at the moment. I'd love to know as I'm always looking for new beauty buys and of course it's great to hear them off fellow beauty bloggers. I'm going to announce the winner via Twitter so don't forget to include your Twitter handle in there too.

Hope you enjoyed my favourites!

Laura<3

July Favourites!!

I can't believe August is already upon us, where did July go?  I was just talking to my brother yesterday about how it's the last month of the Summer holidays before he heads back to college which is crazy!! For me July will be remembered for the amazing weather we had here in Ireland and of course going to see Justin Timberlake in concert! We don't get the Sun a lot but when we do we never stop talking about it. For two weeks straight the sun was shining with not a cloud in the sky. Fast forward to the first week in August and already the clouds are back, I miss the nice weather already!  On a brighter note I'm heading to Spain with my family next month. It's the first holiday I've had with my familia for years, I have to admit I'm really excited. Sun, Sea and nice food for a week whats not to like?! The city we're staying in is close to Gilbratar so I'm looking forward to going there to do a bit of shopping of course. Before I start rambling on about my upcoming holiday to Spain, I better start with my favourites as I do have quite a lot to show you this month.

I love finding products that are simple and easy to use, Benefit's Creasless Eyeshadow in No Pressure! is definitely one of them. I picked this up a while ago in Brown Thomas with a gift card I had floating around my bag for an age. It's gorgeous taupe shade with a few specks of gold shimmer. In the mornings I've been applying this to my eyelid and blending it out to create a quick and easy smokey eye. For night I layer it up and use Mac's Embark in the crease. This certainly has been a great addition to my makeup collection as I've been getting a lot of use out of it, well worth the €22.50 that I paid. I absolutely adore the new Colour collection packaging, this product comes in a really pretty art deco cardboard box which I have kept myself. I already have my eye on another shade Bikini-tini that I heard Essiebutton rave about so I know I'll definitely like it.

A nail polish favourite from July has to be Butter London's Cake-Hole*. It's a gorgeous neon pink shade that brightens up any outfit, it pretty much hasn't left my nails all month. I've gotten so many comments this nail polish when I'm wearing it, Cake-Hole is definitely one of those shades that stand out (just look at the name). Only two coats of this is enough to achieve the finish that you can see in this photo here from a previous post. I guess you could get away with one but I'm so used to doing two by now.

When I was in London in June I did go a bit wild and bought a lot of beauty products, two of which have made it into this months favourites. First up is this Crown Brush makeup brush (C45) I picked up at IMATS. It's from their new Infinity line and I've been using it to apply my foundation. Excuse it's appearance, I didn't get a chance to clean it before I took these pictures. The brush is similar to the Real Techniques Buffing Brush but the bristles are tightly packed making it a little more denser. I did buy a couple of brushes from the Infinity line but the C45 is definitely my favourite.

 There has been whispers that a Victoria's Secret store is opening in Dublin Airport which I'm super excited about even though I know it will probably be tiny. When I was in London I knew there was one in the Westfield Shopping Centre beside my hotel in Stratford. Of course I ended up dragging Paddy and if you've already read my Haul you'll know I picked up a lot. One of the products that I bought that I've been loving this month is the Sparkling Citrus Lemon Escape Fragrance Mist (pictured below). This stuff smells amazing, it's a mixture of sweet lemon and coconut which I've been using literally everyday. I haven't taken it out of my bag yet as you can see from the bottle I'm almost half way through the bottle. I bought this is a set for £20 which included a shower gel and a body lotion in the same scent. If you're in Victoria's Secret I'd definitely recommend picking up a set as there's such good value. Just be warned that this spray is 125ml so if you're travelling light with carry on luggage you may not be able to bring it back on the plane. I can't wait until I go back to Manchester at the end of the year as I do believe they're opening a Victoria's Secret store in the Trafford Centre. I'll definitely be picking up another bottle of this scent when I visit and check out some more while I'm there.

At night I've been using the Neal's Yard Beauty Sleep Concentrate*. I was given this at a Press Event a couple of months back and I stumbled upon it while cleaning up my room recently. I've been using this on its on at night but you can use it alongside other products in your nighttime routine. Apart from being moisturising, I haven't been using it long enough to see a significant difference in my skin but I adore the calming scent. It certainly makes me feel relaxed going to bed at night. This product is 90% organic aswell so I'm happy to know that I'm not putting anything nasty onto my skin. The bottle may seem small but you literally only need 3-4 pumps of this stuff so it will last a good while. After busy days on the go I think it's so important to give my skin some TLC and this has been working a treat.

With July being so sunny for the most part I had to include these two products from Hawaiian Tropics. Like everyone I know how important it is to use sunscreen even when the sun isn't shining (pesky UV rays and the likes) so I was using this duo a lot. They are both from Hawaiian Tropics Silk Hydration so aswell as protecting my skin from the Sun they are super moisturising too. Did I mention that they also smell amazing? The After Sun's Coconut Papaya scent reminds me of holidays and I can't get enough of it. I did buy these in Tesco on special offer a while ago so I'm not too sure if that is still on. I do remember it being a great bargain! Needless to say seeing as the Sun is no longer around I may not need these as much now but I'll be bringing them along on my holidays to Spain.

