It's monthly favourites time again! It's been so hot I've been shunning makeup for bikinis and sunscreen, but a few bits still caught my eye. I've even included a few non beauty favourites!
What have you been loving this month?!
"monthly favourites"
It's monthly favourites time again! It's been so hot I've been shunning makeup for bikinis and sunscreen, but a few bits still caught my eye. I've even included a few non beauty favourites!
What have you been loving this month?!
Well guys'n'gals, we are now officially halfway through 2014, how terrifying is that?! I don't know when time started going so fast but it's a little scary.
I'm keeping the favourites short and sweet this month, there has been no shopping, so nothing new to fall in love with, and to be honest, I've mostly just been loving the products from last months favourites! There were a few things that deserved a mention though, so without further ado, my favourites from June 2014.
The star of the show for me this month was the Bourjois 1 Seconde Volume Waterproof Mascara, the first waterproof mascara I've ever fallen for. It's got the most bizarre wand I've ever seen, a combination of little balls and spikes, but it just works, and really gets every lash from every angle, coating them in product. The formula itself is infallible, it's jet black, doesn't feel heavy on the lashes, but it lasts all day without smudging or flaking. It does take a decent balm cleanser to remove, but it's totally worth it.
Another product that has really impressed me is the Max Factor Face Finity Primer, one of the most heavy duty, longwearing primers I've tried. Smooths the skin, makes makeup last impossibly long, and feels really lightweight on the skin.
I won the amazing Alexandra's giveaway this month, and amongst the prizes was the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Captivating. A gorgeous matte peach, this adds colour and dimension to my cheeks, sculpting them to just look so much better. This blush lasts so long on the cheeks, and has definitely made me want more Tarte blushes!
Over the last couple of months I've fallen back in love with the YSL Touche Eclat. I've owned one of these for years now, and it really is an awesome product. I've been applying it on top of my under eye concealer to counteract the dark circles, and it really brightens my whole complexion.
I finally picked up the Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot setting powder last month, and I've used it pretty much every day since. It's a gorgeous translucent, lightweight setting powder that takes away the shine from your skin, without taking away the glow. It really helps makeup last, and doesn't look cakey at all.
And lastly, a little retraction. I previously included the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge in a disappointing products post. If I'm honest, I stand by what I said in that review, because I still don't know who has the time to use this to apply foundation. However, I've been using this to press my concealer in under my eyes, and blend out cream blush, and I really like it. It definitely gives a more natural look to the skin than you would get with a brush.
What have you been loving this month?
And another month is gone just like that. Not really sure where my life is disappearing off to, time really needs to slow down!
May has been a bittersweet month, one that I'm pretty pleased to be leaving behind to be honest. Do you ever just feel like there's a little black cloud following you around? I've felt a bit like that this month. Sometimes you just have to take a moment to remember that it's not all bad, and that the little black cloud will eventually pass. Said little black cloud is being banished for June.
Moving swiftly on, I have had nothing short of MAKEUP MAYHEM this month. I've been testing out products left right and center (all in the name of blogging, of course) and I've discovered some truly amazing products, that I'm so excited to tell you guys about!
The first thing, and probably my favourite product from the month is the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint. This got a lot of hype quite a while back but since until recently there hasn't been a physical store where you can buy Jouer products in England, I never paid it much attention. Fast forward to last month when I met up with my friend Daphne, whose skin was looking bloody fantastic, and she accredited it to this. One Cult Beauty order later and I think I might have found my favourite base product ever. Lightweight but covers all redness, with buildable coverage, matte but not powdery or cakey, natural looking and long lasting, this might just be my perfect base.
Also from Cult Beauty, the Anastasia DipBrow Pomade FINALLY came back in stock. I borrowed Daphne's back in March and fell in love, and have been waiting for it to be in stock again ever since. This stuff is basically just gel liner for your eyebrows, but somehow it gives perfectly defined, but still natural looking brows. I have the shade Dark Brown and it's perfect.
An oldie but goodie, I've fallen back in love with my MAC Studio Finish Concealer and I've been using the Eco Tools Buffing Concealer Brush to apply it. These two are like a match made in airbrushing heaven, covering every little blemish and red patch perfectly, seamlessly disguising it with the rest of my skin. This stuff really lasts all day too, much longer than any other concealer I've tried. I literally just poke the brush in the pot and buff it into my skin using a patting motion.
