February Favourites

I often find it hard to compile a list of products to mention in my monthly favourites, as my day to day makeup and skincare routine generally stays the same, but I thought I'd share a few products that really stood out to me last month.

I've used the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask before and while I liked using the product, I never really got how good it is and thought it was just a thick moisturiser... However I was really ill and sick at the beginning of February and my whole body (including my skin) became very dehydrated. My skin was looking very lacklustre and makeup was not sitting well on it. Enter the Origins mask and after a few days use, it left my skin feeling rehydrated and plump. It has a lovely citrusy smell, which reminds me of citrus polos (Does anyone else remember those?!)

I've also been loving the Superfacialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil (which is quite possibly the longest name ever!). I'd never used a cleansing oil before, but wanted to give one a whirl and decided to give this Superfacialist one a go after hearing lots of good reviews. It makes makeup removal very simple and leaves my skin feeling nice and clean, without any tightness or greasiness. This also has a nice citrusy smell, which I really like.

Chanel Lotus Rouge is a gorgeous deep raspberry red colour, which I have been sporting on my nails a lot recently. It's perfect for the colder wintery months, but is also versatile enough to be worn all year round as it's not too dark. Although the lasting power of this nail varnish leaves a little to be desired, the brush and application are top notch. I have a NOTD of this here.

I have been experimenting with cheek products this month, as they have been neglected for a long time. The Makeup Academy blush in Cupcake is a lovely matte peachy, pink which adds a natural flush to the cheeks. I find that even though it's a matte blush, it gives your complexion a glow and really perks up the skin. Another great thing about this blush is that it only costs £1! I have also been using the Soap and Glory Solar Powder bronzer from my Christmas Soap and Glory palette (which I plan on doing a post about). It has a darker shade and a lighter shade (which also has a little shimmer), which you can use separately or mixed together. I tend to mix them together and they give a natural looking shade, which isn't too dark or muddy for my pale complexion.

What were you loving throughout February?

Joy xx

January Favourites 2013

Throughout January, I have been enjoying a number of products that have fast become staples in my routine.

This month I have been loving using Wet n Wild Mellow Wine blush. It's a lovely dark pink-red colour, which gives a lovely pop of colour on the cheeks. I have been in love with my MAC 266 and using the centre shade of the top row of the NYX Nude on Nude Natural Look palette. I would not have normally opted for a colour like this, as my hair is darker than the shade, but it somehow works. My lipsticks of choice for the past month have been Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Rivage and Wet n Wild Spiked with Rum. Rivage a pretty pink colour, which gives a natural rosy colour to the lips. While it doesn't last too long on the lips, I love the formula and the glossiness. I love the long-lasting formula of Spiked with Rum and the colour is great for Winter. The Sigma Precision Round P82 has been one of my favourite brushes for packing on and blending out concealer over redness and blemishes. It's bristles are super soft and leaves such a flawless finish.

For skincare, the Emma Hardie Amazing Face cleansing balm has been a dream to use recently, especially as my skin has been a little dry in this cold weather. I am going to do a full review of this soon. I have also had a few pesky blemishes, which the Origins Out of Trouble mask has been a godsend for. I normally use it twice a week, but recently I've been using it on specific big spots and leaving it on overnight. It really helps to minimise the size and redness of the spot. I have used Lush's Mint Julips lip scrub everyday since I got it and it leaves my lips soft and smooth.

My random favourite this month has been this Jasmine candle from ASDA. I don't like to spend too much money on candles, so I was happy that it only cost £4 and I would say it's definitely on par with Yankee Candles. The smell is gorgeous and really radiates around the room. The packaging is fairly simple, but neutral.

What have you been loving this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

November Favourites 2012

This month, I have been loving a number of products. I uploaded my favourites video to Youtube and I think this may have been one of my longest videos. I have also forgotten to include a few items in the photo above that were in my favourites video. Oops.

I have been enjoying using a lighter base over November and my favourites were Origins Vitazing and YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation. Although the Origins Vitazing is very sheer, it adds a nice healthy bit of colour and leaves my skin looking even once a bit of concealer is thrown into the mix. The YSL foundation is lovely. With 2 layers, I feel like my skin looks glowy, dewy and healthy. I like to set my base with Collection 2000 Sheer Loose Powder (not pictured), as it leaves the skin looking mattified but not chalky or cakey.

I have been wearing eyeshadow more often lately. I love using NYX Walnut all over the lid with Urban Decay's Naked (not pictured) in the crease, as they add a bit of definition without being too dark and dramatic for day time.