Here are two of my random favourites from July as you all know I'm big into reading. When I was given Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare I left it aside for a while I'm not going to lie. I thought it was going to be another Twilight kinda book which I knew I wasn't going to be interested in. Now that I'm almost half way through the book I couldn't have been more wrong. This has a really good storyline to it which I'm not going to explain as knowing me I'll definitely give too much away. I have a feeling there's going to be a love story in this at some point but the background plot is really good. If you're like me you won't want to put it down. Clock Angel is a prequel to the Mortal Instruments series which is has been made into a movie that is going to be release this month. It stars the babe that is Robert Sheehan (The Misfits & Love/Hate) and Lily Collins, whilst the movie is based on the 1st book in the series the City of Bones which I haven't read yet I can't wait to go see it! Once I do finish this book I'm going to pick up some more in the series as they are currently on 3for2 in Easons. The other random favourite of mine is this bag I bought from Accessorize. I usually don't go for bags with short straps, I much prefer when they're long as I find them way easier to carry around. I was between to minds when I got this but I think I made the right decision in the end. This bag is huge and fits absolutely everything in it, e.g my camera, notebook etc. It also contains a removeable pouch which for me makes the bag more secure as I can put all my important stuff in there. Coming in two different colours I opted for the black/brown option as I think it would go with more compared to the green/navy offering. If you'd like to see a "What's in my Bag?" post in the future let me know in the comments.

What made it into your July Favourites? Did you get up to anything exciting last month?

Laura<3

June Favourites

I can't believe July is already upon us. In my mind it's supposed to be the hottest month of the Summer and if the weather stays the way it is now for the next week or two I'll be happy. June was a pretty busy month for me, it went by unbelievably fast. One of the highlights for me this month was heading over to London, you can read all about my adventures over there here. If you haven't yet read my London posts I had an amazing time and I really want to go back over before the end of the year. There's so much cool things to do in that city, I would need so much more time to see them. The majority of my favourites are ones that I brought along to London with me. When I'm travelling abroad I like to just bring products that I know I'll use. On past trips I went a bit over the top with bringing makeup with me which results in it being untouched for the duration of the holiday. Of course I did pick up a lot of beauty bits over there, thank god I remembered to check in a bag.

I'm not big on tanning products but over the Summer months I've decided to use them a little more to give myself a natural glow. When I seen the new Bourjois Bronzing Range, I immediately wanted to give the primer a go. I always use a primer before I apply my makeup as I have Combination/Oily skin if I didn't use one I get my makeup would just slide off my face. With this product I was killing two birds with the one stone, getting my makeup to stay intact all day and achieving a Summer glow too. Not only have I been using this under makeup, I'm been putting it over my foundation as a cream bronzer and it looks great. For the price, I'll definitely be picking up another soon. I'm not too sure if it's permanent or not, something I'll have to check that out. I'm undecided on trying their new Bronzing BB cream, I have a feeling it could be a little too dark from what I've seen in the shop. Have any of you guys tried it??

I've always been a big fan of MAC makeup, I do agree that some of their limited edition collections can be a bit hyped up though. When I first spotted the Temperature Rising Summer I was immediately drawn to their Bare My Soul eyeshadow quad. First off this palette isn't housed in the usual MAC black packaging but in a nice burnt brown affair. I'm actually digging it, I love when they come out with limited edition packaging it's even better when the product itself performs well too.However when I went to the till to pay for my purchases I was shocked to hear that this was €52.50, I know pricey! I was so glad I took the plunge and got this though as it was the only palette I used while I was in London. Unlike the usual limited edition palettes this one contains ultra wearable shades that are ideal for everyday. I think this palette would be all you need for weekends away as it would talk you from day to night. My two favourite shades are Romantico (shimmery) for all over the lid and Friendly (shimmery chocolate brown) in the crease. If your not big into shimmery shadows this palette won't be for you. As it is unfortun.;ately limited edition I guess it would be unlikely to still be on counters.

A lip product that I've been using a lot this month is from Essence and it's their Stay Matt Lip Cream in  Velvet Rose.  It's a gorgeous dusty pink shade that is perfect for everyday. I actually picked up another shade aswell called Soft Nude and it's really nice too. These both smell amazing like sweet caramel! I'm pretty sure these ring in at €3 each which isn't to bad for a new lip product. If I feel my makeup look needs a little something different I pop on Velvet Rose and it definitely completes the whole look. As this is a matte lip cream it does stay on the lips for a while, however as with all matte lip products I'd recommend using a lip balm before applying. This brand can do no wrong in my eyes, their budget friendly range will forever be favourites of mine. For instant if I was stuck without a concealer or foundation just before Payday, I know I'd be able to pick up some for less than five euro which is amazing!

My last makeup related favourite is Benefit's Hello Flawless powder. I got matched to the shade "I love Me" Ivory at an Benefit launch a couple of months back. At first looking at the shade I thought it was going to be a little bit too dark for me. After I started using it at the beginning of June, I fell in love with it. As always with Benefit the packaging its fun and quirky. Included is a sponge and a little brush but I've been using my own brush and tapping of the excess, a little bit of this goes such a long way. Depending on what kind of coverage you want you can go from sheer to full with this. I find its really good for topping up my makeup during the day and its the perfect size for my handbag too. As this is the lightest shade I don't know how this will suit people that are fairer than me. I'd recommend getting colour matched at one of their counters before purchasing it.

