Tuesday 28 January 2014

January favorites

First bunch of favorites for 2014 and even though I'm slowly shedding my winter clothes and makeup for lighter and more colorful Spring looks I still feel a strong need to nourish and comfort my skin and body, to keep the cold and darkness away. It's been a bit of a wet and miserable start to the year so I've craved warm, soft perfumes to heat me up from the inside and luckily I've had two amazing scents to help me with that. To start off I've literally bathed in the lovely Bath & Body Works Fine Fragrance Mist ($14) in Warm Vanilla Sugar. If you like foodie, cookie type scents you'd probably love this. It's a very harmonious and well balanced mix of light and sparkling vanilla sugar, subtle coconut and tonka bean - gorgeous! A lot of body mists don't last very long after you've sprayed it, but the warmth of this makes it last surprisingly long and when you've sprayed it, the whole house smells as if you'd been making vanilla cookies, oh yummie! It's also worked really well in combination with the Jo Malone Rose Water & Vanilla Cologne (£100) from the sophisticated Cologne Intense range. This is another warm and vibrant scent that makes me think of expensive truffles or Turkish delight - the rose water adds delicacy and freshness while the vanilla makes the cologne creamy, refined and luxurious. I love this extravagant and lush scent that lingers on your clothes and hair long after you've sprayed it, and it seems I'm not the only one since I've received so many compliments for it.
My skin has behaved quite well this season, for which I'm very grateful but instead I have struggled a little bit with finding the right lip balm and some of the products that I've used previously, all of a sudden aren't doing it for me anymore so the past months I've to turned to my trusted Gatineau Defi Lift 3D Revolumising Lip Care (£28). This product is so much more than a lip balm - it does contain lovely smoothing and moisturising ingredients like shea butter and jojoba oil like many other balms, but it also has a collagen stimulant to create a subtle plumping effect and which helps to redefine the natural lip contours so you'll find that in addition to a moisture boost your lips have a little bit more volume for a few hrs. It's an amazing silky and light product that you can use as a primer or a lip gloss on top of lipsticks, and I also use it as a mask on the lip contours, letting it sink in for about 15 mins or so. Since it's quite an expensive lip care product I usually use this in the morning as a lip primer to plump my lips and as an overnight treatment, however since I've really needed something deeply hydrating lately I've also used this generously throughout the day and I love its plumping effects.

Next product may not be very exciting but for me it's an absolutely essential part of my nail care routine - Sally Hansen's Miracle Nail Growth Treatment (£9.99) which is applied every other day to bare nails to help them grow longer and stronger in no time (apparently you should see a 30% increase in nail growth in 5 days). A lot of products promise the moon and more, and I'm always very skeptical towards marketing fads, but I have used this strengthener a couple of times every week for well over a year and it actually does work - and if you use it as a base coat you'll treat your nails with minimal effort every day under whatever lovely shade you're wearing.
 Violet Freeze
Passionate Pink

If you read my recent post on some of my latest purchases from Avon, you might be surprised to find that one of my favorites this month is the Avon Color Trend Color Me Pretty Wet-Look Shine Nail Enamel (£3) in Violet Freeze. You may remember that we got off to a very rocky start because of some very misleading color swatches, however I won't hold that against this innocent little polish and after we passed that initial hurdle I actually really LOVE this shade. It's a wonderful shimmery light lavender blue and for me it's got just the right depth of color that at the same time gently nods to the pastel trend that I'm completely embracing this Spring. This shade turned out to be an unexpected little ablessing in disguise!

The last product this month is a wonderful creamy lipstick that has really cheered me up these rainy days and it's the The Body Shop Colour Crush Lipstick  (£10). This range has an impressive 26 different shades to choose from, and Passionate Pink is a gorgeous shimmery juicy and highly pigmented rose color with a slight blue undertone that packs enough of a punch to brighten a look, but is still versatile and soft enough that you can easily wear it during the day. The lipstick is very moisturising and gives a velvet long lasting smooth satin finish and I'm looking forward to pick up another shade from this great range this Spring.

That's the end of the favorites for this month. When I first started doing these posts last year, I fully expected them to be quite repetitive and that I would stick with the same old products month after month, but every time I think back at what I've actually really used the most - I surprise myself by how much the favorites change from month to month and I'm already curious about what goodies I'll be drawn to in February.  

75 comments:

  1. I remember having a good few Avon polishes when I was younger. And I agree with your misleading swatches. This shade is so frosty and perfect for winter, I love it xx

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    1. Despite the little mishap it's a wonderful shade and I'm so glad I discovered it :o). Xx

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  2. the jo malone sounds so lovely ! and the lipstick looks a gorgeous shade !
    The Inked Blonde

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    1. Oh, it's a beautiful intense scent I absolutely LOVE it :o). Xx

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  3. I love the body shop lipstick!! :-) Nail colour looks gorgeous too xxx

    www.stylapetite.com

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    1. Thank you very much, the Color Crush lipstick range is so lovely and moisturising and with 26 shades - there's bound to be something for everyone :o). Xx

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  4. That lippy is a lovely shade! I wish my lips were bigger...

    Tara x

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    1. So do I and even if the effect isn't permanent at least the Gatineau cream helps a little bit :o). Xx

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  5. I've used the Sally Hansen product before and I love it, for me it seems to be the only formula that isn't a fad and actually does what it proposes on the bottle! Hope it works for you too!

    flawedfairytale fashion blog

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    1. Completely agree - it's the best nail growth formula on the market for me :o). Xx

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  6. The lipstick shade its gorgeous that will be my favorite.
    http://tifi11.blogspot.com

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    1. It has a great vibrancy and energy to it :o). Xx

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  7. I think I like that nail polish the most! The color is so, so beautiful! :)

    www.callmemaddie.com

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    1. I've used it so much this month and am really glad in a way that it is the shade it is :o). Xx

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  8. I have heard a LOT about most of the featured products and I would really love to try them! :)

    Relationships.College.Love

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  9. I love the shade of that lipstick. I'm usually a red lippie fan but lately I've been really drawn to pinks.

