• March 2015 Favourites •

This March has been probably one of the busiest months of my life - school play, house hunting, and just generally trying to live life - so my make up has been consistently minimal for work and play!

Nevertheless, I have some absolute beauts to show you which have served me well through this month of craziness. They've all made my life much easier (and my getting ready process much quicker) and they are fail safe in terms of slapping it on and running out the door. I'm now ready for more experimental, fun, colourful Spring make up so I'm sure next month's favourites will be more seasonal!

Victoria's Secret Forever Pink Fragrance Mist*

The scent of this is truly lovely - that's the only way I can describe it. It smells like Spring and gardens in bloom, something I wouldn't usually go for, but since the weather is (slowly) getting warmer, it's been suiting my mood lately. I love the fact that it's a mist so I spritz it all over my body and clothes, and the scent lasts all day. I'm hoping to get my hands on more of these mists as I'm really impressed with this one. And added bonus - I've used it liberally most days this month and the bottle still seems to be full; it definitely goes a long way.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

When I first used this product, I really didn't like it. It was at a time when I was my most oily and it felt as though it just slipped off and accentuated my combination skin. Now, however, the winter months (and Roaccutane) have dried out my skin considerably, so this little product is a godsend. After cleansing in the morning, I use my moisturiser, then I take a pea sized amount of this and swipe it all over my face. I then apply make up straight away and my foundation seems to glide on so easily. It doesn't cling to my dry patches and looks dewy, which is what I've been going for lately. The beauty balm just acts as another layer of moisture and primes the skin for make up. There isn't a make-up day that's gone by where I haven't worn this.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

I've been loving a cat eye recently and I always thought I couldn't achieve one in less than half an hour, but this product makes it so easy! The tip is long and thin and the felt tip applicator makes drawing a line and flick ridiculously easy, for even the most amateur of cat eye creators like myself. I also love how black the liner is and I never have to go over it with my gel liner to make it bolder (which I sometimes have to do with my other pen liners!) I've really been enjoying using this not only  for the ease and quality but also for how it's changed my outlook on liner.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]

I've been using this product for months now, but I had a break in between and used the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion , and I can't even tell you how much I missed it and my skin craved it. I've got over my acne but I sometimes get a spot or two, so I like to take preventative measures. That's when this little tube of goodness comes in. I've never known skincare to be so effective, honestly. It moisturises my skin so well, sits beautifully under my make up, sinks in quickly and also works at keeping blemishes at bay. I can't ask for anything more from a moisturiser and I'm now on my third tube - a testimony to how amazing it is!

Maybelline Colour Sensational Creamy Mattes in Lust for Blush

I've been trying, but there's no way I can use this lipstick sparingly. I'm trying to do so because, as far as I know, this product is currently only available in the US and Canada. I've been waiting so patiently for it to land in the UK because I've nearly finished the lipstick in just 3 months (!!!) which is practically unheard of for me. It's such a beautiful dusky, dark pink which is matte but unbelievably creamy - I can still rub my lips together comfortably and have it feel like a balm, which is the ultimate matte lipstick test, in my opinion. It's the perfect everyday pink that really suits my skin tone and goes with any look. I love it so so much and just wished I'd stocked up on more than one!

Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade in Medium Brown

When I bought this product in Canada, it intimidated me, so much so that it took 3 weeks for me to pluck up the courage to use it! I don't know why because it really is so easy to apply and beautiful to wear. I take my Sephora brow brush, dip it in and use it to fill in and shape my brows. I love the colour as it's the perfect match for me and it even happens to be quicker than using my Rimmel Brow Pencil, which I've sworn by for years - who knew? I've been using it daily and I can make it look natural or bold; I do have to practice using a light hand with it, but I think I've mastered it now.

Benefit Porefessional Primer

I'll keep this short as I can't even imagine how many times I've mentioned this product on my blog, but it really is the best primer I've used that keeps my t-zone looking matte and my make up from slipping off my face. The silicone texture evens out my skin and makes it easy to apply make up and you need the teeniest amount to apply to your t-zone.

Nivea Q10 Plus Anti-wrinkle Eye Cream

I feel like I've been on the continuous, long and tiring hunt for the best eye cream and I have to say this one is really cutting it for me at the moment. I've been enjoying applying it before bed as it moisturises my eye area until the morning, so my eyes feel soft and not at all puffy. The applicator is also great; because it's in tube form, you don't have to dip your hand into a pot. I'm not sure how much you can rave about an eye cream because I guess I'll only see the true results when I'm in my 50s, but if it reduces the risk of wrinkles, it's worth giving it a shot!