Paddy bought me this gorgeous skincare treat a while back and I'm so glad he did. Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask is a product that I have been reading rave reviews about all over the blogosphere. I decanted this into a small travel tub for when I went to London and it did the world of good for my skin. After travelling from East London to West London pretty much over the whole weekend it was nice to get back to the hotel and slap some of this on my face. This stuff smells AMAZING, just like peaches! It's just a lovely treat for my skin and it laps this product up. Paddy even used some when we were in London and he said his skin never felt as good the next day, maybe I have him converted to this product already. The one I got is actually in the Limited Edition 50ml packaging that came out a month or so ago. If you're trying to look for this at Origins counters it comes in a green tube. Even though this is only 50mls it seems to be lasting forever.I'm definitely interested in trying out some more bits from this brand soon as I haven't tried an awful lot from them. If your at all familiar with the brand I'd love to hear your recommendations.

Fleur de Figuier is the latest fragrance from Roger & Gallet and it's perfect for the Summer. I'm already planning on picking up the shower gel in this beautiful floral scent, I'm hoping they have a body lotion to go alongside it too. I definitely agree that fragrance is very personal, I know it's so hard to go into a shop and pick one out for a friend. I'd recommend going into a store that stocks Roger & Gallet to give this one a sniff I'm sure you won't be disappointed. I'm a big fan of their new travel size bottles, this fits in my handbag perfectly without taking up too much space. I do believe their whole fragrance range comes in these travel sizes now so if this scent isn't for you there's a variety of others to choose from.

Another travel size product I used over in London was Bath & Body Works Sweet as Paris body lotion. How I wish we could get this brand in Ireland, I know I for one would keep them in business here. I just love how all their products come in little cute travel sizes. Again this took up hardly any room in my travel makeup bag. I used this every night before I went to bed in London and I still have a significant amount yet which is good for a product of this size. It have a lovely sweet scent but isn't sickly. Sweet As Paris is a really light lotion that sinks into the skin fast whilst leaving it really soft. I hope I get a chance to go to America in the near future as I want to stock up on my favourite scents from this brand.

So that's all my favourites for the month of June, I'd love to hear yours!

Laura<3

May Favourites

It's hard to believe that we're halfway through 2013 already, this year is flying by so fast. If the next six months are anything like the last six I'll be extremely happy. May has been a really hectic month for me I had my college exams and I was training lots for the Mini Marathon, I didn't really have a free minute to myself. All the training and studying paid off as I passed all my exams (1 Distinction & 3 Merits) and I jogged the Mini Marathon in a time of 1hr 13mins. I couldn't be happier with these achievements as they are both huge deal for me.  I have all the time in the world now to blog regularly  and enjoy my Summer. I'm going to London in less than two weeks which I'm super excited for. I've never been so this will be my first time going, I can't wait to see all the sights and of course do lots of shopping. Would love to hear about your favourite places to visit in London too! Back to my favourites for May, I have quite a few things to show you and the majority are new discoveries.

 Two lip products I've been loving over the past month are both from No7, they are their BB Lips Balm in the shade Ballerina  and High Shine Lip Crayon in Delicate Pink. I  actually got these using the No7 vouchers that come out regularly, otherwise I probably would have never discovered these lovely products. I've been using the lip crayon all over my lips with the BB lip balm over the top for a glossy finish. The latter is so moisturising and leaves my lips so soft. One thing that I don't understand about this product is naming it a BB lip balm, in my opinion its just a lovely tinted lip balm As you can see form the packaging of the lip crayon both of these products haven't left my bag. My other makeup favourite this month (not pictured) is Maybelline's Mega Plush mascara. I've always been a mascara girl even if I'm not wearing a full face of makeup I'll always brush on a coat to open up my eyes.  I've always really liked Maybelline mascaras (bar one or two) so I was looking forward to trying their latest offering. I wasn't left disappointed, one coat during the day leaves me with gorgeous fluttery lashes, while for nighttime, I use a couple of coats for added volume. I've seen quite mixed reviews on this mascara but I haven't found any faults with this product myself. I much prefer it to their Rocket Mascara. Again like other Maybelline mascaras I love the packaging like who doesn't like turquoise.

I've been trying to lay off the straighteners lately but when I'm heading out on a night-out they do make an appearance. Even though I do like my hair straight, it can look rather flat. To fix this problem I've been styling my hair in a birds nest and spraying it with Ojon's Revitalizing Flexible Hairspray. I was lucky enough to receive this in my #Bootsgiveitago goodie bag that I won via Twitter. This stuff brings my hair to life and is easily brushed out which makes it the perfect product for me as I do have fine hair. Anything that has a strong hold leaves my hair looking a mess after I try to brush it out. I've been super impressed by the Ojon products I've tried so far, I'm definitely going to pick up some more bits soon. A body product I've had for a while but rediscovered during the month of May is the Blood Orange and White Pepper Body Butter from Bliss. I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of the brand, I've tried a couple of their products over the past few years that I've been less than satisfied with. Their body butters are the stand out for me, they have a thick consistency whilst not leaving the skin greasy and they smell amazing. They have a good selection of scents available so I'm sure there'll be something to suit everyones tastes. I don't want to get too carried away with this product but I do think they're seriously great. I've been lucky enough to pick them up on Sale for more than half the price, they are pretty expensive otherwise. Blood Orange & White Pepper (a fruity/spicy affair) is by far my favourite scent. I know it won't be to everyones tastes but I'd definitely recommend giving it a whirl.

