December Favourites

December, in one word, has been absolutely exhausting for me. As much as I love the festive period, I'm actually looking forward to the new year and getting back to normality. Even though December has been extremely hectic, it took me no time at all to pick my favourite products this month. I've been addicted to all five of them!

First up is the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Shampoo (£6.99), a product that, I must admit, I am pleasantly surprised with. I honestly had no expectations of this as I was pretty skeptical that a shampoo could make my hair grow faster. I got my hair cut at the end of November, and even though it needed a good amount chopped off the ends, my hair just looked so much shorter than I had anticipated. I was really happy with the length before I got it cut and I've been longing to have my longer locks back, so I purchased a few bottles of the shampoo to try. 
It works by stimulating the metabolic activity of the hair follicles, which encourages blood flow to the roots, therefore helping the hair to grow faster. I've been using this shampoo every day for almost a month now and I have to say I have noticed a huge difference not only in the length, but the condition of my hair. I wouldn't say my hair was in bad condition before, but this shampoo has made it stronger and there's less breakage at the ends. I've read mixed reviews of this product, and I think I've managed to get such impressive results because I started using it after getting my hair cut. I don't normally stick with the same shampoo, but I'm loving the results of this one. It's a keeper for sure. 

It's very unlike me to stray from my morning and evening skin routines, but with this month being as busy as it was, I've been skipping on applying my usual lotions and potions and my skin has been suffering because of it. Thankfully, the Origins Out of Trouble face mask ((£22) has been my saviour lately and I always turn to this when my skins not looking it's best. I'm on my third tube of this now and it's one of the best face masks for when your skin is in need of a detox. This works wonders on my complexion when I'm suffering from clogged pores and oily skin, leaving my skin noticeably clearer and healthier looking.

I've discovered a couple of new favourites this month in the form of the Clarins Eye Revive Beauty Flash (£29) and Essie Nail Polish in the colour Bahama Mama (£7.99). I'm constantly hunting down a good eye cream as my dark circles can be horrific and I'm so self conscious of them. I have been trialing this Clarins one for the past few weeks now and I'm happy to announce that my dark circles have reduced slightly and overall my eye area is much brighter. This little wonder releases toxins to minimise dark circles, tighten eye contours and reduce puffiness. In my experience you have to be patient with eye creams as it can take a number of weeks to really see the benefits, but I'm pleased with the results so far.

My nails have been coated in this rich, deep plum shade by Essie all month. I love these purply hues, they're so perfect for winter and the staying power of these nail polishes is amazing. I've not had this shade off my nails all December, I just adore it! 

Lastly, I have rediscovered my love for the Chanel Natural Finish Pressed Powder (£33). This has been a favourite of mine for years and years, I've never really came across another powder that compares to it. It controls shine and mattifies my skin beautifully without that horrible 'chalky' look that you can get from many powders. My complexion always looks so natural and radiant when I use this, it's a make up product I simply can't live without.

What have you been loving this month?

Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins Renewal Cream

I have so much love for Origins. They are easily one of my favourite skin care brands, and I can always rely on their products to work there magic on my skin, no matter what crisis it may be up against. I've been looking to shake up my evening skin care routine by adding some lovely new additions to it, and with the Night-A-Mins (£34) being on my wish list for some time now, I decided it was time to finally purchase it.

The Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream is available in two formulas; one for normal/combination skin and the other for combination/oily skin. Fortified with a system of time released resurfacers and moisture rich replenishers, plus vitamins C, E and H (ooft), these pots of goodness are designed to target dullness by sloughing away dry, dead skin layers while you sleep. My skin is far from dry and never looks flakey, however my skin can look dehydrated and lifeless, especially if I've been lacking sleep or been feeling run down. 

I apply this cream all over my face shortly after cleansing and applying a facial oil before I go to sleep every night. This cream is very rich, but sinks into my skin beautifully and feels so luxurious on application. The smell is also divine; it has a wonderful citrusy scent that is just so fresh but calming, and makes me feel relaxed every time I use it.

Like all Origins products I've tried this does not disappoint. When I wake up in the morning, my skin gives the impression that I've had a full nights sleep, even when I've not. My complexion looks radiant, brightened and healthier looking. It's safe to say that this has firmly secured a place in my evening skin care routine.

Have you tried this night cream?

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo

When it comes to applying make up, doing my eyebrows is the part I enjoy the most. A beautiful pair of eyebrows can complete your whole look; I just love to see my brows transformed after I have filled them in as they appear fuller looking and more defined. Annoyingly I wasn't born with perfect Cara Delevingne type brows, so I have to make do with using a brow product to help me achieve my desired look.

