Lush Cupcake Fresh Face Mask

Most of you girls will know that I love nothing than a bit of girly 'me time' pampering, and Friday nights consist of me preparing for the weekend and having a good old pamper with a very hot bubble bath. A face mask is compulsory f0r me and I've tried everything from Superdrug sachets  to Dr Nicks jars. One product I find that I keep coming back to when I stop by a Lush is the Cupcake fresh face mask. I've used this for as long as I can remember, my memory goes as far back as when my mum and I went to Edinburgh for a weekend when I was about 10 and she bought loads of goodies for us to try that night in the hotel room. One of those products was this little beaut, and ever since then it's always been a firm favourite of mine. I picked this up from the Croydon branch of Lush when I went to try and grab a popcorn lip scrub but unfortunately they had none in stock as the festive period is over which makes me quite sad. All over for another year I suppose! 

"Chocolate heaven for oily and teenage skin. Helps absorb excess oil and calm breakouts. Cocoa butter, linseed and cocoa powder soften with balancing peppermint, spearmint and sandalwood oils"

As with all Lush products, this is freshly made using natural ingredients and therefore has a use by date. I've had the pleasure of using this for a few years, but by the pot I only have around two weeks. I always feel a little upset when I start to scrape the barrel as it means I have to schedule a trip to Westfield to stock up on all of my favourites. I think that £5.25 is a very reasonable price for such a great product which I can use up to three times, maybe even four. As with all Lush products, the packaging is pretty standard; just your bob basic black pot with white chalk effect writing. But as with all products, it's what's on the inside that counts. My boyfriend has actually made a few comments about this stinking to high heavens but I absolutely adore the smell. Granted it doesn't smell like your typical bar of Dairy Milk, but I would describe the smell as a stronger cocoa butter smell. It's a very thick and creamy consistency which of course applies to my face like a dream, and dries almost in seconds into a clay/mud based product. I definitely notice a difference in the appearance in my skin after I use this. My usual oily T-Zone is calmed down to a slight 'shimmer' rather than an oil slick, and I can't begin to explain how soft it leaves my skin. Because it's a natural product, you can use it more regularly. There is a time limit on all Lush products, and I think I have another week or so to finish my pot off. Out of every pot I'd say you could get about 4 uses, so that means two face masks a week!

Have you tried any Lush fresh face masks? What's your favourite?

January Favourites

Hello! Can you believe we're already approaching February? 2013 is going so quickly already, but it's that time of the month where bloggers rave about their favourite products from the last 30 days or so. I'm sure I'm not the only one taking full advantage of the Aussie 2 for £6.99 offer in Superdrug. I love Aussie as a brand, and you'll probably already know just how great the 3 minute miracle is, so was so excited to try the Miracle Moist shampoo and conditioner. It smells like bubblegum and leaves my hair feeling so unbelievably soft so it's a complete thumbs up from me! I've also been loving the L'Oreal Elnett Satin Heat Protector Spray. I live by Elnett hairspray and this definitely lives up to its expected potential and my hair definitely feels alot different when I use my usual Tresemme styling spray. It's a really nice size too so will last a long while, so definitely worth the £5.99 price tag. I also know I wasn't the only blogger completely excited about the launch of Rimmel's Apocalips and I picked up a few shades which I plan to blog about in the near future. So far, my favourite shade is 'Luna'. All of them are ridiculously pigmented and long lasting, and I think are a great dupe for YSL's Glossy Lip Stains. I've also rediscovered my love for Burt's Bees lip balm - it's heaven in a tube. No other lip treatment leaves my lips so moisturised and it is a firm favourite in my make up bag. I popped into The Body Shop one afternoon and bought a few of their infamous body butters and I think of all of the ones I purchased, the Almond one is by far my favourite. I can't even begin to tell you how gorgeous this smells. It's quite strong so I find it lingers on my skin for a long time which of course is amazing. I sometimes sit there jut sniffing my arm which probably looks a bit weird! I also went into Lush over the weekend to repurchase the Snow Fairy shower gel as my previous bottle had finished. It makes me excited for bathtime and really lingers on my skin afterwards, not to mention it also leaves my bathroom smelling amazing for some time afterwards too. 

What have been your favourite products this month?

Soap and Glory Kick Ass Concealer

Hello everyone! Before I get started with today's post I just want to thank Beth from BirdsWords for giving the heads up on this product. I was reading through a few of her posts and noticed her blog on it, and seeing as I'm such a big Soap and Glory fan I thought I'd put my own spin on it! 

I know the majority of bloggers swear by Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection concealer and I have to admit I'm definitely one of them, but I had a voucher to use on S&G make up so thought I'd give it a go. I've read a few mixed reviews on it so the beauty blogger in me decided to whack it down on the till and give it a bash. I've used this for a few days now and I have to say I'm quite impressed! 