When I was jogging the Mini Maration getting a good sunscreen was top of my list. Vichy's Mattifying Face Fluid* has an SPF 50, plus it's perfect for underneath makeup aswell. This has been my go to product last week as we had a heat wave here, you wouldn't know it now looking at the weather outside. I just hope its not the last of the good weather. This is the perfect size for travelling too and it's not going to break the bank either. During the month I ran out of my No7 Cleansing Water,instead of rushing out to pick up a new one I rooted through my beauty stash. I came across the Loreal Skin Perfection 15 Second Miracle Oil. A mouthful of name I know but it is truly amazing. It gets rid of all my makeup in a jiffy so it's great if your in a rush or just tired after a long days work. I bought this in Boots on offer, I can't remember the exact amount I paid off the top of my head but it wasn't a hell of a lot. I literally only ever need three pumps at the most for my whole face so this bottle will definitely last a long time.

Lastly I have a new fragrance favourite. I love The Body Shop's Mango Eau de Toilette*, it's a gorgeous fruity scent for the Summer. I've been using this lots lately and it's definitely a fragrance I'll be reaching for a lot over the coming months. I like how the packaging is quite simple as I'm not scared of it getting wrecked if I juck it in my bag like I would be with fancy bottles. This fragrance is making me want to pick up some more products from their Mango range, it smells amazing!

Have you tried any of these products? What made it into your May Favourites?

Laura<3

My Belated April Favourites

I know I'm a bit late on the April Favourites band wagon this month, I've been such a busy bee getting ready for my exams. I started them on Monday and I finish them today!! WOO!! I really can't wait to get them out of the way as I'll have the whole Summer to look forward to. I'm hoping the weather is nice here in Ireland as it has been so changeable in the last few weeks. At this stage as long as we get a couple of days of glorious sun I'll be happy. I'm taking part in the Mini Marathon in two weeks time too so I'm hoping it brightens up a bit for that. My training has taken the back seat since I started my exams this week so I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things next week. The reason I decided to do this post even though it is a tad bit late is that I have a few favourites to show you guys from last month which I think definitely deserve a mention so lets get started!

First up I have a Barry M nail polish, I haven't tried too much from this brand  myself but I always hear bloggers rave about their polishes. This is the shade Blueberry from the fairly new Gelly Hi-Shine range. This is a gorgeous wearable blue shade perfect for the Summer. Every time I rock this on my nails, I've gotten so many comments so it's definitely a winner for me. I can see myself wearing it lots over the coming months, only two coats leaves a gorgeous glossy finish. I certainly have my eye on a couple of more shades from this range so who knows you may be seeing a Boots haul very soon. My next favourite is a body lotion from Dove. Surprisingly I didn't have too much time for the brand in the past as I wasn't too keen on their recognisable scent. When I was invited to a Dove event not too long ago, I wasn't too sure how I'd get on with their products after years of not being the biggest fan. Low and behold I found their Almond Cream and Hibiscus body lotion and I've fallen in love. It smells just like holidays which for me is the perfect scent for over the Summer. This light lotion leaves my skin lovely and soft whilst also smelling absolutely amazing. I'll definitely be stocking up on some more of these soon as I seen them on Boots last week on special offer. I can't give the exact price off the top of my head but from what I can remember event at its regular price its very affordable, it definitely won't break the bank. During the January Sales this year I was lucky enough to get the Marc Jacobs Daisy Gift set for a bargain. It has definitely become my go to scent over the last month or so. I have to admit I didn't use it too much when I originally bought it but the scent has definitely grown on me. It's a really beautiful everyday floral scent that I've been wearing non stop. One big thing for me is the beautiful packaging, isn't it gorgeous? Dior's Lip Glow Balm is a lip product that I've been reaching for over others lately. It's a colour revival balm which basically means it enhances the natural colour of your lips. I wouldn't go wild and say this is a must have lip product as it is very expensive but I do love the hint of colour it gives to my lips and I find it quite moisturising too. One of the key reasons why I like this so much though is because it's easy to work with, I don't even need a mirror. It's lasted me a while too as I bought it when I was in Manchester last year. I remember when I bought this with my Mum she thought I was crazy for spending so much on a lip balm. The balm itself also has a gorgeous scent too which is a plus. Lastly I have this little gem from MAC. I've had this eyeshadow for a while and I love it. I use it lots so I'm really surprised I haven't talked about it more on here. This limited edition eyeshadow was from the brands Electric Cool collection. I picked up two shades from the selection on offer and the one picture above is definitely my favourite. Pure Flash is a beautiful pale champagne colour that I tend to use all over the lid with a darker shadow in the crease. The formula is very lightweight but don't let that fool you, this shadow is so pigmented so a little goes a long way. I've already hit pan on it and I won't be a happy bunny when I use it all up as I really love this shadow. I'm hoping MAC repromotes it sometime in the future.