I had been lusting after Anastasia Beverly Hills products ever since I spotted them in Sephora while I was on holiday in California over the summer. I finally got around to purchasing the best selling Brow Powder Duo (£17) and the angled brush (£13) a few weeks ago and I've been using them both ever since. I am loving them! Up until I purchased the brow powder I have always used a pencil to fill in my brows. This worked fine for me, but I sometimes found that using a pencil could leave them looking quite harsh and ‘blocky’. I had been considering opting for a powder and hoping that would make my eyebrows appear more natural.

The duo consists of a pair of complimentary shades providing sheer to medium coverage. I purchased the duo in the shade Ebony; this suits me perfectly as I have black hair but I prefer my brows to be a more browny-black colour. My method for using this is to use the lighter shade to fill in any sparse areas where my eyebrows begin, then fill in the tail end and the lower inner brow with the darker shade. I finish them off by blending the two shades together and going over them delicately to even out the shape and add more colour where needed. The brush makes application so simple as it is the perfect shape and size, allowing me to fill and define where needed with minimal effort. The end result is wonderfully natural looking and defined brows.

Powder is definitely my preferred method of eyebrow application now after using this product. I've been converted!

What products do you use on your brows?

Make Up Bag Additions

A few new additions have made their way into my make up bag lately, so I thought I would share with you all the lovely new products I have purchased. 

I am always on the look out for products that will control shine and give my skin a natural looking, matte appearance. Essential Matte Touch by Jouer Cosmetics (£20) is a colourless balm- like skin perfector that works to degrease the skin and diminish the appearance of visible pores. The pores on my nose are one of my biggest skin complaints, and this stuff works wonders at  minimising their appearance, whilst controlling oil making my skin look flawless. Always a winner in my books! And if that wasn't enough, it also comes in the typical Jouer packaging which allows you to connect any other Jouer products you may own together to create your very own custom made palette. So naturally I need to buy another Jouer product.....

Mac blushers are products that I have a bit of a growing obsession with, and I've been looking for a peachy pink colour for a while now to wear during the Autumn and Winter months. This colour, Rosey Outlook (£20), is just perfect. It gives a lovely subtle finish that is so natural looking. It is also quite sheer on application, so you can easily build up the colour depending on the look you want to go for.

My favourite purchase out of all my new make up is the Eyeko Black Magic Mascara (£18). I have wanted to try this mascara for so long now, so when I spied it in Space Nk and it was the last one in stock I took it as a sign that I had to buy it. I normally use cheaper mascaras and it’s been a while since I've purchased a higher end one. The reason being my lashes are naturally quite thick and long anyway, so I have always got the results I wanted from using cheaper ones.  This mascara is truly amazing, I couldn't believe the difference it made to my lashes, they look so much longer and fuller and stayed curled all day. Mascara is the only make up I use on my eyes normally, and his one really defines my eyes and makes them look so much bigger and more awake. I don't think I could go back to using cheaper mascaras after the results that this mascara delivers. 

Another new addition to my make up collection is the Laura Mercier Secret Concealer (£18.50). This comes in a cute little pot and has been specifically designed for use under the eye area to conceal dark circles. I found this a little hard to work with at first – however if you use your fingers to warm it up a little and apply it after using an eye cream, it blends in beautifully and conceals those pesky dark circles.

Lastly, the Clinique Stay-Matte Oil Free Make Up (£22) is an oil controlling foundation that is quite sheer but still provides all day coverage that looks natural. This is the first foundation I have tried from Clinique and I love it, it has a light and creamy formula that applies beautifully to the skin and is so easy to build up to the coverage you desire. Oil free foundations are the only foundations I consider buying because my skin can get pretty shiny over the course of the day, and this foundation keeps my skin looking and feeling flawless.

What make up have you treated yourself to lately?

Clarins Lotus Facial Oil

Facial oils are one of those products that I have always turned my nose up at. As someone with oily skin, I assumed that applying a facial oil would just make my skin even more greasy and clog my pores, so I never gave them another thought and decided that they weren't for me. That was until I found the Clarins Lotus Facial Oil (£30), I thought I would try it and now I'm hooked. It works by regulating the oil production of your skin, therefore balancing it and making your skin look more refined. My skin loves this stuff, it absorbs beautifully giving a sheer glow to my skin; not a greasy or shiny appearance which I always expected from applying an oil to my skin.

To use, I just add two drops onto the palm of my hand and warm the oil up with my fingers. I then just gently pat over my face, paying particular attention to the areas of my face that suffer from oiliness the most (mainly my forehead and nose).  I've really noticed a big change in the overall condition of my skin since using this product; the pores on my nose have become smaller and my skin looks more hydrated and healthy.

Some people may think that it's a bit pricey at £30 for the size of the bottle, but as I mentioned above you only need two drops and a little goes a long way with this product, so it is worth every penny. It really is such a lovely product to use and I really look forward to using it during my evening skin routine. The smell is divine and so relaxing after a long day! 

Has anyone else tried this facial oil?