For lips, I have been using the Eve Lom Kiss Mix lip balm a lot. It's a lovely minty lip balm, which is glossy enough to pass as a lip gloss and keeps my lips feeling moisturised and soft. I have still been loving the MUA Lipstick in Shade 11 and I have also been enjoying using the Body Shop Lip and Cheek Stain, as it adds a lovely pink tint to the lips which stays on for ages.

Ten's Instant Lifting Cream has been my favourite moisturiser of choice for the past few months. It has helped balance my oiliness and dry patches and has left my skin feeling so soft. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo is a godsend and helps to keep my skin clear. I have a more in depth review of that coming.

I have been loving this Radox Shower Gel in Brazilian Fusion. It kind of has a unisex scent, which is slightly musky but also a little fruity. It foams up nicely and doesn't leave my skin feeling dry or tight. Lastly, I have been loving this L'Oreal Everstrong conditioner. I love the herbally smell and the conditioner has left my hair feeling so soft and less frizzy.

What were you loving throughout November?

Thanks for reading. xoxo, Joy

September Favourites 2012

I'm really sorry my September Favourites are a little late! Usually when I post my monthly favourites on here, I tend to upload a picture and link you to my Youtube channel as I do a monthly favourites video every month. I was thinking about this recently and I kind of felt bad for just posting a picture and then linking to a video, as most people aren't too interested in watching my Youtube videos. So I have decided to write a summary in the blogpost about the products I love each month:

I never thought I would say this, but I have been enjoying using this Revlon Matte blush in 'Perfectly Peach'. When I first bought and swatched it, I couldn't get over how unpigmented it was and it got relegated to the back of my makeup drawers. Recently I dug it out again in a bid to use it up and I discovered that with the right brush (I use the ELF stipple brush), it leaves a lovely natural looking peachy pink flush to the cheeks. It is a matte blush, but somehow adds a pretty glow to the cheeks. It lasts really well too, which is great.

I have been alternating between the Revlon Matte blush and Benefit Dallas this month. Dallas is a gorgeous red-toned blush, which is a bit like a mix between a bronzer and a blush. I used to wear this every single day and kind of forgot about it. But I'm glad I rediscovered this! It gives such a lovely colour on the cheeks and has a slight shimmer, which isn't obvious but gives a nice glow. I have a blog post (from over 2 years ago!) where I show a dupe of Dallas, so if you're interested then check it out here.

I finished my can of Batiste Original in the middle of the month and picked up the Batiste Tropical version. I definitely prefer this as it smells amazing (coconuts!) and doesn't leave that unsightly white residue on my hair, like the Original did. It gives my hair a boost of life when it's looking a little worse for wear on my second day and I have been using it more often than before.

I neglected my Clarisonic when I went home for the summer and I have been loving using it again this month. I took apart the brush head to make it better for precision cleaning around my nose and cheeks after watching Nur's video on Youtube (here). I feel like my pores look much clearer now that I've started using this again and my skin in general also looks clearer and more even. I have been loving using it with the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash, as it is a lovely cleanser that leaves my skin feeling soft and looking brighter. I am going to post a more in depth review soon, which I will link when it's live.

If you watch my monthly favourites videos on Youtube, you will know I always include a random favourite of the month. This month, I have been loving these Links of London style friendship bracelets. I have been lusting after a Links of London friendship bracelet for a while now, but couldn't justify the £150-ish price tag. My mum kindly bought these dupes for me when she went to China. I love the look of the bracelets, as they're a nice twist on a traditional thread friendship bracelet and look great dressed up or down. I have been wearing the red and pink one pretty much every day since I got them and I have found it goes with everything. They look great stacked with other bracelets and on their own.

What were you loving in September?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

August Favourites 2012

Today's post is for my August Favourites. I don't have many this month as I have been mainly using the same things as last month, but there are a few things that have stood out to me:

Clockwise from left: Elemis Rehydrating Rosepetal Cleanser, Remington 38mm Curling Wand, Urban Decay Naked Palette, Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer, Topshop Coin Necklace

What have you been loving this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

July Favourites 2012

Today I thought I would share my favourites from July with you:

Haha, Youtube always choose such unfortunate thumbnails

Thank you for watching. xoxo, Joy

June Favourites 2012

I can't believe it's the end of June already! These are my beauty, skin and hair favourites from the month of June. If you want to see my June Favourites video, where you can hear why I've been loving these products, then click here.

Every month I include a random favourite with my monthly favourites. This month, my random favourite(s) have been buying white items of clothing. I usually stick to dark colours and tend to wear black all year round. However recently every time I am in town, I am always drawn to white items of clothing, especially crochet or broderie anglaise items. The ones below are two of my recent purchases:

Top: New Look £12.99

Dress: Urban Outfitters £30 (Reduced from £65)

What have you been loving this month?

xoxo, Joy

Blog Birthday and May Favourites 2012

Hi! Today's post is primarily about my May Favourites, however before we jump into that, I wanted to make a quick announcement...

