The Perfect Nude Lipstick

Natural Collection Lipstick, 'Apple Blossom' £1.99 Mac 'Naked' Lip Pencil, £11.50  

I know quite a few people steer clear of nude lipsticks because they fear the dreaded concealer lip effect, but for me reds and nude's suit my skin tone. When I was a teenager, I will admit for a good six months I did use a foundation to conceal my lips - yes, I'm aware not a good look, plus re-application must of looked ridiculous. However I've always disliked my pigmented pink lips and much prefer to tone them down for a softer, girly overall effect with my make up. I discovered the Natural Collection 'Apple Blossom' lipstick after I saw a review on Youtube and have re-purchased ever since. At £1.99 it's an absolute bargain, especially as it's supposed to be a dupe for Mac's 'Fleshpot'. 

I tend to find matte finishes with nude lipsticks can be slightly unflattering, especially on dry lips! So I love that this lipstick has a Satin finish, it's incredibly pigmented and creamy - although this can be a downfall as I have had a few snap off, but for under £2 you can easily afford to pick up a brand new one if this happens. Unlike Mac lipsticks, the Natural Collection line doesn't have a scent to them and understandably for the price the packaging is minimalist and simple. I find this lipstick has quite a strong pink undertone which I much prefer over peach or orange hue's like Revlon's 'Nude Attitude'.

For extra longevity I tend to pair this lipstick with Mac's 'Naked' lip liner which helps the lipstick adhere and really stay in place. I wouldn't suggest to use this alone as it's a matte finish and very drying on the lips.

What's your favourite nude lipstick?

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Favourite Fragrances

Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Eau De Toilette, 50ml, £41.50 Beyonce Heat Rush, 50ml, £26.50 Victoria Secret Very Sexy Now, 75ml     Years of lengthy bus rides stuck behind women who smelt almost as if they'd bathed in perfume massively put me off trying any for myself. It's only in the past few years that my interest is slowly growing. I know I'm not alone with this, but heavy, musky scents don't seem to mesh well with me and instead give me an almighty headache. All three perfumes I'm showing you today are very sweet, fruity fragrances - so if you're a fan of more sophisticated scents, look away! This perfume is fruity and delicious, a slightly lighter version of the 'Very Sexy Now' - it's top notes include Passion Fruit, Blood Orange and Brazilian Cherry, heart notes are Mango Blossom, Yellow Tiger Orchid and Orange Hibiscus and base notes are Teakwood, Honey Amber and Musk Accord. I know some people are a bit put off by Celebrity inspired and backed perfumes but I couldn't care less and I love Beyonce - she's one hot mama! I picked up the Victoria Secret 'Very Sexy Now' perfume a good few years ago when I visited New York on a college trip. As imagined, the minute we were let loose, me and three other girls from our year grouped up for a spending spree. On our list of places to visit was Sephora, of course and Victoria Secret. Strangely enough I didn't purchase any underwear, just beauty products and fragrances - but back then I was on a student budget. As soon as we walked in to Victoria Secret I caught a whiff of something tropical with a hint of vanilla and after dragging the girls round the store finally found what I was looking for - the Very Sexy Now fragrance. Every time I use this it brings back memories of the trip and college, plus it smells divine! And finally, my most recent find - Laura Mercier's Creme Brulee Eau De Toilette that set me back £41.50. I purchased this whilst shopping the sales, although this wasn't a sale item, I happened to be perusing Laura Mercier counter and it caught my eye. Initially I sprayed this on my mum who was with me, involuntary I may add, purchased my sale items then headed off. I later smelt a sweet, delicious scent lingering in the air and after moments of confusion figured out it was coming off my mums wrist so quickly hurried back and made my final purchase of the day. This fragrance incorporates the scents of warm caramel, spun sugar, french vanilla bean and white musk. Other recommendations; Victoria Secret Beauty Rush Double Body Mist's, Issey Miyake L'eau D'Issey Eau De Toilette and Vera Wang Princess.   What're your favourite fragrances?

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Burt's Bees Banana and Beeswax Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Banana & Beeswax Hand Cream, £9.99

The Burt's Bees Banana and Beeswax hand cream is a thick, rich, all natural hand cream that nourishes chapped or dry skin. Made with Aloe Vera, Beeswax and Sweet Almond Oil skin is intensely moisturised and protected from the elements.

Packaged in an adorable, screw top jar this isn't a product to be chucked in your handbag but to adorn your bedside table for late night application. By far thicker than most other hand creams I've previously tried, this needs to be scooped out of its jar and then massaged well in to the skin but remember, a small amount goes a long way.

I do tend to find that instantly after application my hands feel quite greasy and tacky as it almost turns in to an oil but a good ten - twenty minutes to sink in is all that's needed. You could even add a pair of overnight cotton gloves in to the mix for ultra soft hands.

The scent, although noticeable isn't over powering and does fade relatively quickly - I personally love the banana fragrance. At £9.99 for a considerably small jar, you might find this expensive but it lasts and offers an intensive treatment for hands making this ideal for Winter months!