There you have it my short and sweet April favourties. Sorry it's a bit late but you know what they say better late than never. I just want to wish everyone doing exams at the moment the best of luck! I finish mine tomorrow and I've been really pleased with them so far. Thanks for all the lovely supportive tweets on Twitter they mean a lot. I'll have lots of free time on my hands now that I'm finished with college so I'm going to get back into blogging regularly again. I've really missed writing up posts on my blog over the last couple of weeks so I have lots of ideas in mind.

What are your current beauty favourites? I'd love to hear them.

Laura<3

March Favourites

March definitely has been my least favourite month so far this year. Less than three months into 2013 I got news that kinda bummed me out. Towards the end of the month things turned themselves around but it's weird how you can be having the time of your life and then something can happen that shakes you to the core. My Mum usually tells me to look onwards and upwards which is exactly what I'm going to do. I have so many positives happening in my life at the moment, I don't want to dwell on the drama that happened in March too much.

Now onto the part of the month I love, the beauty favourites. I have quite a few to show you guys so lets get started!

MUA released their BB cream a while back and I only started using it over the past month or so. I'm not too keen on BB creams so I even surprised myself when I started using this one a lot over March. Compared to other BB creams I've tried MUA's All in One Beauty Balm* offers a bit more coverage whilst still being lighter than your average foundation. I use the shade light and it's the perfect match for my skin tone. The packaging is great too as it takes up little or no room in my makeup bag. For £3.00/€4ish you can't go wrong with this product, it's super affordable which is a plus for students like me.

Next up I have a product from Catrice, a brand that is super affordable and definitely worth having a look at if you come across it. I've been using their Camouflage Cream for over a month now and I've been really impressed with it. In a nut shell this is their drugstore version of a full coverage concealer. I bought the shade Ivory which is the lightest shade available, they don't have a big selection of shades which I think will be the only thing that people will find trouble with. I've been using this mostly on blemishes, it's definitely too heavy for my undereye area. This stays in place all day and I've had it over a month now and I haven't even made a dip in the product. Great considering this concealer retails for less than €4.

I have two favourites from US brands, Bath & Body Works and Tarte. We can't get either brand in Ireland so I was delighted when Chie sent me these as a part of my birthday gift. I've been using Tarte's Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush in Blissful practically everyday throughout March. It's a gorgeous wearable peachy shade that is perfect for everyday. I can't vouch that this blush last for 12 hours on the skin but it definitely does the job for me. I love the packaging too, it's so pretty! I'll definitely be picking up some more of these when I go to New York. My other stateside favourite is Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar Fragrance Mist. As you all know already I absolutely adore vanilla scented products so I knew without a doubt I'd love this. It's just a lovely all round sweet scent that I'm sure most people would love. The size of the fragrance mist is also perfect for my bag which is handy. The full sized bottle has already been added to my New York Shopping List.

A nail polish favourite for me this month is YSL's Rouge Expressioniste nail lacquer*. I do believe that this was a limited edition shade for Winter 2012 so I'm not too sure if you can still get your hands on this one. It's a beautiful dark vampy red shade which I personally love. I'd happily wear this all year round, it just looks so classy. Only one coat of this polish is needed so there's no messing around with this one. I adore this polish so I don't know what I'll do when I run out.

I'm forever trying new eye makeup removers, some for me aren't worth the hype at all. Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover* for me is worth every penny. I'm usually not too fussed with bi-phase makeup removers, unlike some this doesn't leave a oily mess around my eyes. This stuff even removes waterproof mascara and I don't find myself using to much product in the process either. Nothing bugs me more than when I buy a new eye makeup remover and it's gone in a week. In the long run I wouldn't mind spending more on a makeup remover if it means it lasts me that bit longer. I'll definitely be repurchasing this when I run out, while I'm at the counter I want to check out their new Summer collection too.

Last up is a haircare product from TreSemme. I use to always use this brand in my schools day but recently I haven't been giving it too much loving. With so many haircare products being released regularly sometimes it's easy to forget old favourites. I've been loving their new Platinum Strength Stay Soft Leave In over the last few weeks. The product claims to repair up to two years of damaged hair, I wouldn't go that far but this does leave my hair looking healthy and soft. Purple is my favourite colour so of course I love the packaging. The product smells really nice and fresh too. I may pick up some more products from this range the next time I'm at Boots.

What made it into your March Favourites?

Laura<3

February Favourites

Sorry I'm a bit delayed putting up my favourites post, I had such a busy weekend so I could only manage to get it up today. February was a good month for me as far as discovering new products go. Most of the stuff included in the post is completely new to me. I'm kinda surprised that I have so many seeing as February is the shortest month.

