It's Been A While..

Hello! 

I have been off the blogging bandwagon for a few weeks. I do apologise, some of you have been asking where I've been and it seems the time has flown and I haven't even noticed. I have been MIA due to work,  I am now two months in to my new job, and working 15 hour days, 5 days a week leaves little room for seeing family, friends and my boyfriend, let alone any room for relaxing, reviewing, shopping or blogging. 

This is a little post to let you all know that I am still alive and well (although that is debatable!). I recently did a bit of a sort through/overhaul of products both new and old, and came to realise that there is a core selection of products that I always tend to reach for, use the most, and also repurchase. And so, here is a little update into the products that have become the firm and trusty favourites in my collection.

 

See, still alive! (Top - Topshop, Jodphurs - Zara)
 

Skincare
Although my skincare routine changes quite regularly, there are a few products I constantly have to hand, Trilogy's Everything Balm being one, which is a balm/mulitasking/wonderous product that can be used in a multitude of ways. I love it for slathering on my face before bed and waking up with perfectly smooth and rejuvenated skin.
The Body Shop products are so tasty I could eat them all up. Two of my favourites, the Coconut Body Butter and the Vitamin E Night Cream are two products I repurchase time and time again, as they are so creamy, nourishing, and smell just darn delicious.
La Roche Posay's Effaclar Duo Corrective Anti-imperfection cream is a product I purchased fairly recently and I use it nightly on the oily patches of my face to minimise imperfections and unblock pores.

Tanning
I am a total Cocoa Brown Tan convert. I received a bottle recently to test out and it surpassed all of my expectations. Amazing tan in one hour???! Sold. I am quite impatient, and so waiting 4 hours or even worse, overnight for a tan to develop is my idea of a nightmare. This tan provides a rich longlasting colour, in one hour. I don't think I can really elaborate. It's amazing!

Makeup
I absolutely adore highlighting. The subtle glow a highlight can add to the right parts of the face makes such a difference, and for that I nearly always use MAC Strobe Cream; I like the consistency of a cream as a highlight, paired with the powder of a bronzer or contour, to add perfect shadow and light. To contour I always reach for MAC Matte Blush in Harmony. It's the perfect matte brown for my skin tone, works with nearly every colour blush, and stays put all day. It's perfection.
I used to be an avid liquid liner addict. Now nothing but gel liner will do. Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner is my go to liner. It beats some popular higher end and more expensive gel liners hands down. I have this one in both brown and black, and it stays creamy and pigmented forever.
I go through phases of using various mascaras, using up a tube and moving onto the next. But I really love the L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara, it provides amazing volume, rich colour and doesn't clump or flake.
I've mentioned before of my love for little palettes, and the NARS Arabian Nights Palette is my absolute favourite. The colours are so vibrant and pigmented, and it's perfect for travelling or nights out.
MAC Creme Cup lipstick is one of my most worn MAC lipsticks, I love the cremesheen finish and the colour is a gorgeous satiny pink hue. These two YSL lippies (Rouge Volupte in #19 and #4) were a recent splurge and I absolutely adore them. The colours of both, and the texture and shine of the Rouge Volupte range is uncomparable to any other lipsticks I own. They are smooth and beautiful and I love the packaging something terrible. I have also become quite a fan of Topshop makeup, their blushes and lipsticks in particular. My favourite Topshop lipstick is Whimsical, it is a stunning coral peach, a colour I have nothing similar to in my collection. The finish is somewhat satiny, but the colour payoff is amazing. I look forward to wearing this alot in the summer!
Chanel Coco Rouge Shine in #71 needs no introduction. I posted a blog post devoted entirely to this lipstick alone here. It's the perfect nude, amazing with a smokey eye, so slicky and balmy that it doesn't even really feel like a lipstick.

What are your makeup favourites of the moment?

I hope you all had a lovely St. Patricks Day! :)

x