Image: Google

My little blog turned two earlier this month and I sincerely cannot believe how fast the past two years have flown by! Thank you to all the old and new readers for your continued support. I truly appreciate all of your comments and thank you to those who take the time to read my little blog. To celebrate my blog turning two, I have given the design an overhaul. What do you guys think? For some reason, I couldn't sleep last night and ended up working through the night to make the design perfect and personally, I am rather proud of it :)

Moving onto my May favourites. This month I have been loving a variety of things, ranging from make-up to nail varnish to skincare. I have also included a 'random' favourite of the month too. 

From left to right: American Apparel Nail Lacquer in 'Office' - Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in 'In Style Coral' - La Roche Posay Effaclar K & Solait Mattifying Face Sun Fluid - H&M gold hair cuff - Garnier Body Tonic Sugar Scrub - NARS Laguna

Sleek Life's a Peach

What products were you loving this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

April Favourites 2012

Today's post is for my April favourites. I hope you enjoy the video :)

Thank you for watching. xoxo, Joy

December Favourites 2011

I know this a little bit late, but Happy New Year! I hope 2012 is an amazing year for you!

Today I have a quick December favourites for you (also a bit late, sorry). I haven't done a 'Favourites of 2011' post, as I'm at home at the moment and I only have my travel make-up bag with me and wasn't organised enough to take pictures before I left uni. I might do one when I go back next week, if anyone would be interested in seeing one.

Clockwise from left: NARS Laguna, MAC Her Blooming Cheek, TIGI Cherry Almond Leave-In Conditioner, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and Max Factor Nailfinity in 'Red Passion'

I've been using NARS Laguna a tonne this month to contour and add colour to my face. It is a lovely brown (not orange) shade, which I've never found to be too dark for my pale skin tone. It has a tiny hint of sparkle, which gives a nice glow, rather than a disco ball appearance and isn't too obvious.

I mentioned this blush in my Current Favourites video and I have been alternating this with NARS Laguna all month. It's a bright blue tone pink blush, which looks petrifying in the pan, but leaves you with a pretty pink flush (as if you've just come back in from the cold).

I have been loving the TIGI Leave-In Conditioner all month. I've recently stopped using standard conditioner, as it has been leaving my hair feeling weighed down or greasy. So I have been shampooing and then applying this to my hair when it is approximately 80% dry. Since I'm leaving my hair to dry naturally, it helps my hair form nice waves, tames frizz and leaves it feeling so soft. Also it smells amazing!

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle has been my scent of choice since the weather has changed colder. I'm terrible at describing scents, so I'm not going to attempt it... Sorry! Although the perfume was rather pricey, I can see it lasting a long time as I have the eau de parfum and I find I only need 1-2 spritzes and the scent lasts all day.

I bought this polish ages ago and completely forgot about it! I wore this shade on my nails for Christmas and I loved it. I like that it's a blue toned red polish, rather than an orange toned red polish (like many on the market are) and it kind of reminds me of what Revlon's 'Cherries in the Snow' lipstick would look like as a nail varnish (even though Revlon has a 'Cherries in the Snow' nail varnish). This is part of Max Factor's Nailfinity line, so it's designed to last for a week or so. The picture of my nails shows the tipwear after about 6 days, so I have to say I'm mighty impressed! I'll definitely be checking out more colours in this range in the future.

I just wanted to throw one more favourite into the mix and it's my new iPhone 4S! I've only had it since Christmas, but it's love :) I have downloaded a number of apps already, but I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations?

What products have been your favourites this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

Current Favourites

I didn't do a November favourites, because I was using pretty much the same make-up throughout November as October and I didn't see the point on posting the same favourites. But recently, I've been loving some new products so I thought I'd share them with you by doing a quick video.

What are you loving at the moment?

Thank you for watching. xoxo, Joy

October Favourites 2011

I don’t have many favourites this month, as I have been trying to speed up my morning routine and have been using the same few products all month. I also haven’t bought any new make-up for a few months now and I am actively trying to minimise my collection.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid – I bought my first bottle of this almost 5 years ago and used it every day. During the past few years, I’ve opted for lighter coverage foundations and reserved this for nights out and days where I needed my make-up to last. Over the past month or so, I have been choosing this as my go-to foundation and I have rediscovered the love I had for it back when I first bought it. It leaves a lovely matte finish, which I am aware that a lot of people dislike. I find it can look natural if you only use a pea sized amount of foundation. It lasts all day on my skin and doesn't leave me a oily mess by lunchtime. I have the shade NC15 and it is a perfect colour match. This is love.