No blush this month because I've basically just been playing Blush Roulette all month, but I have found my perfect highlighter, and it is of course TheBalm Mary Lou Manizer. This just gives such a gorgeous glow to my skin, I almost want to cover myself in it. It's super finely milled so it doesn't look heavy on the skin. Also, it doubles as an excellent shimmery eyeshadow.
Two eye things that made the cut, I'll keep it brief on the Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer, and just say it's the best eyeshadow primer I've ever used. I've also been loving the Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara, a dual wand mascara that I didn't love when I first got, but paired with a pump on the lash curlers, gives gorgeous, fluttery, volumised lashes. I use the big wand first, and then the little one to really coat the lashes in the inner and outer corners.
I couldn't pick between these two lipsticks so they both get a mention. First off the Dior Lip Glow, which is basically a glorified lip balm that reacts to the PH of your lips, and just leaves my lips looking a little darker, fuller and glossier. If I haven't been wearing that, I've been sporting the Estée Lauder Pure Colour Lip Shine in Plexi Pink, a gorgeous bright blue toned pink that wears sheer, and just adds a pretty pop of colour to the lips. Perfect if, like me, bold lip colours intimidate you a little.
And lastly, one skincare favourite, The Body Shop's Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter, a gorgeous balm cleanser that really gets everything off your skin, leaving it feeling clean, soft and hydrated. I'm so impressed with this and can't see myself being without it any time soon.
What have been your favourites this month?!
Another month, another monthly favourites. Can you believe we are a third of the way through the year already? I certainly can't.
Before we get into favourites, a few admin bits. First off I want to thank everyone who has supported my blog this month, we have had the biggest readership growth this month since Bed in the Kitchen started over 18 months ago, and I honestly can't believe how many of you there are now! I'm planning a little giveaway when we hit 1000 Bloglovin' followers, I wish I could send you all something but this is the next best thing! If you have any suggestions for what I should giveaway then let me know in the comments! Secondly, I want to thank everyone that took part in my Photo A Day challenge over on Instagram, it's been awesome seeing your pictures! Thirdly, and finally, just a little notice that as of tomorrow all posts will be going live at 7am GMT instead of 9am, this is just a response to a few people who have said they enjoy reading blogs on their morning commute! As always if you have any suggestions for posts you'd like to see let me know in the comments! Also, don't forget about my Lifestyle Blog and YouTube Channel, I'd love to see you guys over there too!
On with the show!
It's been a strange sort of month, I've been backwards and forwards between my home in Bournemouth and my flat in London more times than I care to count. This, I guess, is what happens when Uni cuts out for a few weeks. Anyway, the result was that I spent the better half of this month living out of a ramshackle collection of bags, so the options for my monthly beauty favourites were pretty limited!
Let's start with the slightly less exciting item, but one that excites me greatly. Guys, this month I found my perfect foundation brush. This is the Blank Canvas Cosmetics F22 brush and it's utter perfection. Soft, tightly packed, domed bristles that are perfect for creating a fuller coverage look. And a total steal, coming in around the £10 mark.
I've had the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in my stash for a long time, but I only really picked it up and started paying it some attention at the end of last month. I'm now pretty much halfway through it I've used so much. This is such an easy concealer to reach for, it works for blemishes and dark circles, it's got good medium to full coverage, it stays put all day and you can apply it over makeup halfway through the day and it won't cake. What more could you want from a concealer?
I've only been using the L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer for the last half of the month but I had to mention it. I've been using this all over my face before foundation to add an all over healthy glow, and mixing a little into my under eye concealer to perk up my undereyes. This stuff is amazing and if you don't have it yet, you need it.
When I went back home, I pretty much only took the Rimmel Glam Eyes Quad in Smokey Brown for my eyes. I love this little quad so much, four seriously pigmented, soft colours that can be used to create so many looks. And this palette is so affordable! A great one for travel, and a good staple for everyone's makeup collection.
My love for the L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara will never fade, but I was on the hunt this month for a more 'daytime' appropriate mascara, just something a little more natural looking. I picked up the L'Oreal Volume Million Lash Excess Mascara and it's just perfect. It lifts, curls, volumises and lengthens your lashes without making them look overly fake.
