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! :) 

Festive Make Up!

It's that time of year again! Christmas parties will soon be coming up and I happened to take some photos one day when I was playing around with make up, and I thought it might be an appropriate look for a Christmas do.

I used some old favourites as well as new products - I was really dying to try out the Tanya Burr eyelashes and I got a gold Stargazer glitter too that I wanted to play around with!

Firstly I put Half Baked from the Naked palette all over the lid with a bit of Darkhorse in the crease.

I added some of the glitter on top of the eyeshadow and some lashes - I am a fake lash novice so I only put on a couple of individuals on the outside of my lashes.

I used the Clarins Extra Comfort foundation (I love this foundation!) subtle contouring with the Chanel bronzer and golden highlight with the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick (Apricot). Clarins Soft Peach blush and a Clarins Lip Balm Crayon in Sweet Cherry - I didn't want too much lip action since the eyes are so glittery!

It's a lot more make up than I would usually wear but I thought I would try something different! I had been wanting to experiment with glitters for a while and the festive season is the perfect time to do so!

Hope you liked this look! Tell me what make up you like to wear around Christmas!

Spring is here! :) :) My Spring favourites

Yay! First outdoor pic of the year! :)

There's just something about Spring that I love. There is a freshness in the air and without even realising it, I find that my taste in make up suddenly changes. I am drawn to bright colours, lightweight bases, and yet things that are long wearing.

I don't know where I would be without my Cocoa Brown tan. I apply it once a week, perhaps now the better weather is coming in it will be more. But I have also been using it with the new (and amazing) Gentle Bronze. I will apply my Cocoa Brown as normal and throughout the week I will use Gentle Bronze to top up my colour. Gentle Bronze is such a beautiful, lightweight moisturiser. It gives a beautiful colour and it doesn't feel sticky when you apply it which I love! (I suddenly have flashbacks of years ago as a teen when I didn't want to wear tan but I used to apply liberal amounts of Johnsons Holiday Skin *shudder*)

I got a little sample of Clarins Hydraquench Tinted Moisturiser. I loved it so much I went out and bought the full size. I shall definitely be using this all over the summer! I wouldn't normally go for a tinted moisturiser because I just love foundations so much, but this one is different (a full review is coming soon!)

Of course my beloved Chanel Soleil de Tan makes an appearance. It's my favourite bronzer ever, it's just so nice to apply. I can't fault this product in any way. The finish of it is lovely, and sometimes I even wear it alone.

I dug out my Clarins Splendours eye palette which I got last summer. I think it's lovely to wear nice soft gold eye make ups during Spring/Summer! This palette has the most gorgeous colours and is perfect for me. Sadly it was limited edition but Clarins' new summer palette looks equally as gorgeous.

I have been obsessed with my Tanya Burr lip gloss and nail polish! The colours are so fun and bright, and perfect for Spring and Summer. My favourites are the gloss in Exotic Island and the nail polish is Bright and Early.

And of course, you'll need a nice fresh perfume! My favourite is the Escada Cherry in the Air, I absolutely can't get enough of it! All the Escada perfumes actually just smell like Summer in a bottle!

What are your favourite Springtime products?

Tanya Burr Lips and Nails - review

I bought myself a few things to try from the Tanya Burr collection. I think they look really fun and perfect for Spring. I am not really much of a Tanya fan, I mean I do watch her videos on Youtube but I wanted to try these products for their own merits rather than just for the Tanya Burr handle.

Lets start with the nail polishes! These are the shades "Bright and Early" and "Little Duck". These colours are right up my street and I couldn't resist them.

I must admit the nail polishes were a little disappointing to me. I just couldn't get them to work for me, they either ended up streaky or a gloopy mess, which is a shame as I do so adore the colours and was planning on adding a couple more of the bright colours to my collection. I just kept thinking that you could get an Essence polish for less than half the price of these, and I do think that Essence ones are better quality. Still, I shall persevere with my Tanya Burr polishes, especially Bright and Early because it is too fabulous a colour not to wear! And actually I think Little Duck would make a great accent nail to go along with it!

The lip glosses on the other hand... oh my god! These are fantastic, and the most fun and fabulous lip product I have tried in a while. I got the shades "Exotic Island", "Picnic in the Park" and "Just Peachy".

These are absolutely fantastic, I have really been loving these glosses. I think that Just Peachy is too pale for me, though! I expected it to be more of a neutral everyday gloss, but it makes my lips too pale for my face so I don't think I could use this. The other two colours though are absolutely heavenly. I particularly love Picnic in the Park for everyday wear. Exotic Island is bursting with colour and I love wearing it when I am all dressed up and it's perfect with a smoky eye!

They smell like strawberry bon bons and they apply really nicely. I don't think they have the best longevity, but I don't really care about that! I couldn't rate these glosses highly enough.

Have you tried anything from the Tanya Burr collection? Let me know what you think!