I'm going to start off with the makeup purchase I was most excited about this month which was the Urban Decay Theodora palette. This gorgeous palette coincides with the launch of the new Disney Movie, Oz The Great and Powerful. I wanted to buy this ever since it popped up online. All the shadows in this palette is right down my street. I love the neutral browns and the greens. The packaging is gorgeous too and not going to lie it was one of the first things that drew me to this palette. For the price I'm glad I bought it as you get 6 shadows (two of which are duos), you also get a eyeliner and lip pencil which I think is pretty good for €40. The shadows are removeable too so if you want to switch this palette up with your other Urban Decay ones you can. I also bought the Glinda palette but I've been using this one a lot more.

During the month of February I took part in the 28 Days of Kisses tag, to keep my lips in tip top shape I used one of Nivea's new lip butters. There are four to choose from but my favourite of the bunch is Vanilla & Macadamia, it smells amazing. I've had this in my handbag throughout the whole month of February. I may have to pick up another soon just for backup in case I lost this one. I really like these lip products as they are super affordable at €2.90 and they do the job.

My friend Sinead bought me this mascara back from her recent trip to Florida. Having hear so much about Covergirl's Clump Crusher, I couldn't wait to try it for myself and it didn't disappoint. The curved angled brush reaches even the smallest lashes, and gives them a extra boost. This is the best drugstore mascara I've tried in a long time, it doesn't clump at all on the lashes, not even when I apply another coat a couple of hours later. I wish we could get this brand in Ireland, I'll definitely be stocking up on this when I'm in New York at the end of the year. I know it's so far away but I'm going to start making lists soon.

My skincare favourite this month comes from MAC and it's their Volcanic Ash Exfoliator. I bought this in Selfridges at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. I remember wanting to try this for a while and when I seen it at the counter I snatched it up. It's been sitting neglected in my collection for a long time unloved but I've rediscovered it during the month of February. This stuff is just gorgeous it leaves my skin super soft and fresh. I was expecting this to smell pretty funny but I actually don't mind the scent at all. It says on the tube that you can use this product up to three times a week but I seriously think that's a bit excessive. This is quite a coarse scrub so you wouldn't need to use it that much. I thought when I bought this last year that it was limited edition but I've seen it on a few counters over here in Dublin so it's worth keeping your eyes out for. It was pretty pricey when I bought it but this one tube will last you ages.

My favourite fragrance this month is Ralph Lauren's Big Pony for Women. There are 4 scents to choose from, I went for #4. This is a floriental (floral and oriental) scent which smells amazing. It contains notes of wild cherry which you can definitely pick up on when you first spray this fragrance. I got this as a part of a gift set in the January Sales, it also came with a body lotion in the same scent, a complete bargain at €30. I didn't start using it right away when I first bought it, but this has been for go-to fragrance for the month of February. I haven't put it down! The packaging isn't anything too spectacular but I love the colour purple so this suits me fine. It's also so perfect size for my handbag, it's quite a sturdy bottle too so I wouldn't be too worried about spillage.

I'm not big on tan but when I've wanted a natural glow throughout February I've been using Sienna X's Gradual Glowing Self Tan. If you're fans of instant tan this probably isn't for you, this does that a good few hours to develop. I usually put mine on over night. When you first apply it to the skin it doesn't have that biscuity scent that people associate with tan but as it develops it you can smell it a little. This factor has never really bothered me at all so it wasn't something I'd be too put off by. I've used this mostly on my arms and legs, it results in a gorgeous natural tan which is what I go for. If your someone who likes a dark tan this may not be for you. I bought this when I was on holidays in Manchester last year so I'm not a 100% percent sure if it's available in Ireland.

Another favourite for me this month is the new Unilever deodorant packaging, they've got rid of all their big bottles and have brought out these small travel friendly bottles. Apparently these tiny can are suppose to contain the same amount of product to the big cans. I haven't put it to the test but I'll take their word for it. This new packaging is not only environmentally friendly but for me it takes up little or no space in my handbag unlike the original which is a major plus. I've been using the scent Pomegranate & Lemon Verbena from Dove, which smells lovely and fresh. I don't usually go for Dove scents but I surprisingly really like this one.

What are your star products for February?

Laura <3

January Favourites

We're finished with January and now into February, which mean it's time for my first favourites of 2013. February is one of my favourite months of the year because in twelve days time it will be my birthday. YAY! I'm going to be 23 so I have nothing wild planned for this year, I'm going to take it easy and maybe go on a weekend away. Yes it you haven't noticed my birthday is also the day after Valentines Day, the most romantic day of the year! Just kidding! My boyfriend already has a good chunk of my present bought. I know what it is already, cause he had to make sure I'd like it before he forked out the money for it. Needless to say I'm over the moon with the gift, I can't have it until my actual birthday, that itself is making me looking forward to getting it even more. In the coming weeks I'll probably do a What I Got For my Birthday post like last year so stay tuned for that.

Back to my favourite products for this month, of which I have quite a few. Having a look over my list, all the products (par two) were new finds which is a bit of a change as the majority are usually rediscoveries for me. I'm going to start off with some of with my old favourites and continue on to my new favoured acquisitions.

