Staying Mindful: Have a Stress Free Christmas

I don't know about you but as much as I find this time of year really exciting, it is also overly stressful and manic. Everywhere is busier and nosier, and there is the stress of getting everything chosen, bought and wrapped on time; it all gets a bit much. So below are my tops tips for staying as stress free as possible this season.

Plan Plan Plan

I wrote a whole Planning for Christmas Post here, so I won't ramble on too much about it, but planning is definitely the key to having everything ready on time. From food to presents, a good list and starting early will help to take some of the pressure off.

Cut Down The To-Do-List

Ask 'what happens if this doesn't get done?'. Not essential? Cross it off. Then when you have your pruned list, don't be afraid to delegate. There are usually other members of the family or friends who would love help take the pressure off. 

Shop Smart

Shops get horrendously busy around this time of year, and it's just not fun for anyone. Shopping online can be hassle free and a great way to avoid the rush. Or avoid peak times and weekends. Taking a day off work and shopping midweek is often quieter, but if you can only go at weekends, try being there as the shops open. They will get busier during the day, but you'll get a few hours of peaceful(ish) shopping time. 

Take Some Time Out

A relaxing bath, a long pamper night, an hour with a colouring book or however you like to relax. Taking some regular time out will help to ease the pressure and give you a much needed break. Although it's not long until Christmas, it's not the be all and end all, so remember you have take some time off for yourself too.

I'd love to know if you have any other tips for a stress free holiday season!

Beauty Gift Guide: £15 and under

As my last couple of gift guides were fairly bulky (if you missed them catch up with luxe beauty and mid-range gifts here), I thought I would whittle through these ones a little quicker.

Makeup:
Ted Baker Sparkle And Shine (£8) - lip/cheek stain & nail varnish in bauble
Ciate Paint Pot Pair (£10) - 2 mini nail varnishes in bauble
Topshop Christmas Lip Bullet Duo (£10) - 2 festive shades of the Topshop Lip Bullets
Ciate Oh Christmas Tree (£15) - 2 mini nail varnishes

Skincare:
Liz Earle Sweet Orange & Mint Cleanse & Polish (£9.75) - 50ml Cleanse & Polish + cloth
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm Decoration (£10) - 15ml cleansing balm + cloth
Caudalie Beauty Elixir Bauble (£11.50) - the Beauty Elixir in a bauble
Decleor Instant Glow Mask Collection (£12) - 2 mini face masks (1 use each)

Clinique Little Holiday Helpers (£15) - 3 mini skincare items (15-30ml) & a mini chubby stick

Hair:
Philip Kingsley Geranium & Neroli Elasticizer Duo (£12) - 2 40ml Elasticizers
Toni & Guy Create The Tousled Waves Look (£15) - 250ml shampoo & conditioner + salt spray

Bath/Body:
Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Drum (£5) - 200ml body butter bauble
Bayliss & Harding Midnight Fig & Pomegranate Cracker (£8) - 500ml shower gel
Sanctuary Little Tin Of Treats (£8) - 3 mini shower gels + body polisher
Soap & Glory Three Times Butter (£8) - 3 50ml body butters
Soap & Glory Winter Wonderhand (£8) - 3 50ml hand creams
Molton Brown Eucalyptus Festive Bauble (£10) - 75ml shower gel bauble
Soap & Glory Once Upon A Lime (£10) - collection of Sugar Crush minis
Aromatherapy Associates The Star (£10) - 9ml Revive bath oil in bauble

Other:
This Works Dream Team (£10) - Stress Less rollerball & mini Deep Sleep spray
Seventeen Makeup Brush Explosion (£12) - 3 eye brushes, 1 lip brush & a cheek brush.

Beauty Gift Guide: £15 - £35

It's time for part 2 of my beauty gift guide! Catch up on Part 1: Luxury Beauty here if you haven't already, and lets get started.

Starting with body care, Soap and Glory always do amazing gift sets in this price range. I think my favourite this year has to be the Poptastic (£18) as the box it comes in as so cute, and is a gift in it's own right. I love it when packaging is good enough to be used once the products have been finished up. So this set contains 6 of their best-selling products: Clean On Me shower gel, Hand Food hand cream, The Scrub Of Your Life body scrub, The Righteous Butter body butter, Heel Genius foot cream and the original pink body spray. Amazing value for money, and would be a great gift for people of any age, plus it's included in the Boots 3 for 2 so you can save even more.