    Victoria
    FlorenceandMary.com

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    1. I'm really looking forward to wearing this in the Spring and think it'll work quite well with most of the shades I've got planned :o). Xx

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  10. You have a lovely selection of products there Charlotte!

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  11. :o) - it definitely packs a punch :O). Xx

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  12. Oh that blue colored nailpolish looks so pretty!

    Love,

    Rowan


    Personal Style Blog WWW.REDREIDINGHOOD.COM

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    1. I've really enjoyed wearing, it's a lovely shade :o). Xx

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  13. Love Jo Malone products, my go-to scent lately has been their Peony and Blush Suede perfume.

    Thanks for sharing!
    Jen

    http://www.comfortably-chic.com

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    1. Ah yes, another beauty from Jo Malone :o). Xx

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  14. Replies
    1. Any Jo Malone scent is such a treat and I love this so much :O). Xx

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  15. great picks !! love the color of your manicure :) xx
    www.ambifashion.com

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  16. Since I read your review of the Jo Malone you got for Xmas it has been on my wishlist! Am going through duty free on Sunday so going to have a good old sniff!!

    Stacey Expat Make-Up Addict xxx

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  17. The Avon polish is a pretty Spring colour. I love The Body Shop lipstick too
    http://www.letstalkbeauty.co.uk/

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    1. Thank you - I've already started planning the make up looks for Spring and I can't wait to start using some of the products :o) Xx

      Makeup by Candlelight

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  18. That avon nail color is so gorgeous! It reminds me of spring time and makes me so happy! That body shop lipstick looks and sounds amazing! I love that they have so many shades to choose from & love that it seems moisturizing! Great post!

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  19. I keep seeing body shop make up popping up everywhere and it always looks great! The passionate pink lipstick is the most gorgeous colour! Ill have to make a trip to the body shop counter for definite xx

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    1. They've got a 40% sale on at the moment as well, so I'm sure you'll get a great deal :o). Xx

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  20. Replies
    1. It's a lovely color, mixing blue and purple :O). Xx

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  21. Great items, love the pink lipstick!

    Greetings from London,

    chrissabella.blogspot.com

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    1. It's a great vibrant color and I think it'll work really well with the Spring makeup I've got planned too :o). Xx

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    1. :o) - absolutely, such a wonderful range of scents :o). Xx

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  23. The nail polish colour looks great, I bet it would look especially nice in the spring with a pastel blue shade :). It almost reminds me of a denim type of colour.

    -Shelby
    http://bittersweetshelby.blogspot.co.uk/

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    1. That's a great tip - I'll try that :o). Xx

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  24. I love the color of the nail polish and lip stick. It has me begging for spring to come!

    Koko Baelle

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  25. Love the sound of the Warm Vanilla sugar body mist, very delicious scent Love it! But unfortunately they dont have bath and body works here in The UK. Great post! X

    www.niviisdiary.blogspot.com

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    1. No, I keep hoping they will open up some store here, or at least start to ship internationally :o). Xx

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  26. LOVE that polish colour. So fresh. Also I'm really eager to try Jo Malone - seems lovely
    Erin
    Erin and Katherine Talk Beauty

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    1. It's quite unusual but as you say - lovely and fresh :o). Xx

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  27. I swear by Sally Hansen nail products. You should try their Insta Dri drops if you haven't already x x

    Olivia @ Awake Looks

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    1. That's a geat recommendation, I'll put that on my list of things to try :o). Xx

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  28. Love that lipcolor!
    http://linastyle.blogspot.com/

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    1. Thank you so much - it's soft but intense at the same time :o). Xx

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  29. I almost purchased a few of those Body Shop lipsticks and I'm regretting not picking them up! It looks like a gorgeous, vibrant shade!

    Great picks :)

    www.lilting-grace.blogspot.com

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    1. They've got a great sale on at the moment with 40% discounts so, might be a great time to have another look :o). Xx

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  30. Love the colour of that nail polish, beautiful

    Please come check out my latest post if you have time :)

    Fragile Bird | www.fragile-bird.blogspot.co.uk

    Helen

    x

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    1. I do love this color - it's just the right mix of blue and purple :o). Xx

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  31. I'd love to try a Jo Malone scent! Great post
    x Birgit

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  32. i would love to try nail growth from sallys...great stuff!

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    1. It's a super product and it really does work :o). Xx

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  33. great favourites! it's true, I always feel like mine will be the same each month, but somehow they never are :)

    writingwhimsy.com

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    1. Good thing that I'm fickle with beauty products, otherwise I wouldn't have anything to show LOL. Xx

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  34. I am loving the colour of the lip balm! :)
    http://lipstickandlightening.blogspot.ie/

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  35. I absolutely adore Jo Malone but I don't know if I can justify to my mum spending £100 on a product haha it might take quite a bit of convincing xx

    www.healthyyetbeautiful.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Veru true, perhaps get something from the other range instead :o). Xx

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  36. I adore this particular Jo Malone fragrance, it's not too heavy like a lot of their scents :) really like your blog too hun. Char xx
    http://charlotte-louise-t.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Thank you so much, that's really lovely of you and hope you'll visit again soon :o). Xx

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  37. The Avon nail polish is very pretty <3 I have a similar one!

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    1. Thanks a million, it's a delicate and sheer Spring shade :o). Xx

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