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

Autumn Face and Outfit

After my last FOTD, I decided to try to post them more so you can see what products I am using frequently, as I review products that I try but there are some staples that I have never actually reviewed that are part of my everyday arsenal. This FOTD also leads into my next post, which will be a review of the foundation I am wearing.

Face:

YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation

Benefit It Stick

Benefit Dallas

Eyes and eyebrows:

Urban Decay Halfbaked (all over the lid)

Collection 2000 Extreme 24hr Felt Tip Liner

Soap and Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil in Black/Brown

Lips:

MUA Lipstick Shade 1

I also wore black tights (Primark), black ballet pumps (Topshop), my trench coat (Michael Kors) and a big woolly scarf (Zara) - not pictured, sorry.

This kind of outfit has become one of my Autumn wardrobe staples. It's very simple, but super comfortable and it means I can transition some of my summery bottoms into the Autumn/Winter months. I have at least 4 floral skirts that I wear to death during the summer months, but I feel they go to waste a little during the colder months, so I have been pairing them with a cozy knit, a pair of opaque black tights and a chunky scarf and I really like the way it looks.

What has been your Autumn/Winter staple?

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

First FOTD, plus a few other things

This is my first FOTD post (Actually it's yesterday's FOTD...), eeek. I was quite hesitant about posting this, because I was feeling self conscious about the picture as my skin hasn't been that great lately and I filled in my eyebrows unevenly! But in the end, I just decided 'What the heck, I'm just going to post it'. This is just a simple, neutral day look which I wore to my lectures yesterday.

Please excuse my washing in the background!

Face
Benefit Dr. Feelgood (As a primer)
Revlon Photoready in Shell
MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC15
Collection 2000 Sheer Loose Powder
MAC Virgin Isle CCB
Bourjois Rose de Jaspe

Eyes (I forgot to take close up pictures of my eye, sorry!)
Urban Decay Primer Potion
MUA eyeshadow in Shade 11 all over the lid
MAC Brun eyeshadow in the outer third, crease and eyebrows
No7 Gel Eyeliner
No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara

Lips
Body Shop Sheer Lip Shine in Sheer Pink

Last week, I was lucky enough to win another giveaway. I was so chuffed when I saw an email from the lovely Leah telling me that I'd won. The parcel with the prizes arrived at the weekend, so that was a really nice way to start off a lovely weekend :) Thank you so much, Leah!!! Go take a look at Leah's blog (Look! Flying Monkeys!), it's full of a mix of beauty, fashion, food and all things lovely. :)


I just wanted to share a quick Boots purchase with you all. It never would have occurred to me that you could buy jewellery in Boots, but I was waiting for my friend while she was buying some stuff and was surprised to see a jewellery stand. Not only a jewellery stand, but one with lots of pieces that had 1/2 price stickers on them, score! There were some other pretty pieces, but this ring really caught me eye. It reminds me of a wing ring that I'd seen on ASOS a while back, but smaller and cheaper at only £2! I really like how it has the diameter of the ring on the label, rather than S, M or L. Although when I first tried the ring on, I almost had a panic attack when I thought it was stuck, lol! From now on, everytime I pop into Boots, I'm going to keep an eye out for their jewellery section! :)


Have any of you bought any jewellery in unexpected places before?

Thank you for reading. I hope my FOTD didn't scare you off, lol! xoxo, Joy

I Just Got NAKED

I normally don't get into all the hype surrounding the Urban Decay palettes, but when I saw the Naked Palette, I instantly fell in love. I'm a major neutrals lover, so I knew I had to have it!


I was in Birmingham yesterday and popped along to House of Fraser in the hope of picking up a palette... No such luck - They didn't even have an UD counter!! A little later, I was strolling through the Bullring and decided to ask in Debenhams when they would be getting it in... But lo and behold, there the stand was in all it's Naked glory! The sales assistant asked me if I wanted to see it, I just replied with a polite, "No thanks, I'd just like to buy it" and quite literally ran to the till points. There were quite a lot there when I was there, so if you want a Naked palette and are in/around Birmingham, I would highly suggest a trip to Debenhams!

Ok, so after all that (pointless) waffle, here's a picture of the palette. I decided not to put tonnes of photos in this post or do swatches, because I'm sure you've all probably seen them a million times. However, if you do want to see more in depth photos and/or swatches, just let me know in the comments.


For £27.00, you get 12x 1.3g eyeshadows in Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked, Smog, Dark Horse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep and Gunmetal, a double ended 24/7 eye pencil in Zero and Whiskey and a 3.7ml bottle of Primer Potion.

I tested the colours on my hand when I got home yesterday and the eyeshadows are so soft and pigmented. The colours are all absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to start playing around with it properly :) My favourite colours so far are Sin, Half Baked, Smog, Toasted and Creep, although I'm sure that'll change once I start using it more.

Thank you for reading. xoxo, Joy