Luxe Beauty Gift Guide: Over £35

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, meaning it's beauty gift guide season! Advent is here so it's less than 4 weeks until the big day, and I am surprisingly organised. We are giving all our wider family gifts out this weekend, as it's the last time we'll see some of them before Christmas, so everything is bought, wrapped and ready to go. Because of this I have been in present shopping mode for quite so time so, big congrats to me for holding out and not posting this at the beginning of November, but I thought that was a little excessive. Anyway, less rambling and lets get into the over £35 gift guide for her. 

The Review: Pixi Skintreats Glow Collection

Ever since buying the Glow Tonic I have wanted to try so much more from Pixi, so when their Skintreats range seriously expanded earlier this year I knew I had to get my hands on some. I chose the Glow Mist, Overnight Glow Serum and Glow Mud Mask to pump some much needed radiance back into my skin, so I thought I would show you what I think so far.

Tips For A Gluten-Free Christmas

Good food has got to be one of the best things about Christmas time, from the huge roast to Christmas puddings and Boxing Day left-overs it's always brilliant. But so many 'traditional' Christmas foods contain gluten and, until recently, decent alternatives are few and far between. So I thought I would compile my top tips and recommendations for surviving a gluten-free Christmas.

Saving Pennies: Space NK Freebies, Samples & Voucher Code Haul

There is little I like more than finding voucher codes for discounts off something I was already going to buy, or getting to the checkout and being offered free samples. So when I received my latest Space NK order (for the Narsissist palette, full review here) I was ecstatic with how many 'freebies' there were in it, costing no more than I would have spent on just the palette! I thought I would combine them into a haul and mini reviews as there are some pretty good products in there.

Weight Loss Progress: changing my relationship with food

This is a very different one for me today, but I recently hit a milestone I am pretty proud of, and I wanted to share my story. Hope you don't mind that it's not as beauty based as normal. 

Saving Pennies: Glamour Magazine Clinique Freebies

In case you hadn't already heard Glamour magazine are giving away some amazing Clinique freebies this month and it's definitely worth trying to hunt them down! There are four to chose from: Lip Pops in Cherry Pop and Nude Pop, a High Impact mascara and a dramatically different moisturising lotion. Naturally I picked up the two lipsticks, as well as two for my sister and two for my best friend, because who doesn't want to share the freebie love! So I thought I would give you a mini review and a shout out that they are in shops now.

First Impressions: Narsissist Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette

I have had my eye on the Narsissist Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette (catchy name, I know) since it's release, and given it LE status I have always been concerned it would just go out of stock and never come back. So I caved. And it is so beautiful. As I am writing this I have yet to even touch the shadows, so you are getting a complete first impression. 

Top 5: Beauty Advent Calendars 2015

With only a few weeks until the beginning of December, I thought I would compile my favourite beauty advent calendars of the year. With more and more people opting to ditch the traditional chocolate one, brands are really pulling out all the stops when it comes to creating a beauty lovers dream.

1. The One for the Bath Lover: The 12 Days of Christmas, Lush, £49.95

Lush are well known for making amazingly innovative bath products and very cute Christmas gifts. Put the two of the together and you get The 12 Days of Christmas advent calendar containing 12 of their most popular products, including bath bombs, bubble bars and shower creams. It doesn't have the biggest saving compared to the others, but for Lush lovers it's an incredible gift.

The Review: GlamGlow BrightMud Eye Treatment

I know I am so late on the bandwagon with this one, but at around the £40 mark, it varies from store to store, for only 12 uses, I couldn't justify buying the GlamGlow BrightMud Eye Treatment. However, I was in Homesense a few weekends ago and found a box for only £14.99, so I thought I would give it a go and see if it's worth the hefty price tag.

Having a Beauty Clear-Out

It's time for a big beauty clear out, so I thought I'd take you through the steps I usually follow. I started with bodycare, and then went through my makeup and skincare, but each time I checked for the same few things.

Taking an Autumn Stroll...

I seriously love Autumn, and having been dragged out on a family walk a couple of weekends ago I thought I would bring my camera and see what happened. These are my first photos of this kind (as in without people/animals or staged at home) so please be nice! But I thought I would share a few with you as something a little different. 

How To: Plan For Christmas

Now I know this post may seem very premature, but the beginning of November is the very latest I begin to think about all these things and get planning. Christmas is my favourite time of year, not that I am overly religious, but I love my family's traditions, having an excuse to catch up with relatives you rarely see and spending time just enjoying each others company. It's always magical. I am sure at some point I will write a very rambley post on all of our seemingly bizarre traditions that mean such a great deal to me as it's my favourite thing to talk about throughout December. But first I thought I would share some of my hints and tips about planning for Christmas.