First off is the Liz Earle's Eyebright Sooting Eye Lotion. This is my third bottle of this stuff and I can't get enough of it. In the mornings I soak two cotton pads with this stuff and sweep them over my eyes. They are usually tired and puffy, so the lotion itself wakes them up and leaves them refreshed. I really like the scent of this product too. It has a light herbal smell that I don't think would be offensive at all. The packaging is great on this product aswell, the lid is secure so I wouldn't worried about spillage if you had this in your bag. It also comes in a travel sized which I'm tempted to pick up for my holidays the next time I'm in Wilde & Green. Last month I featured the Naked Basics palette in my favourites and it's squeezed its way in this time too. I've always used shimmer eyeshadows on my eyes as I think they look so pretty. Since I bought this palette I've been using it a hell of a lot. It contains all the shades you'd need to create a natural eye look and they're so pigmented! I'm in the love with the packaging as it's nice and dainty, it literally fits into the palm of my hand. I do have the other two Naked palettes but this is something different for me. I don't have two many matte eyeshadows in my collection so it's nice to have them all in the one place. Being travel friendly is a major positive for this palette as I found that the Naked palettes were a bit too big. This however would fit into my everyday makeup bag nicely and I'd still have plently of room for all my other products. It's also much more affordable compared to the other Naked palettes so it's a good one to start off with.

Now onto my new discoveries from the month of January. You all know by now I'm a huge Soap & Glory fan, I love their products. When I was in Boots I noticed they released some new goodies into their range. I picked up a few which I'm sure will make it into my future favourites but one instant stand out for me was their Sugar Crush shower gel. I'm not blessed to have a bath in my house so I'm always on the look out for nice shower products and this definitely falls into that category. This stuff smells absolutely amazing, basically it smells like limes/sugar, lovely and sweet.  It's one of those scents that stays in your bathroom for a while after you shower. I've already used quite a bit already so I'll definitely be repurchasing it again. I just hope my family doesn't realise how nice it is or it may run out sooner than I think. If you like the  , you're bound to like this. They brought out a body butter in the same scent which I bought too but I've yet to try it. I'll let you know my thoughts when I do. Late last year I ran out of all my cleansing waters, instead of rushing out to buy more I decided to use up the cream cleanser I already had. I hate being wasteful so if I know I have some products in my collection for a while I like to finish them up. When I went through the few that I had lying around I popped into Boots; I had no particular micellar solution in mind as I wanted to try something different for a change. I finally went for La Roche Posay's  Effaclar Purifying Micellar Water for Oily Sensitive Skin. The name itself is a bit of a mouthful! I'm so glad I bought this stuff as it's such a lovely product. At present there's a lot of hype out about the Effaclar range among bloggers, I'm currently trying out their Effaclar Duo which I'm going to bring you a review on soon. This micellar solution is a product I haven't heard talked about that much which is odd as it's brilliant. This takes off all my makeup like a dream whilst not drying my skin out. I've used it to take off stubborn eye makeup and it hasn't irritated my eyes in the slightest. I can't say this about some other cleansing waters I've tried in the past. Price wise this comes in at €13.75 which I can't argue with as the majority of cleansing waters come in at the same price or even more for that matter. The size of the bottle is the only niggle I have with this product. I always fly through bottles of cleansing waters like there's no tomorrow and I've already used up a quarter of this in a week. I don't think the size of the bottle should take away from the quality of the product though so this is only a small issue. This month I finally caved and bought a eyelash curlers. I have a love/hate relationship with them and I haven't used one for a while now. I bought the Kevyn Aucoin eyelash curlers in Harvey Nichols, at €18 I can't say it was the cheapest. It was the right choice in the end to fork out on it though, this opens up my eyes completely. I can't believe I hadn't used curlers for so long. Even if I'm not in the mood to apply eyeshadow, I use this and lash on a few coats  f mascara.

I've only been using this lipstick for a bit over a week now but it definitely deserved its place in this months favourites. Rose Tweed is one of the many shades from the new Bourjois Rouge Edition Collection. I contemplated buying quite a few shades before I finally settled on this beauty. This is just the perfect lipstick for everyday, it's a gorgeous pinky nude which I can see myself wearing alot over the coming months. One key factor that also influenced my purchase was the gorgeous packaging. It's nice and sleek, I'll be happy taking this out of  my makeup bag that's for sure. It was the first lipstick I chose to use in my 28 Kisses tag post which you can see here. If I want a bit more of a wow factor I've been using MAC's Glamourdaze lipstick which comes in their Cremesheen formula. This particular lipstick is limited edition and was a part of their Christmas collection last year. As per usual when I bought this I was trying to save money but I couldn't help myself as it just looked so pretty in the bullet. It's a gorgeous wearable plummy red shade. If you know me you'll know that I don't wear reds at all so this is definitely more on the plum side of things. It's definitely different to shades that I'd usually go for but this works! This will be my second lipstick in my 28 Kisses tag so keep an eye out for that post later today.  Before applying these lipsticks I've been using my EOS Sweet Vanilla Nonsense lip balm. Chie sent this over to me from the States for Christmas and I love it. It's from the brands limited edition Alice in Wonderland trio set First off I love Alice in Wonderland so I love the product names, they're so cute. Alot of bloggers say the packaging reminds them as Kinder Surprises, now that I look at it again I certainly agree. After using this lip balm my lips are left feeling smooth and moisturised, perfect for applying my favourite lipsticks.

