My Top Products of 2014

Everyone is doing one of these posts so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon! I try out a lot of different products throughout the year but I have chosen a selection of products/brands which have really impressed me more than any other.

La Roche Posay skincare! Ever since I took a bad reaction to a Clarins cleanser, I switched up my skincare routine (actually it was more of a complete overhaul). I went and bought everything La Roche Posay and the condition of my skin has improved dramatically. I love each and every single product I have bought, and I will continue to repurchase. The prices are kinder to my wallet too. I seem to have amassed quite a collection of La Roche Posay products over Christmas! Honestly it will now take a lot for me to stop using this brand.

This year I started using Mane 'n Tail products on my hair this year, and am so impressed. I am just mad that after several years of paying big bucks for the likes of Kerastase shampoos, I could have been using this. Mane 'n Tail just really agrees with my hair. I have found that my hair gets less greasy, and the detangling spray is a godsend for my tatty hair. Wonderful range of products and reasonably priced too.

I tried a lot of makeup throughout the year too, but only one new foundation which was the Clarins Extra Comfort. I am so, so impressed with the coverage of this product and how comfortable (as the name would suggest) this foundation is to wear. It is extremely beneficial to dry skins and contains a lot of skincare and anti-ageing properties. It was quite a spendy foundation, and the packaging isn't at all practical but it is the only make uppy product that really overwhelmed me in 2014.

Another skin care product! Clarins Instant Eye Make-Up Remover is the one and only eye make up remover which really works for me. It is kinda expensive (£18) but I have tried drugstore alternatives and they are just not a patch on this stuff. A bottle of this usually lasts me about 2 months so I have gone through quite a number of bottles in 2014! And I shall continue to purchase this in 2015. It is the best make up remover and is really gentle on my eyes too.

It is interesting that this year my favourite products are mostly skincare. I had to include some make up too. I wanted to include something that I reach for every single day, so I cannot choose between the Clarins Lip Balm Crayons and Tanya Burr Lip Glosses! I reach for one of these every day. I love the colour selection and pigmentation of the Tanya Burr glosses (and they smell lovely) and Clarins Lip Balm Crayons really were my holy grail products especially during summer. Especially the shade "Creamy Pink".  I have worn them down quite  a lot and they are nearly done - sad times! At the moment I am wearing Tanya Burr lipgloss in "Aurora" which is a lovely sparkly, pinky-nude. I wore it a lot over Christmas too. Beautiful!

Since I really got into the habit of fake tanning in 2013, 2014 was the year when I kinda laid off the tan and went for something a little lighter. Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze is in fact my holy grail gradual tanning product! It's the total opposite to the hideous gradual tanners I used many years ago. It has a lovely light consistency, it absorbs really quickly and has a nice scent. I am left with a beautiful colour the next morning, no streaks or patches either! Just one application of Gentle Bronze has been perfect for me, when I want a little hint of tan but not too much. I have really particularly taken to this product in the Winter months. For me, this is the best gradual tan out there. I will have to stock up on a few more tubes for the new year! 

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think? Oh and of course, Happy New Year to everyone! :) 

Lancome Winter 2014 Parisian Lights Collection

I absolutely love a good Christmas make up collection, and Lancome have released the most exquisite collection this year. I want all of it!
There is nothing better than a bit of glitz and glamour around Christmas time, and Lancome's Parisian Lights captures everything that I love about Christmas make up.

Poudre de Lumiere - €45 / £35 

An ultra soft texture and fine gold formula. This iridescent loose powder will softly bring glow and radiance to any complexion. A subtle hint of sparkle for the season. 

Hypnose Drama Eyes Parisian Lights - €48 / £37

Create an ultra luxurious shimmery smoky eye with this exclusive and glamorous palette. Five new shades inspired by the opulent gold and the precious jewels of Place Vendôme. 

Vernis in Love - €19 / £13

Wear alone or in duos. Dark red and white gold are the definitive colours for this season. A collection of three, including special effect nail polish ; Vernis In Love Illumination. A textured matte finish for all nails or feature nail. 

Isn't this the most beautiful collection? All of these products would be just perfect to wear to a Christmas party! Is there anything you have your eye on?

*new* Clarins "Ladylike" Autumn 2014 Collection!

Is anyone else as excited about Autumn as I am? It is my favourite season of the entire year! I was really taken aback by the sheer beauty of the new collection from Clarins - it just screams Autumn! Beautiful natural, earthy shades, perfect for the new season.

I am very lucky that the lovely folks at Clarins sent me a few pieces from the new collection to try, and trust me they are even more beautiful in real life.

First up, we have the Ombre Matte Cream-to-Powder Eyeshadows! Aren't they beautiful? I absolutely love cream eyeshadows, but I think the name is misleading here…. they are most definitely powder shadows but they are quite dense and the texture is so smooth, like a cream.