October Favourites

It's that time of the month again, and seriously where has October gone! So many exciting things have happened this month I haven't had a great deal of time to try out new products, but some oldies have definitely become firm favourites.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Metallic Pomegranate (£4.99):

Anyone who has ever read my blog before must know how much I love these cream shadows. They last for ages on the lid, come it a great range of shades and are so affordable! I wear berry shades all year round, but at this time of year there is nothing better than a red-toned eye with lashings of liquid liner. Metallic Pomegranate is such a pigmented yet wearable shade which really compliments my green eyes.

Payday Wishlist

It's pay day this week! I am so excited! As it's my first paycheck from my new job I feel a spend coming on! So I've complied a wishlist and hopefully at least a few of these will be making their way into my stash throughout the month.

1. This Zara Scarf (£19.99) is just stunningly simplistic and would go with my entire monochrome wardrobe. Zara always do amazing scarves this time of year, from traditional checks to full on blanket scarves there is always some good ones in stock. But if you see one you like, get it, it won't still be there by the time you go back (talking from experience I'm afraid). 

Seasonal Skincare Switchup

During the summer I settled into a pretty consistent skincare routine and my skin seemed fairly normal. As soon as the cold weather hits, which has come out of nowhere this past week, my skin gets dry and tight and becomes a general nuisance. Here's a few things I like to switch up to keep my skin happy during the season change.

As much as I like balmy cleansers normally, when the cold weather comes they are basically all I use to cleanse my skin, as they are so nourishing and never leave my skin feeling stripped. I love the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter and Sarah Chapman's Ultimate Cleanse. Both hydrate my skin and provide a clean fresh base ready for the next layers of my routine.

MAC Lipstick Collection

I haven't done a MAC lipstick collection before, because well, I am not sure you could call four a collection. But there are a couple of shades that don't get talked about much online, and I have just bought a fifth, so I thought I would compile a mini collection post.

The Seven Day Manicure

Last week I chatted about my favourite manicure essentials, the tools to make regular nail polish look on point, but when it comes to a fuss-free manicure that lasts all week, there is only one thing I reach for.

The CND Vinylux Weekly Polishes are the at-home sister of Shellac, which can be taken off with regular nail polish remover. There is no need to use a base coat with these ones as the colour coat is 'self-adhering'. I am not entirely sure what that means as it does adhere to the nails too, but it doesn't stain or damage the nails at all so a base coat is unnecessary. When used with the Weekly Top Coat these dry so quickly! Most topcoats claim 'touch dry in seconds', and touch dry is never really touch dry, where as this one is genuinely dry within a matter of minutes, creating a perfect manicure even if you are short on time.

Boxset Weather

I love this time of year, the cold is always the perfect excuse for curling up with a good boxset and ignoring that ever-growing to-do list. Here is a round-up of the series' I have been loving at the moment.

Friends: Now who doesn't love Friends? It has got to be the best sitcom of all time, big statement I know, but it has truly stood the test of time with younger generations falling in love with it all. Since they removed it from E4 I have watched the boxset all the way through at least twice a year and it just never gets old. I still laugh out loud at Chandler's one-liners and am jealous of Rachel's hair, especially in seasons 5/6.

Empties #2

As blogger traditions/clichés/common posts go, I always find routing through rubbish a bit of bizarre one, but I love reading them. So here's a quick look at the products I have finished up in the past few months.

Skincare

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (£4.99):

I absolutely love this cleansing water, as it removes all traces of makeup and leaves skin feeling clean and fresh ready for a second cleanse. Even my sister, who's idea of skincare is a face wipe and maybe moisturiser if she could be bothered has been converted to this Micellar Water instead of wipes. It is so quick and easy to use, and although it will never replace a traditional skin cleanser, it is a perfect first cleanse and helps my white flannels to stay white.

Life Update

I can't believe that this is my 60th post. I know for many that probably doesn't sound a lot, but just thinking how much my life has changed throughout those 60 posts is incredible. I don't usually make this blog too personal, if anything it is my way of forgetting about everything that is going on in my real life and immersing myself into a world of makeup and skincare and everything beauty related. But I have some very exciting news, and it felt weird to not share it.