What have been your favourites this month?

Daniela xo

• February 2015 Favourites •

I'm on a 'spending money on make up' ban, which has led me to using what I already have in my stash on a more regular basis, so this month's favourites were easy to pick!

NUXE Reve di Miel

Just purely, totally obsessed. It's the first thing I use when I wake up in the morning and it's the last thing I use when I go to bed at night. The lip balm is in a little glass tub and it's a very soft consistency which moisturises for hours. The scent is very fresh, slightly lemon-y with a subtle hint of honey, and it's probably the best lip balm I've ever used. It's the perfect base for a lipstick as it eradicates dryness instantly. Love. It.

Soap and Glory The Ultimelt Hot Cloth Cleanser

My skin has been crazy lately, much to my disappointment. I had a really good spell for about 9 months then it started to go tits up a month ago. It's now combination to the extreme; in the places that I'm dry, it hurts to move my face and in the places that I'm oily, not even the most industrial primer is helping to keep my make up from sliding off my face. So I'm going for more gentle skincare, and I've gone back to my trusty Ultimelt. I love everything from the formula, the clean scent, to how easy the application is. This creamy product is great for taking off my make up and just generally giving my face a good clean. I usually double cleanse with it and use a muslin cloth soaked in warm water to wipe it off. I've fallen back in love with my old favourite!

Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara
This mascara is a dupe for Benefit They're Real, I've said it before and I'll say it again. The length and volume I get from this mascara is insane and I'm always greeted with 'wow, your eyelashes look amazing today!' whenever I wear it. I've recommended it to everyone I know and they've had the same reaction. I love the formula, which is quite dry, and the wand, which is curved so you can get all of the diddy lashes near the inner corner and all of the bottom lashes really easily. I'm obsessed with it and can't believe how affordable it is - I'm on my third tube and can see myself continuously repurchasing.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel
Brows are my thing; I fricken love them. I don't care how late I am in the morning - if my brows aren't done, I aint leaving the house! They are, however, long and sometimes unruly, so I've been reaching for this brow gel every day this month. I have noticed that if I don't wipe off the excess gel, the brush picks up too much, but when I do use this brow gel, I notice such a difference in the shape and lasting power of my brow pencil. This gel locks everything into place, from the hairs to the filler, and I don't find myself in front of a mirror all day trying to make my hairs stay in one place!

NYX Butter Gloss Merengue and Creme Brûlée
I picked up as many of these beauties when I was in Canada earlier this year (read my haul post here!) but Merengue and Creme Brûlée stood out to me the most. I love how easy these lip glosses are; I hardly ever need a mirror to apply them and they make my lips look so full and glossy with a nice amount of colour. They smell like cupcakes (amazing), don't feel sticky and last a long time on my lips. I'll be picking more of these up as I've used the heck out of them this month and will need to restock soon.

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation
If you love a light-weight, light to medium coverage foundation which leaves a satin finish, you'll like this. Best used with a primer on me, this foundation is simply stunning and I can't believe how long it took me to try it. It's quite a liquidy consistency but it provides the sort of coverage that covers up the smallest of spots and the palest of scars (on my face, anyway!) I've really been enjoying using it this month and the best part it, it's reacted well to the ridiculously dry parts and the ridiculously oil parts of my face - it doesn't accentuate either, which gets a thumbs up from me.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush
This has been a huge favourite for me this month as I usually use either the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush or my Beauty Blender, but as both were dirty one morning (and I was too lazy to wash them), I reached for the Buffing Brush when I was in a rush. It just worked magic. My foundation looked smooth, it was quick and easy to use because it's a larger brush (compare to the Expert Face Brush) and the bristles feel so smooth on my skin. I really love this brush and will be using it more often as I never knew quite how good it was!

Avon Orchid Splash and Collection Lilac Daze
The weather is telling me Winter, my brain is telling me Spring. I've been wearing these colours non-stop and it's getting me in the mood for the change of the season! They're both quite unusual shades and again, I receive compliments on my nails when I wear them. The formula for both are long-wearing and don't chip when I use a good top coat (Sally Hansen's strengthening top coat at the moment). I can't see myself painting any other colour on my nails for a while yet.

