January Favourites

Is it just me or has January been a very long month? I had been feeling a little under the weather (hence the lack of blog posts the last couple of weeks!) but I am now ready to get back into the swing of things! Starting with the products I was reaching most for in January.

1. Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze - I just did a review of this one so I will not go into too much detail why I love this! But basically, it gives me the most beautiful hint of tan which has seen me through the Winter months and I shall be continuing to use it in the Spring/Summer months! I find it so easy and fuss-free to apply, and there isn't too much maintenance involved. So happy with this product!

2. Soap and Glory Sugar Crush - I bought these 2 in Boots a few months ago on a whim…basically because I liked the smell of them! But I have been using away at them both and have completely fell in love. The  body scrub is a little on the gentle side which is absolutely perfect. I use it on wet skin in the shower and it really works a treat (plus the bathroom smells amazing afterwards!). The body cream is just amazing, I love the smooth and light texture of it. It absorbs really well and doesn't leave a horrid sticky feeling. Honestly the Sugar Crush range smells good enough to eat!

3. YSL Baby Doll Mascara* - When I first tried this mascara I actually said "Wow!". It has a great wand with a flexible tip, really great formula (with a light scent). It makes my lashes so long and perfectly separates each one, no clumps here! Plus the packaging looks ultra glam. Definitely reaching for this one a lot more than my regular Lancome mascara!

4. Real Techniques Nic's Picks brush set - Somehow over Christmas I ended up with 3 sets of these brushes! Of all the Real Techniques brushes I own, it is Nic's Picks which really made me stand up and pay attention. They have completely changed the way I apply my make up. The face brushes are fantastic and so soft. The eye brushes are just amazing and great for more precise application.

5. La Roche Posay Nutric Intense Riche - Over the last couple of months I am suffering with terrible dry skin, for the first time in my life and I don't know why! A few weeks ago, after trying what felt like every product under the sun, I was recommended this moisturiser and it has made such a difference. I still get dry patches around my nose but they are definitely getting less and less. Hopefully by the time I finish this jar my skin will be back to normal! I just love taking my make up off and using plenty of this moisturiser. It's very thick but it feels very comforting and nourishing.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturising Stick - The dry skin wasn't just contained to my face, it affected my lips as well! I actually went to the chemist to get the Reve de Miel lip balm that comes in the jar. They didn't have that so I bought this little stick version instead. It has a lovely light, kind of citrusy scent. It is lovely and smooth and glides onto the lips. It doesn't really last as long as I would have expected it to, cue me obsessively re-applying it every half hour! But it really is a saviour for dry lips and has helped me a lot.

Thierry Mugler Angel Perfume* - This has become my signature Winter scent. I wear it every day now! Where perfumes were concerned, I was into fresh/fruity scents only. Angel changed all that. It is oh so unusual, and a completely unique scent in my opinion. It is quite woody and spicy, almost like a masculine scent. I honestly haven't came across a perfume like this before. It is quite a heavy scent, you only really need a spritz or two as it is so strong. I also quite like spraying a bit on my scarf or on my hair. I also love how the bottle is re-fillable! Mine is the limited edition Glamorama bottle which came out at Christmas. (I did a full review of Angel here )


Have you tried any of these products? I'd love to know what your favourite products were from January!

Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze Review

Am I a little late in reviewing this? Gentle Bronze, which is Cocoa Brown's gradual tan, was released last year but truthfully it is only since Winter began that I have gotten the most use out of this! I don't want a full on tan, but I need something to take away the horrid purple/grey of my skin tone.

Back in the day, when I was a complete tanophobe, I would have used Johnsons Holiday Skin for a subtle "glow". Now, from what I remember, Johnsons Holiday Skin was horrible in texture, similar to that of wallpaper paste. It had a horrible smell and it took an age to dry, leaving you with that awful sticky feeling for hours on end. Plus, you would have to apply it every night for about a fortnight to notice any sort of colour at all. Cocoa Brown Gentle Bronze is the complete opposite of this!

I had been so accustomed to using Cocoa Brown One Hour Tan, which gives me the perfect tan that I want and has never let me down. It's quite nice actually to try something a little bit lighter, and a little easier (for me) to apply.

It has a beautiful, light texture and has a nice but subtle scent, similar to that of the One Hour Tan. I apply this with my hands, just like a regular moisturiser. Not once have I experienced any difficulties with this application method, no streaks or anything! It absorbs really quickly so you don't have to sit around with that awful sticky feeling. I also like to put a little bit on my face (I love tan on my face!) and have not experienced any breakouts or anything of the kind. This product is very kind to my skin.