The Essentials: Perfect Manicure Favourites

Prep: Buffing your nails is a great way to remove ridges and ensure a smooth base for nail varnish. I use a Nails Inc 4 Way Buffer (no longer available) as it contains a file, ridge remover and buffer as well as a shine-giving side. It definitely helps to keep my varnish and nails looking smoother. However, it is reported that over buffing can weaken nails, and although I have never had a problem, I don't do this more than once a week. When it comes to filing I will only use this Bio Sculpture one (also not available - useful) which is many years old, and yes, is covered in Santas. But it's the best one I have ever tried, it isn't flimsy, so doesn't overly bend, and files with such ease without damaging my nails.

If I could only pick one...

I've been asked 'if you could only choose one' by friends quite a lot recently, so I thought I would collate a list of scenarios and see if I could chose just one. And honestly, it has been so difficult.

Foundation:

This was a tough one for me as although I am completely in love with the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue, it's not a versatile base. It is sheer-light coverage, which I love at the moment, but if I could only choose one I would want something more versatile, so I have chosen the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation. It's lovely and lightweight, but can be built up to a medium coverage if desired. And most importantly for me, it comes in a wide range of colours and porcelain matches my skin perfectly.

Transitioning Into Autumn: Makeup

Outside the rain ins pouring down and the leaves on the trees are beginning to turn a gorgeous orangey-red shade; I am wrapped in so many blankets as is still feels too early to put the heating on. The seasons have definitely changed, Autumn is here and I am so excited that coat weather is upon us. The season changing is also the perfect time to switch up your makeup, so here are my top picks for transitioning into colder weather.

Mini Ikea Haul

Last weekend I visited a friend at uni, and we went on a spontaneous Ikea trip to grab her a chest of drawers. On the plus, I am officially a flat-pack furniture wizz. I seem to speak the same language as the questionable diagrams. Anyway I digress, having only been in Ikea once in my life, and that was ages ago, I couldn't help myself and picked up a few homeware bits.

The Review: Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette

Anything to do with chocolate and I am in, but when Too Faced released the Chocolate Bar Eyeshadow Palette I wasn't convinced. However, it has quickly become a firm favourite in my collection and when they announced a Semi-Sweet version (£39) I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. After multiple tweets and emails to Debenhams, and six months after the US release, I finally managed to get my hands on this beauty, and it is truly stunning.

September Favourites

Where on earth has September gone?! I know everyone says this every month, but wow, that one has just flown by. Honestly, this has been a really hard favourites to write, as I have settled into a good skincare routine and haven't overly experimented with my makeup. But here are a few things I have been loving throughout the month of September.

First up is the The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 01 because it may be Autumn but I am not ready to give up the summer glow/not-quite-a-tan-but-an-extra-bit-of-colour just yet. It comes in 5 or 6 shades, so it doesn't look too dark on my pale skin, and there will be one to suit everybody. The powder itself is finely milled and buttery and an all round good product. I use it with the Real Techniques Blush Brush as it is tapered enough to apply product into the hollows of my cheeks, but large and fluffy enough to really blend the bronzer well. I would definitely recommend this one if you struggle to find a bronzer that suits your skin tone.

Makeup Brush Cleaning: Tips and Tools

The idea of cleaning my makeup brushes is one that really divides me. On one hand, they will last longer and won't spread bacteria if kept clean, and using freshly washed brushes in the morning is one of the best feelings. But on the other hand, it's really boring. I know, I know, no contest right. So I thought I would compile some tips and the tools I use to make brush cleaning a little easier. 

Firstly I'll grab all the brushes that need washing, as I don't wash all of my every time, and round up the tools I use. For a deep clean I like to use Johnson's Baby Shampoo as it is gentle on the bristles but still removes all traces of makeup and doesn't leave a lingering smell. I spot clean my brushes regularly using The Pro Hygiene Collection Makeup Brush Cleaning Spray which is antibacterial, so I don't mind that the shampoo isn't. I also use the Soap and Glory Massage Glove to rub in the shampoo and the Benjabelle Daisy Brush Tree to aid the drying process. Once I have collected these items I'll put on some music to make it a little less boring, and get cracking.

The Essentials: Best Beauty Tools

Today's post is a roundup of the unsung heroes of beauty, the unglamorous necessities. Makeup brushes aside, beauty tools are the boring side of any collection and are often overlooked, but finding the right ones can make a huge difference to your beauty routines.