So there is my rather long, rambly list of favourites!
What have you been loving this month?
Daniela xo

• January 2015 Favourites •

I'm so excited to share this month's favourites with you; I have some oldies but goodies, and a few newbies that I'm already loving.

Vaseline - Aloe Vera

There is no better eye cream/eyelash nourisher than Vaseline. I use this on and around my eyes and eyelashes every single night and my eyes feel so moisturised the next morning. I used to be subscribed to Birchbox and would always receive eye creams, and I'd think 'meh, it's ok' but nothing was as good as Vaseline. I swear by this, and it's so cheap that I always urge everyone to try it.

MAC 'Kinda Sexy'

This was one of the first MAC lipsticks that I ever bought and it holds dear memories close to my heart (does anyone else every get that with make up and scents?!). I bought this way before the whole Kyle Jenner trend but it's now becoming a popular one to get that browny, darker nude. It's a matte lipstick, which is my favourite type of lipstick (this changes on the regular) and it goes on so creamy whilst lasting all day. It's obviously a MAC lipstick so the quality is up there, but this is definitely my favourite MAC lipstick that I own and I'll have to make a cheeky repurchase soon.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil in Lust

I'm trying to incorporate more colour into my make up so a purple pencil is the perfect way to do it for my brown eyes and pale colouring. Lust is a gorgeous deep purple shade and looks so beautiful both on top of the lid in a cat-eye fashion and smudged below the lash line.

Lady Gaga 'Fame' Eau de Parfum
Ok, don't judge me. I've gone from raving about the sexy, sophisticated Philosykos to this. But I honestly think this smells amazing and it's quite different from what I normally go for. The scent is quite sweet and fruity, and for a more affordable perfume, it lasts all day. I've been complimented on it a few times and when I mentioned that it was Lady Gaga's perfume, there were a few shocked faces!

Sephora Spoolies
I'm allllll about the brows at the moment and I'm trying to grow them out for a bushier, fuller look so they do need some taming in that area. The hairs are quite long and I've been relying on these spoolies along with clear brow gel to set them in place. I've really been loving these ones as they are the perfect shape and length, making them perfect for travel. Plus they were free - bonus.

Milani Blush in Dolce Pink
I wish wish wish we could get Milani over in the UK and I'm using this blush sparingly because it's absolutely beautiful and I will cry when it runs out! I sometimes find it hard to wear a pinky pink blush because I'm very pale with dark features, but Dolce Pink is perfect and has a very faint golden shimmer running through it, making it really wearable. It's a mix between a blush and a highlight and it's also stunning worn over other blushes. You can see a swatch of it here, and I can almost guarantee you'll swoon over it like I do!

Maybelline Eraser Eye Concealer in Light
I was very late to the hype with this one as I feel like everyone has been raving about this product for a good few years, but I finally hopped on that bandwagon on a particularly stressful morning when I was late to a wedding due to my concealer exploding all over me (yep, this really happened). I'd never tried the Maybelline concealer before but from the reviews I'd read, I trusted it and ran to Boots to buy one. It really did save the day as I was more than impressed with the coverage, application and lasting power of the concealer. It's quite thin but is really pigmented, and I've found that when set with a translucent powder, it doesn't crease or budge. A definite winner that I've used nearly everyday in January.

Wet Brush
Apologies for how gross my brush looks - that is the product of using this brush too often with a shed load of dry shampoo in my hair! I used to own the Tangle Teezer (more on that in a comparison post) but this brush has completely thrown that out of the park. The bristles are so soft, my hair doesn't feel like it's being tugged or ripped out and it really does work well with both wet and dry hair. I can't recommend this brush enough and have already managed to covert a few people to it.

Game of Thrones book
I just had to include this book as a favourite because I've literally been glued to it at every chance I get. I'm a huge GoT fan and I've watched the series religiously, so when I received the book box set for Christmas I was overjoyed. The book is so beautifully written; the character descriptions are absolutely amazing and everything is so detailed, yet to easy to read. I can sit there for hours with this book in hand and endless cups of tea - I think it'll take me about 2 years to read the whole box set but the books are incredible and I urge you to try them if you're a big reader or just a fan of GoT.

What have you been enjoying this month, beauty or lifestyle-wise?
Have you tried any of my favourites?
Daniela xo