Layering Different Mascaras –Recently I’ve been forgoing eyeliner in a bid to speed my up make-up routine and instead I have been applying lashings (excuse the pun) of mascara. The two mascaras I've been reaching for the most recently are Max Factor False Lash Effect (the waterproof version) and Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara. By mixing a volumising mascara and a lengthening one, they have made my lashes look super long and voluminous. I love that they’re both waterproof/long lasting formulas, which means that I don't get an unsightly raccoon look and they hold curl wonderfully. The combination of these two products, along with my Shu Uemura eyelash curlers, have rapidly become holy grail status.

Topshop Neon Rose – I have been using this cream blush so much over the past month. I love that I can just use my fingers to apply it and I love the matte, powdery finish. It’s a gorgeous colour, which leaves you with a pretty flush to the cheeks. Although, be aware that it’s very easy to go overboard with this blush and you could end up looking rather clown like! (See here for swatches and to find out what it is a potential dupe for).

What were your favourite products this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

August Favourites 2011

I can't believe it's the end of August already! This means I need to start repacking for university soon, as I go back to Birmingham on the 10th (and start on the 12th). Argh! Packing is so stressful, lol. This month, I haven't really been doing anything exciting with my make-up. To be honest, I've been using the same products every day and I haven't bought anything new as I'm trying to be good and use up the make-up I have, before buying more.

MAC Lustre Drops in Sun Rush - I bought this from a blog sale a couple of months ago and didn't ever use it, because I didn't really know what to do with it! This month I have been adding a tiny drop to my foundation and it gives a lovely glowy and fresh bronzed look. It gives the right amount of glow, without making it look like you've gone overboard with shimmery bronzer. It also looks pretty as a highlighter, especially underneath W7 Africa (mentioned below).

W7 Africa Bronzing Powder - W7 market this as a bronzing powder, which baffles me as I can't see any bronze when I watch it! When swirled together, it's a beautiful peachy-pink colour, which I use this as a highlighter. It doesn't have massive chunks of glitter, like some powder highlighters do and it makes you look really glowy. Another great thing about this? It only costs £1.99!


Garnier Anti-Dark Circles Concealer in Fair - I absolutely love this! I know it's designed primarily for use under your eyes, but I also use it on areas with redness or discolouration (e.g. under my nose, on acne scars, etc.). It's a perfect lightweight concealer, which does not crease and lasts all day. The colour 'fair' is a perfect match for me, which is lucky! I always thought the roller ball was a bit of a gimmick, but I have to admit it is nice and cooling under the eyes and great in the morning when you're still half dead.


Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Rivage - This is my current favourite lipstick and have used it non stop all month. This lipstick is so beautiful and it's my perfect 'lips-but-better' colour. I love the colour, the formula, the packaging, everything about it! (Thanks again to Tine, as I won it in her giveaway!)

Missguided Nail Splash in Missbehave - I've been wearing this colour on my fingers and toes for the whole of August. It's a pretty, mid-tone pink, which is described perfectly on the Missguided website as cotton candy pink. The application was easy and the colour was opaque in two coats. This nail polish has great wear and only chipped at the tips after about 3/4 days.


Babyliss Big Hair - I only bought this in the middle of August, but I love it! It gives me big hair and I have big love for it! (I will have a detailed review of this coming soon)

What were your favourite products this month?

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy

N.B. Everything was bought with my own money, apart from the Chanel lipstick which I won in Tine's giveaway and the Missguided Nail Splash, which I was given at the Brum Blogger Meet. All my opinions are 100% honest regardless of where I got the product.

July Favourites 2011

This is my first favourites post. I normally find it quite difficult to pick out monthly favourites, but this month a few products have really stood out for me :) I decided to do a video, because I felt like it.



I've written this in the downbar on Youtube, but in case you don't go to my Youtube I thought I'd just post it here too -
1) My camera doesn't autofocus during videos, so I had to film the 'macro' parts separately and used voiceovers in those sections.
2) I don't know why it's so zoomed in and up close, sorry if that scares you!
3) I think I've overused the word 'absolutely' in this video!
Before I go, I just wanted to apologise about how slow I've been replying to comments and commenting on everyone's blogs. I'm currently in the midst of packing up my uni room (because I finally break up for summer on Friday!) and I'm trying to enjoy the lovely weather we're having at the moment, so please bear with me. Thank you all for understanding :)

Thank you for watching. xoxo, Joy