The Best of 2013 (Beauty Edition)

It is so difficult for me to believe that 2013 is at an end. I have to say that it has been a wonderful year for me, and I hope 2014 will be just as good. I wish everyone a very happy and prosperous new year.

I started this blog in January 2013. I have always tried numerous, varied products but ever since I started blogging I find that I have bought things that I wouldn't normally have looked at, thanks to everyone's great reviews and blog posts. 

I had to think long and hard but I have chosen seven products which have entered my life in 2013 and hopefully will never leave!

1. Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover - This is one item which will now always be a staple in my skincare routine. This eye make up remover has an oil and water layer which you shake together and which really cuts through all eye make up with one swipe. It is so gentle on your eyes, there is no need to tug or pull on the skin. It is £15.00 a bottle which normally lasts me about 10 weeks. It is worth every penny!

2. Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan Mousse - I never used to wear fake tan, until I discovered this. Now I wear tan every single day. Isn't it funny how things change? I don't know what I would do without my Cocoa Brown. I don't look normal without it. Actually I don't even remember what I look like without tan. It is just the most natural looking tan, so easy to apply and it is dry almost instantly after applying. Sure it is so handy, why wouldn't you wear it all the time?!

3. Lancome Teint Idole Foundation - I decided to invest in a good foundation back in May and I am so delighted I chose this. I have not spent this much money on a foundation before, but I can tell you that you can actually feel the difference in quality compared to other foundations. This is without a doubt the best foundation to ever land in my make up collection. It is so light yet gives great coverage. It has a nice scent, and I love the glass bottle with the pump.

4. Art Deco Dip Eyeliner - I used to be so crap at applying liquid eyeliner. I don't know how I can apply this little beauty so easily, but I can. The formula, the brush, everything about it makes it so easy for me to line my eyes. And it has lasted so long too and hasn't started to dry up or anything. Although, I am incredibly upset now that I have just realised Debenhams do not stock this anymore! I don't know what I will do when this runs out!

5. Lancome Hypnose Mascara - After trying my first Lancome mascara earlier in the year (Hypnose Star) I can confirm that out of all the brands of mascaras I have tried, nothing even comes close to the quality of Lancome. I love the formula and the wand. My lashes are so amazing looking when I use this!

6. Illamasqua Cream Blush - Remember the Illamasqua 50% off sale everyone went crazy for? The only thing I bought was this cream blush in the shade "Dixie". I didn't really get on with it at first, but I have worn it every single day and have not even hit pan yet! I like to apply it with the Real Techniques Stippling Brush or I tap in on with my fingers. Even if I am wearing a powder blush, I always put on a bit of this underneath as a base. It is absolutely brilliant and well worth the money,

7. Urban Decay Naked Palette - I snubbed this palette for such a long time. I didn't like the idea of "nudes", I mean what is the point of wearing eyeshadow at all if you are going to go nude? But when I first saw this palette up close in real life, I quickly realised that my assumption was wrong. These shades are all so beautifully shimmery and in my opinion they are not what I would call "nudes". I love bronzey, gold shades and this palette is packed full of them. Since I got this palette I have worn no other eyeshadows! I like the idea of Naked 2 and now Naked 3, but in my opinion, the original Naked palette is the best.

Do you like any of these products? What products have you tried in 2013 that you love? Please let me know in the comments below.

Current Favourites! / Early June Favourites!

I hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather! I know I am, it's great to see it and here's hoping it will last a long time!

Recently, I have been reaching for these products a lot - I thought I would show them to you - lately I have decided that I cannot live without these products! (Well, not literally!)

Lancôme Teint Idole Foundation (shade 3) - I have been loving this foundation recently. I got a little sample of it in Debenhams and I couldn't belive how good it looked on, so I went straight out and got the full sized bottle. It is completely matte, and it has been staying on all day even though it is a fairly light foundation. I am so impressed with this!

Cocoa Brown 1 Hour Tan - What else can I say about this, apart from it is the best tan in the world! I used to never wear fake tan and now I think I am addicted to it! What I like most is that it is the most natural coloured fake tan I have ever seen, and it wears off quite well too, unlike other tans I have tried which wear off in patches! This one is perfect and is oh so easy to apply. I now love wearing tan every day, I think it makes me look a lot healthier or something!

Lancôme Bi-Facil Eye Make Up Remover - This is genuinely the best eye make up remover I have ever used. It removes every little trace of make up with just one swipe of a cotton pad. Amazing. I got this as a free gift but I will definitely be buying the full sized version. I know it is a little expensive but it really is that good! I've been using this every day for the last month or so and there is still a good amount left in the bottle.

MAC Prep & Prime Protection SPF 50 - I bought this primer mainly for the SPF 50 but I have really noticed a difference in the longevity of my makeup too especially at the end of a long, hot day. I don't really use primers but now I feel like I couldn't be without this one! I love the added high protection too. If this good weather holds out I would highly suggest investing in this! It is quite moisturiser-like and easy to apply.

Angelica Nail Polish (shade "Hip Hop") - I have been wearing this nail polish almost every day since the summer began! It is so bright, actually it is a neon colour! It is the finest coral shade I have ever used (and I have used a lot!). The formula is quite thin, almost gel like. It lasts me about a week too. It is probably the best nail polish I have ever used,and it was so cheap too! I'll be using this all summer!

IsaDora Bronzing Powder (shade Light Tan) - I bought this last year, but never really used it. I saw it in Debenhams and fell in love with the beautiful packaging, the huge compact and nice mirror. The product is of course amazing, but it is not until now that I have been wearing fake tan that I have really got the use out of it. I am not really into bronzers, but I have never seen one like this before! It is the most gorgeous tan colour, a tiny subtle hint of shimmer, that I use all over my face every day now. If I am having a good skin day, I actually just wear this alone instead of foundation. I will definitely be re-purchasing this, and I cannot recommend this bronzer enough! It is such good value too for the amount of product you get!

MUA Power Pout (Justify) - I absolutely love this lip crayon. It is so smooth and moisturising, there is also a slight peppermint hint from it which feels really refreshing on your lips. I find that even after the actual balm has worn off, I am left with a hint of colour which is nice. But I have been generously applying this every single day, it is nearly all gone now! Luckily at £3.00 a go, this is one I will be buying lots more of!



I hope you have enjoyed seeing what products I am loving at the moment. Has anyone else tried these products? I'd love to know what you think!

Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Make Up Remover

I was absolutely delighted to get my hands on this lovely product! You might remember this came as part of a free gift that I got in Debenhams. I really needed an eye make up remover so it was great to get this one!

You can see that it has two layers, an oil layer and a water layer. You have to turn the bottle upside down to mix them together before using it. When you shake the bottle, it looks really foamy but it doesn't come out like this. It looks really cool in the bottle!

I just put a small amount on a cotton pad. It has a lovely scent, I can definitely smell rose in it, it reminds me of Turkish Delight! One good swipe with a cotton pad and your entire eye make up is removed. I am serious! Previously I had been using Garnier eye make up remover which I liked, but you can tell the difference with this one, being a high end brand. It is far more effective and I can assure you, you only need to use one little squirt per eye to remove all of your eye make up. It is fab, and hopefully this bottle will last me a long time! I am not sure if I will be able to afford this eye make up remover, but I promise you, it would be worth every penny as it is so good!