Think it's time for some before and after photos!

 Before

After

These pictures show what just ONE application of Gentle Bronze can do! You can continue to build up your colour with further applications if you want, but I am absolutely thrilled with how I look after just one application. This is exactly what I want, when I want to be just a little bit tanned however it looks quite natural in Wintertime. 

I love Gentle Bronze for a perfect bronzed glow, ease of application and best of all it is only £5.99. I am definitely going to be stocking up on this stuff for Spring coming in!

Lancome French Innocence Collection for Spring 2015!

I cannot get over how beautiful Lancome's Spring collection is! "French Innocence" is all about pretty nudes with a pop of colour. So I think there will be something for everyone! I have my eye on the eyeshadow palette in particular…. I love the packaging and the image on the front of the palette. So here is a closer look at the collection…

My French Palette €55.00

Vernis in Love €19.00

Kohl Hypnose Waterproof €23.00

I've got to say, I am really taken with the My French Palette, and I shall be taking a closer look at it next time I am at a Lancome counter. Maybe it will even be coming home with me…. 

Do you like the look of this collection?

YSL Baby Doll Mascara

A quick little post from me today, just had to share what I think of this fabulous mascara which I had been using over the past few weeks. I received this as a Christmas present (huge thanks YSL!) and honestly, it has blown me away. You all probably know that I am particularly fond of Lancome mascaras, and dare I say it, I now believe that YSL Baby Doll is better than any Lancome mascara I have tried.

The brush has those rubber bristles and is flexible at the end of the wand. It makes it really easy to apply. The actual formula isn't too wet nor too dry. It perfectly separates every lash and I cannot believe how it delivers in terms of creating length and volume. When I compare it to the likes of Lancome Grandiose, which has a slightly more wet formula and doesn't quite separate every lash, I would have to give YSL Baby Doll preference!

No need to wear falsies here - below are some before and after photos.

Before - no mascara

After - One coat of YSL Baby Doll Mascara 

I have really been enjoying this mascara - it is one of those products that makes you go "wow!" the first time you use it!

Revlon Hollywood Lighted Make up Mirror

This was a little gift I bought for myself over the Christmas holidays, and honestly it is one of my best buys ever! The mirror at my dressing table is a little too far away when you are doing your make up, particularly your eye make up. I really fancied a small, cosmetic mirror and even better one with lights, as the lighting isn't great in my room! My search quickly led me to the Revlon Hollywood Lighted make up mirror, which I got in Argos for £19.99.

I thought that it may have the option for battery power, but it is mains powered only, which is a little disappointing but I can live with that. I would be wary of travelling with this mirror anyway incase the bulbs smashed in transit.

You can swivel the mirror too if you need it a little more magnified!

There are 2 little secret compartments (one containing a spare bulb) which is very handy dandy if you wanted to store hair grips or cotton buds in there!

Best of all it folds down flat and fits perfectly in my dressing table drawer.


If you need a cosmetic mirror which doesn't take up too much space and if you struggle with poor lighting this is a great mirror, I am so delighted that I bought this and it is exactly what I need!

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! :) 

My highlights of 2014...

Started off 2014 seeing the musical Wicked twice at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre! I really cannot express how much I loved seeing this… I even got a little emotional both times!

The biggest highlight of my year was going on holiday to Disneyland over the summer. I absolutely loved every second of it and I never wanted to leave! Disneyland is just so magical and beautiful, I really was overwhelmed. We also took a day trip into Paris and saw most of the big tourist attractions. My favourite was Notre Dame Cathedral! It was incredible!

 Having a girly spa night with my sister at Galgorm Resort & Spa. We ate, drank and of course spent a lot of time relaxing in the spa. I even had a wonderful massage treatment. I have never felt so tranquil or peaceful than when I was in Galgorm! It is so luxurious and it is just the perfect getaway retreat. I am already planning my next visit!

Seeing Michael Buble in concert for the 3rd time! If you didn't know already I am a huge fan of Michael, and I was delighted when it was announced he would be performing in the Odyssey Belfast, which is less than an hour's drive away for me. He sang beautifully as usual, and I had the greatest night. I even got to meet Naturally 7 after who perform with Michael.  It was the ultimate Christmas party!

Christmas of course is a highlight every year, and this year was fantastic. I had a good long break from work, received some lovely presents, spent some quality time with the family, and ate and drank lots of lovely things of course!


Happy 2015 everyone!

Grace x