Fist up has got to be haircare as finding the right hair brush is a real life saver (okay, not literally but you get the gist). Before I tried the Tangle Teaser I didn't understand how one brush could be different to another, but I was so wrong. I don't know what kind of sorcery it is but it makes taming the beast much easier and pain free. However, I have a new favourite, The Wet Brush. Where have you been all my life? It has the painless detangling power of the Tangle Teaser, but in an easy to  use, paddle brush form.

Shop My Stash

I am not quite on a spending ban, but with less money than I can shake a stick at I am just not spending. As a beauty addict who thrives off trying new products this is so hard, but after watching this Lily Pebbles video I decided to 'shop my stash' and rediscover some old favourites. And it's almost as good as going to Boots, right?

First up has to be the Avon True Colour Eyeshadow Quad in Mocha Latte which I rediscovered when collected eyeshadow palettes for my Weekend Road Trips post. This is such a beautiful quad and at only £9 you can't go wrong. The quality rivals some of my high-end eyeshadows as they are so creamy and buttery they can be easily built up and blended in. Shade 3 is the most beautiful coppery bronze shade which looks stunning as a one-wash-wonder but can be easily turned into a neutral smoky eye using the matte shades 2 and 4.

Weekend Road Trips: Travel Eyeshadow Palettes

Finishing the sad goodbyes with friends going back to uni is the one and only time of year I seriously regret not going. It always feels so strange in my hometown with all my friends scattered across the country. But on the plus side, it means weekend road trips are back on, yay! So I thought would take you through the eyeshadow palettes that are small enough to justify packing for a weekend.

Splurge or Save: Berry Lip Crayons

It may only be the start of September, but in my eyes that is 100% Autumn. And I am so excited! Being able to wear a coat again is definitely the best thing about the colder weather, but the second best is berry lipsticks. Nothing says Autumn more than a good plum-toned lip and nail combo, but when it comes to lip crayons, should you splurge or save?

The Review: John Frieda Air-Dry Waves

Although I have a pretty hefty hair product collection, I am a leave to air-dry and throw up in a bun kind of girl, so the John Frieda Air-Dry Waves seemed like the perfect one to give me a salon level blowdry with minimal effort and cost. But is it too good to be true? 

The Review: Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

It took me aaagggeessss to finally cave and buy the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue (£26), despit the shear amount of rave reviews this product was getting I still wasn't convinced. Maybe it was the fact I had never tried anything from the brand before and always subconsciously linked them with the type of powder foundation that disagrees with my skin. Or maybe it was just that I really didn't need another base. But I finally succumbed and I am so so glad I did, this has definitely knocked the Bobbi Brown BB Cream off it's top spot for lightweight bases.

Interview Makeup Tips

As some of you may know I am currently job hunting and have been to a couple of interviews lately. One where the job wasn't right for me, and the other I wasn't right for the job, and that is absolutely fine! Trying to keep a positive outlook is definitely making the whole thing a lot easier, Anyway, I digress, I thought I would share with you a few of my interview makeup tips in case any of you were in the same position. Obviously these are not rules, there is no right or wrong, just a few things I like to follow.

Build Your Own - Bobbi Brown Palette

For years I have wanted to build my own eyeshadow palette, a travel friendly, do-it-all palette filled with shades that all suit my skin tone. Not much to ask for. After a lot of deliberation I decided to go for a Bobbi Brown 6 Pan Palette as I am a huge fan of all of the range and the formulation is so buttery and easy to blend. Also, I felt like the MAC quads weren't enough shades to be versatile and the 15 pan would get too expensive.

As a quick run down of the prices before I get into the shades, the palette was £7 and the shades I chose were £17.50 each, however Bobbi Brown does have Sparkle Eye Shadows which are £23.50 each. Until now I hadn't realised how expensive it was to actually build this palette as I did it slowly and used vouchers I received for Christmas and my Birthday to cover some of it, however I still love this palette and for me it is totally worth it as it has some really unique shades that I love and get a lot of use out of. This being said I am definitely not rushing to build another one.

Dealing With Dry Skin

I am very fortunate in that my skin is fairly 'normal' at the moment, yes it still gets dry patches and yes it is pretty spot-prone. But it is generally normal. This was not the case 2/3 years ago. My skin was painfully dry, it was tight and sore after washing and flaky throughout the day. At that time I wasn't hugely into skincare and definitely wouldn't buy expensive products for it, so I thought I would talk through the products that really helped me deal with my dry skin from the drugstore. 