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Philosophy Christmas Cookie

Philosophy Christmas Cookie, £7
I recently picked up the Philosophy Christmas Cookie Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath in the Boots Sale, it's currently half price at just £7 if you fancy a bargain or trying out a Philosophy product. If you follow my Instagram you'll of seen me snap a photo of this as soon as it arrived as the packaging is lovely, very festive and cute - I was very tempted to order a few of these and stash them away for next year! If you're a fan of sweet scents, this is definitely a product for you. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Yankee Candles - this has a very similar fragrance to their 'Vanilla Cupcake' candle. It's incredibly sweet and a delight when you get a whiff while pouring it in to the bath, just imagine the scent of cookies and vanilla cupcakes baking and then you'll have Christmas Cookie. I could happily use this all year round. I haven't tried using this as a Shampoo yet and honestly I doubt I will as I'm quite particular about what products I use on my hair. Ultimately for me, this is the perfect bubble bath as it fills your bathroom with a gorgeous, indulgent fragrance and your tub up with plenty of bubbles. Combine this with a few of your favourite candles, dim the lights, pop on a face mask, plug in your headphones and treat yourself to a few sneaky chocolates and for me, that is the ultimate tranquility.

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Beauty Wishlist

  If you have Twitter or Instagram and follow other Bloggers or Beauty lovers you'll probably of noticed by now that we're never satisfied. We always want more and the majority have a 'Beauty Wishlist' full of products they'd like to purchase in the near future - so here's mine.   Stila In The Light Palette, £25 - I've seen this raved about on Kayleigh and Zoe's blog and at the moment it's on Feel Unique with free delivery and a Stila Lipgloss as a gift - tempting. MakeUpForever Aqua Brow, £16.50 - I've only seen this blogged about once but it sounds amazing. It's a liquid 'eyebrow corrector' - essentially you take a very small amount of product on your brush and work it through your brows to create defined brows that last all day and look natural. MakeUpForever Smokey Lash, £17.95 - Another hyped product, this is supposed to give you really defined, voluminous lashes - quite dramatic, with minimal application. Dermalogicia Daily Microfoliant, £30.50 - I received a sample of this in a Glossy Box and fell in love. If you suffer from dry patches, flaky skin or have a combination skin type this product will work amazingly for you. Bizarrely this is a rice based powder to which you have to add water and massage in to the skin for a few minutes. I don't know all the technical/scientist explanations for how it works - but apparently the ingredients help to dissolve the old, dead skin cells to reveal smooth, soft and brightened skin. Yes please! Ginvera BB Cream, £19 - I've been trialling out a sample of this as a sachet arrived with my recent love-makeup order. This BB cream comes from Singapore and offers the benefits of 'blemish free concealing, sun block, whitening, moisturising, reduction of lines and long lasting, ultra light feel to nourish skin'. The reason I like it? The colour is perfect for me, it offers a medium coverage with a beautiful radiant finish that doesn't leave my combination skin looking greasy. Topshop's Lip Crayon in 'Arcade', £7 - I can actually cross this one off my list as I managed to pick it up a few days ago. I saw one of the girls at work applying this for New Years Eve and couldn't resist asking what brand it was from and the shade. Review to follow. Philosophy Products - I've heard a lot about Philosophy recently and can't wait to get my hands on some of their products. I have their Christmas Cookie shower/bath gel which I picked up in the sale and next on my list is their The Present primer, Purity cleanser and Hope In A Jar oil free moisturiser.

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Illamasqua - Generation Q

You may remember a little while ago Illamasqua released a collection called 'Generation Q' based on the idea that beauty is in everything and everyone no matter the age, gender or race. Beautiful sentiment, is it not? In the collection there were some stunning products and luckily enough, I was sent the following products to trial and feedback my thoughts on. Gleam Cream in 'Aurora', £18 - an iridescent, champagne pearl highlighter.  Nail Varnish in 'Charisma', £13.50 - a deep, raspberry red with a metallic finish. Precision Ink in 'Wisdom', £17 - an antiqued gold that changes colour in different lighting. Sometimes it can appear olive, brown or black with gold shimmer running through it.
The Illamasqua Gleam Cream in 'Aurora' is a lightweight, cream highlighter that has a smooth, creamy texture but a very light consistency. The effect on the skin is subtle but glowing and buildable to the desired intensity. The best thing? The pearlescent finish it offers that instantly brightens up the skin. I don't find this overly shimmery and there's no large chunks of glitter - thankfully! It reminds me of the Jemma Kidd Dewy Glow in 'Iced Gold' but it doesn't feel quite as heavy on the skin. The nail varnish in 'Charisma' is a gorgeous metallic, deep red that's ideal for colder months. Highly pigmented and well formulated, this colour glides on with ease and only needs one good coat or two thin coats for opaque nails. I did find without a top coat my nails chipped after two days but with a good quality clear varnish on top it extends the wear. Finally, my favourite of the three, the Precision Ink in 'Wisdom' which is the most stunningly beautiful eyeliner I've ever seen. Described as an antiqued gold, it changes colour in the light - sometimes appearing olive with golden flecks, other times showing up as a deep brown, almost black with golden sparkles. It's well pigmented, stays put and the flexible felt applicator makes application incredibly easy.   I always look forward to new releases from Illamasqua as they seem like such an innovative company always looking for ways to create something new and exciting. Some of my favourite products are from Illamasqua and I always find that they're a brand which delivers on quality time and time again. Although slightly late on the bandwagon, I'm just about to browse their sale to see if I can find any bargains!   Did you pick up anything from the Illamasqua Generation Q collection?

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