Swatches left to right: Nude Pink, Taupe, Earth

As you can see they are extremely pigmented! You could absolutely apply these to your eyes using just your fingers. I prefer to use a brush though. Nude Pink is a wonderful blending shade as it is almost exactly the colour of my skin tone. Taupe and Earth are absolutely beautiful, and I have been alternating wearing them each day, blending out the edges with Nude Pink!

 Earth

Taupe 

What I love about these shadows is how super easy they are to apply. I love the intensity of them, the beautiful colours and the elegant packaging. They would be great for travel as one shade worn alone looks stunning.

What disappointed me a little is how, after about an hour or two of wear they start creasing. I have tried a couple of different primers (even my trusty ArtDeco eyeshadow base) to no avail. I can only put it down to the sheer density of the powder. I really do love these eyeshadows but I do wish they had better longevity!

I was also sent the Instant Light Eye Perfecting Base! This is a very light yet creamy product. I guess it would be similar to Urban Decay primer but a bit more creamier. I loved how this applied, it really smoothed out over my eyelids and created almost a blank canvas. The actual colour of the base is a good all-around shade but it may be a little dark for super-pale folks. If you are applying eyeshadow over it then it won't be an issue.

The Instant Light Eye Perfecting Base couldn't stop the Ombre Mattes from creasing though..in fact I tried it out with other eyeshadows (Urban Decay and MAC) and it held them in place for a good 6 hours before I noticed creasing. I think the only primer which will serve all day and not crease up is the tacky, almost sticky kind. While I think that this is  a beautiful product, I don't think it is the best for prolonging the wear of eyeshadows. It's great for really smoothing the eyelids and it does have a brightening effect though. On my little or no makeup days I do apply this alone to make myself look a little more awake!

I think this collection is absolutely beautiful, though the products I have tried are not without their flaws. I am still playing around with them, it is a matter of trial and error on how best to wear them. I have especially been enjoying the eyeshadows, I am quite fond of my shimmery shadows so it has been a different experience for me playing around with mattes! I must say that I am converted! I love them for an Autumnal look.

The Clarins "Ladylike" Collection is available now!

Lancome Summer 2014 Collection - Golden Summer

I absolutely love seeing new releases for Summer, it sounds to strange but for me a beautiful piece of make up could make me feel like I am far away, on a tropical island! The Clarins Colours of Brazil collection took my breath away. Then along come Lancome with their Golden Summer collection. Lancome never fail to disappoint me, actually! The beautiful press images got me so excited for summer (and holidays!). I was very kindly sent two items from the Golden Summer collection to review.

The Star Bronzer brush is just phenomenal. I do not have a decent bronzer brush in my collection, actually. Up until now I had been using my Real Techniques powder brush, but there is absolutely no comparison here! The Lancome Star Bronzer brush is so big and fluffy. The bristles are so soft and feels divine on the face. It is tapered at one side and is absolutely perfect at dispersing the right amount of product on the face. I don't think I have ever felt a brush as soft as this! So beautiful.

This is the nail polish in "Golden Riviera". It is a very soft gold, almost a pewter colour. You can see there is a small amount of shimmer in there. When I applied this, I was stunned by the finish of this polish. It dried exceptionally fast, and when dry I realised that this is a matte polish, with shimmer. I know, that doesn't even make sense! But it feels so smooth on the nail, and not like a regular glossy type polish. It looks so unusual! This polish is gorgeous for summer, and would look amazing with a tan!

Also in the collection is this fabulous bronzer and beautiful blue nail polishes, which I think will be highly sought after. They will be available from July 2nd, definitely a collection to watch out for!

Clarins Lip Balm Crayons - Colours of Brazil Summer 2014 Collection

How gorgeous are these?! The Clarins summer collection is always very impressive, but this year's Colours of Brazil collection is really something else!

These Lip Balm Crayons come in 6 shades - these three are Creamy Pink, Sweet Cherry and Soft Coffee! They are absolutely beautiful shades, perfect for summer!

The formula of these crayons is simply astounding! They are so silky and creamy, they feel absolutely lovely on your lips. They have a lovely sweet scent - if you are familiar with the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors, it is the same gorgeous scent as those.

These crayons are formulated with shea butter - they are super hydrating as well as giving perfect colour and shine. They are very soft and are so comfortable to wear. I have never used any lip product as nice as these! They don't feel sticky or greasy - just delightfully creamy and they wear extremely well!

Swatch time!

Left to Right - Soft Coffee - Sweet Cherry - Creamy Pink

I cannot wait for summer now! These sweet crayons are so perfect and I am excited to wear them now that the weather is starting to pick up! They give such amazing colour for a lip balm, and are so good for your lips, especially in warm weather! I will definitely be bringing these on holidays with me!

*product provided for review