I've had this fragrance for a while but it's the first time I've featured it in one of my favourites posts. I love Taylor Swift, I've seen her in concert twice which you will hear a bit more about in my 50 Random Fact post. When I heard she was bringing a fragrance out I knew I had to have it.   This one was out in the States for ages before it was released over here in Ireland and it was definitely worth the wait. This smells amazing, it has a gorgeous fruity floral scent which I've been using everyday for the past while. I love the packaging, my favourite colour is purple so it's a complete given that I'd like this. The charms are so pretty too.

A random favourite for me this month is my Pretty Puzzles book. I got this in the January Sales and if I'm waiting for someone or something I'll whip this out. Look at the cover definitely a step up from the puzzle books you'd get in a newsagent, not that I would of paid the full €7 for this. I actually love puzzles and have done for year, I could just never get the hang of crosswords. Jeez not even 23 and spending my time doing wordsearches what's the world coming to. Saying that I got this at the start of January and I've only finished three puzzles, yes THREE!

Do you do monthly favourites? What made it into yours?

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

December Favourites

I can't believe it's the last day of 2012, I'm not one to go all out with New Years celebrations but tonight I'm braving the horrible weather and heading into town. Before I start getting ready and glammed up I wanted to show you my December Favourites. It seriously only feels like yesterday that I did my November Favourites, like always Christmas went by super fast. Even though I didn't have anytime off over Christmas bar the day, I did enjoy spending time with my family. I love the atmosphere around Christmas time, my nephew was super excited to see what Santa left in our house for him. We must of spent hours playing with his new toy ship. Back to my favourite products, I don't have too many bits to show you this month. I've been busy with the festivities and trying to get college assignments out of the way but most of the products featured are new finds. Keep an eye out for my 2012 Favourites which will be a rundown on the products that I've been loving over the past year. It may go up in 2013 but it's coming!

First of is a body cream from Bath & Body Works which I can't get enough of. Vanilla Bean Noel is from the brands Festive range and it smells amazing. This is the Triple Moisture Body Cream so it's nice and thick, perfect for this time of the year as my skins been so dry. As you all know I adore vanilla scents so this was always going to go down well  with me. I can tell why this is such a winner during this time of year, I don't know how someone could not love this. The festive packaging looks really special too, I just hope I don't run out of this anytime soon as it's impossible to get here.

There is no doubt in my mind that this palette will make an appearance on alot of blogs over the coming weeks. I bought my Naked Basics palette a week before Christmas and I'm so glad I did. I had €5 on my Debenhams Beauty Card so I got this baby for €21 (SCORE!). I own both the Naked 1 and Naked 2 palettes and for me personally I think I'll get more use out of this one. It's a nice sized compact with a mirror which will be absolutely perfect for travelling. The palette contains 5 matte shades and one shimmery shade. All the shadows are extremely pigmented, I use the shimmery ivory shade as a brow highlight and it's perfect. While were on the topic of brows I'll bring in another one of my favourites from this month, Fashionista's Brow Kit*. I've never been too fussed about my brows but over the past while I've been taking the time to fill them in. When I was younger I had super bushy eyebrows, I started getting them waxed when I was 13/14 after someone commented on them. I've felt that in the last while they're not growing back as quick and they've become quite sparse in places which is extremely frustrating. Surprisingly after filling them both in with the shade I've hit pan on, I like the look it gives me. I feared looking like I had caveman brows to be honest! I do believe this brand is only available in the UK but if you can get a hold of this product I'd definitely recommend it. I'm hoping to repurchase this when I'm over in Manchester in the New Year.

Before I put on my makeup I've been using the Clarins Instant Smooth Perfection Touch Primer. I've enjoyed using it so far and I think it's a gorgeous product. It leaves my skin feeling nice and smooth, perfect for applying foundation. You may be thinking that this is a awfully small pot but I don't use all that much to cover my whole face. I've been using mine for a while now and there's barely a dip made in the product. I usually judge a primers staying power by judging how it fares with the dodgy air con and running around in work, I can happily say this has passed the test. I've heard there's a self tanning version of this primer too for around the same price so I want to try that next. For setting my makeup I've been using my mini MAC Fix+. I've neglected this stuff for a while and I only rediscovered it during this month. This is a handy little travel size that the brand brought out I'm not a 100% sure if there still available now. I hope they are as I want to buy another one as I think it's seriously great. I use this during the day, a couple of hours after I've applied my makeup as I find it really refreshing on my skin. If I can't get the mini version I know I'll be getting the full sized bottle.

Lastly I have to give my favourite festive candle, Christmas Cookie a mention. This is the medium sized jar and I'm sure it's going to last ages. The scent reminds me of Vanilla Cupcake but a bit sweeter. When I light this it literally leaves my room smelling like a bakery no joke. I know that they usually have these candles on sale at this time of the year, I'd definitely pick up this gem while you still can. I got given a couple of these as gifts over Christmas so I know I'll be stocked up for a while and I have no problem burning them in the New Year. They smell so good!!

Do you have any plans for New Years? What made it into your December Favourites?

Laura<3