At the end of March I went to an event with the Lead International Makeup Artist for NARS, and in my goodie bag was a miniature of the NARS Deep Throat Blush. I do have this blush in a palette somewhere, but having a single of it has meant it's received a lot more loving, and has been my go-to blush this month. It's a gorgeous peachy pink blush shade with a very slight golden shimmer, a perfect every day blush shade.
Nine times out of ten this month I've been wearing my MAC Peach Blossom Lipstick, a perfect nude for me, with just a hint of peach to it, but enough pink to stop it washing me out. It just goes with every makeup look and is so easy to wear, and it looks super pretty too.
And finally, on my nails this month I have been loving the Maybelline Super Stay Gel Polish in Berry Stain, a gorgeous berry purple shade. Not massively appropriate for Spring, but I just can't get enough of this colour. The formula's spot on too, super glossy and pigmented, you only need one coat for perfect nails.
Those are my April favourites, what are yours?
Are we all excited for Christmas yet?! I think I would be more excited if I was decorating my flat! My boyfriend and I are leaving London on the 12th for four weeks, to go back home to Bournemouth, so there's not really much point in decorating. However, most of my Christmas shopping is done, I've got my advent calendar, and I've popped a playlist of cringey Christmas tunes on my iPod so in my head, it's basically Christmas.
Before I go full swing into Christmas themed posts, here's a rundown of the products I have been obsessed with this month.
First up, there's been a lot of nail polish loving this month. I hit Boots hard at the beginning of the month looking for wintery, Christmassy polishes, so on my nails has been a rotation of these shades. The first purchase was Essie's After School Boy Blazer, a gorgeous inky navy that just looks so sophisticated on your paws. I hunted high and low for the gel formulation of Nails Inc Porchester Square (I can't stand the standard formula of Nails Inc Polishes, so streaky, but I've been lusting after Porchester Square for the longest time), I absolutely love this polish, it's so gorgeous, and the formula is incredible, even if it does take its time drying. I've also been loving the Essie Winter Minis Kit, which contains Toggle on Top, Shearling Darling and Parka Perfect. Definitely reccommend picking up this kit, it's such good value for money, and would also make an excellent stocking stuffer.
Three lip products have pretty much owned that department this month. Rimmel Moisture Renew in Let's Get Naked has gotten me a fair few compliments this month, it's a gorgeous warm peach, that definitely suits the season. I've been pulling this out for every smokey eye look. In the same vein, I'm totally in love with the Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Colour in Tutu, which is a slightly darker, slightly pinker and slightly sheerer sister to Let's Get Naked. I've barely stopped wearing it this month, I love the formula and I'll definitely be picking up more of these. I've been pairing both of these with the Benefit Ultra Plush Lipgloss in A-Lister, a true peach gloss that isn't sticky at all, but adds a gorgeous shine to the lips.
In the eye department, I've been rediscovering my love for the Max Factor Kohl Pencil in 020 black, which has been my favourite black pencil since puberty struck, and I went nowhere unless I was sporting heavily kohl rimmed lids. This is the blackest of black pencils and it has awesome staying power. I've been pairing this with my Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara, which gives really thick, full, long lashes with not a clump in sight.
There was little chance that the NARS One Night Stand Palette wasn't going to be in this favourites. I am absolutely obsessed with this palette, the colours are gorgeous and the staying power is second to none. Surprisingly, one of my favourite shades has been Mistinguette, the barbie-esque matte pink, that really perks up your complexion. I also love the highlighter in this palette, it looks gorgeous under the brow bone.
One skincare favourite, and I've gotten through about half a bottle of the Lush Tea Tree Water. At the beginning of the month my skin was being a bit strange, and I was struggling to shift a few pesky blemishes. I swapped out my usual toner for this, I've been spraying it directly onto my skin in the evenings, and on a cotton pad in the morning, and it's done wonders. Its' antibacterial so it's fab for congested skin.
Lastly, I wanted to mention a candle that I have just been in love with, it smells like mulled wine, and the scent throw is so incredible that just having the lid off fills the room with a warm and spicy fragrance. I found this in TKMaxx, and I'm definitely going to pop back and look for a second.
What have been your favourite products this month? What are you most looking forward to about Christmas?
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