August Favourites

This is a little over-due, but seriously, where did August go?! One day I was sunning myself in July and now it is a rainy afternoon in September. I found it really difficult to chose just beauty favourites this month as I haven't been switching products up much, so there's a few random ones in there too.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue

It took a while for me to be persuaded to jump on this bandwagon, but after so many positive reviews I couldn't resist, and I am so glad I picked one up. This is such a light-weight dewy product which can be built up when used with a brush, or sheered out with fingers whilst still giving a decent amount of coverage. This is my perfect light base as it packs some serious glow and sticks around all day. Be prepared for a serious rave review coming soon.

Autumnal Lip Duo

It feels like summer is basically over now, so I thought I would share with you my favourite MAC lip duo for the Autumn months. I have so missed berry lips season! 

Overnight Skin Treatments

As it's coming to the end of skincare week I thought I would round things off with the products I love but don't use on a daily basis. I covered my favourite face masks relatively recently (you can click here if you missed it), so I thought I would focus on the overnight treatments I love so much they have to be mentioned.

Let's start with oils and first up is The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil. It is slightly thicker than traditional oils, so it leaves the skin feeling intensely hydrated and nourished. It sinks in quickly and doesn't leave the skin feeling greasy so can be used either with or without moisturiser. Personally, on days when my skin is feeling dry and dehydrated, I like to use a lightweight moisturiser afterwards as it locks in the hydration from the oil. This is the most budget-friendly of the hydrating options I own, but it still works wonderfully and leaves my skin without a dry patch in sight.

Evening Skincare Routine

Part 2 of skincare week has arrived, who's excited?! If you missed my morning skincare routine you can check it out here. Have you read it now? Great! Then lets move onto my evening routine.

First up is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which I use as my first cleanse if I have been wearing makeup throughout the day. It is really soothing and removes makeup well without drying out my skin. I really don't like removing makeup with a cleanser and my hands, so I will always go in with this on a cotton pad before using a traditional cleanser to clean my skin. If I have been wearing heavy eye makeup I like to use the Botanics Soothing All Bright Eye Makeup Remover as well because it deals with waterproof mascara and liquid liner slightly quicker the Micellar Water.

Morning Skincare Routine

It's the beginning skincare week here on Beaut Honesty and I am so excited as I can talk about skincare all day. My skin used to be extremely dry, and I am sure an in-depth how I dealt with it post will be up soon, but now I have settled into a routine that works for me my skin is fairly 'normal' and slightly blemish prone around my nose and chin, however I do still get the occasional dry patch and/or oily forehead.

Topshop Beauty First Impressions

Surprisingly enough I have never ventured into the world of Topshop Beauty, mainly because it's not really a shop I like or go into very often (and after the appalling service I received I remembered why). But after reading some serious rave reviews I thought it was about time to give it a go, so here are my first impressions of the couple of bits I picked up.

Exfoliating Acids: What and Why?

I have always seriously loved exfoliating, so when I heard about acid toners I just had to get my hands on a few (yes I know Liquid Gold is an overnight treatment not a toner, but it contains acid so bear with). Many, many months later my skin is still benefiting hugely from these liquids and pads so I thought I would run through my favourites.

The Review: Naked Smoky

When the Urban Decay Naked Smoky dropped in the UK last Thursday I was waiting outside my local counter before the shop had even opened as I was adamant I was going to get my hands on this beauty. But now I've had a few days of thorough testing, was it worth it?

My New Cleanser Obsession

Decleor has always been a brand I have really trusted for facials, but before now I had never thought to try their products at home. It wasn't until my friends very kindly gifted me some vouchers to spend at a spa for my birthday that I saw the range and decided to give it a try.

The Review: Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial

Last week I finally squeezed out the last drop of my Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial, it was a very sad day. I couldn't imagine my skincare routine without it (and I had saved up £10 worth of indulge points - see my post here about the best beauty loyalty schemes) so I hopped straight onto spacenk.co.uk to pick up a new one, making me realise how much I love it and that it deserves a rave review.

Mini MAC Haul

For Christmas I got a voucher for a 90 minute Mac makeover and I finally got round to booking it 7 months later. Honestly, I was a little nervous after seeing a few people's bad experiences, but I have never had a problem at my local counter so hoped it would be okay. There was nothing to worry about as it was actually so nice; the woman doing my makeup was lovely and most importantly, she really listened to what I wanted and liked so I still looked like me at the end. Overall it was a great experience and one I would totally recommend. At the end I had £50 to spend (the redeemable money from the cost of the makeover) so I thought I would show you the products I picked up,