First off, it's a no brainer that the packaging is gorgeous. Very compact and I'm sold on the gold stars and reflective packaging it comes with, not to mention the amusing comments and words on the back. It's a 'three piece camouflage kit' and is complete with two concealers - one for the under eyes and one for blemishes - and a translucent setting powder. It also includes a cute little white powder puff which I think is ultra cute. Now I bought this in shade Medium as the Light compact looked a little too pale for me, but be warned fellow olive skinned ladies; it's got quite a yellow undertone to both concealers so if you have more of a pink skin tone, then be careful not to overdo it!

Both concealers apply so nicely and have a gorgeous consistency, really creamy and an absolute doddle to apply. I don't find that it creases under my eyes but I think this is because of the primer I use along with the setting powder. I find that when I use this along with Benefit's 'Eye Bright' I genuinely look a lot more awake and alert, without looking too cakey or plastered in make up. I'm quite lucky in the sense I don't suffer too badly with spots or breakouts, but I use the other concealer across the tops of my cheeks which cancels out the colour underneath my trusty foundation. The powder is a really nice formula too. The only slightly annoying thing about it is the product pay off on the powder puff. I do find myself having to scrape the pan a little bit to pick up a sufficient amount, but for what it is and it's durability I'm still sold. 

All in all, I think I'll be ditching my trusty Lasting Perfection concealer and I'm finding that I reach for this instead. Once this hits pan (which I doubt will be for a long time) I'll definitely be repurchasing it. Yet again, I've found another gorgeous product from Soap and Glory! I hope they keep on coming! 

Have you tried Soap and Glory's Kick Ass Concealer? What did you think?

Liebster Award

I was nominated by the gorgeous Lauren from l-c-g-xo

What is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster award is an award that is given to bloggers and their blogs with less than 200 followers. Its goal is to promote the bloggers that are nominated.

The rules

1. Nominees must link back to the blogger who nominated them...it's only fair to acknowledge the lovely person who went out of their way to nominate you :)

2. Once you're nominated, you must tell 11 random facts about yourself! 

3. You must answer the 11 questions that the blogger that nominated you asks, too!

4. And finally, create 11 questions for the 11 people you nominate for the Liebster Award!

11 Random facts about me

1. I'm of English and Australian origin and most of my family live in Melbourne

2. I'm absolutely petrified of clowns and I'm not too fond of spiders either (who is?)

3. I have the same tattoo as Victoria Beckham, 3 stars at the bottom of my back

4. If you didn't know I'm a massive fan of Swedish House Mafia and followed them around Europe during Summer 2009

5. My idea of a perfect man would have the personality of James Corden and the looks of David Beckham

6. I used to dance at professional level but quit after my trainer retired

7. I want to learn how to speak basic Italian by the end of the year

8. I love Katie Price ... don't judge me!

9. My favourite perfume is Alien by Thierry Mugler or Rockin' Rio by Escada

10. Marbella and Ibiza are my favourite holiday destinations ever

11. I'm currently on a mission to loose two stone and so far so good!

Questions from l-c-g-xo

What is your ultimate goal in life?

I think my ultimate goal in life are kind of cliché. I just want what every other girl wants and that's to be happy and settled with somebody I love, have an amazing wedding and move into my own house with no mortgage.  

Where do you shop the most?

I think most of my money is spent in MAC, Miss Selfridge and River Island. And not forgetting good old Primark!

What's one of the best most impacting lesson you have learned in life so far?

I lost my granddad to cancer a few years ago and it's really taught me to never take family for granted. If I could have anything it would be to spend one last day with him. 

What's your guilty pleasure?

Beauty wise, my guilty pleasure is either lipsticks or skincare products. Generally though, it's probably tv. I'm a proper couch potato and I love catching up on all of my soaps.

What can't you live without?  

It sounds soppy, but it's probably my Mum. She's my best friend as well as someone I've always looked up to and I can honestly say she's one of the most amazing women I've ever met. 

Do you believe in love?

Yes I do. I've been with my boyfriend for a year and a half and let me tell you now we've definitely had our ups and downs, just like any other relationship. But without putting too much info out there he really is my rock. 

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

I'd love to go to India as it's somewhere I've never been before. I've been lucky enough to travel to loads of different places but for some reason India is somewhere I'd love to go to.

How do you think a girl should act, no matter what?

I could go into a full blown rant on this but I'll keep it short and sweet. I think a girl, in Coco Chanel's words, should be classy never trashy. Too often I see girls acting more and more like blokes and I just think it's a shame.

If you could buy one thing, no matter how much it costs, what would it be?

A flat or a plane ticket to Australia to see my family.

One pet peeve you hate?

I mentioned that I hate clowns but I also hate people watching me eat, especially if it's something messy.

Your favourite Blogger?

My favourite blogger is Kayleigh over at CoutureGirl. I love her photos, her posts, and you can really see she puts alot of effort into her blog. Major blog love!

My Nominations

1. cocktailsinteacups.blogspot.co.uk/

2. thebeautyfiend13.blogspot.co.uk/

3. anothergirlsparadise-x.blogspot.co.uk/

4. naturalbeautyoxo.blogspot.co.uk/

5. littlebeautyblogg.blogspot.com/

Questions for my Nominees

What made you begin blogging?

What are your top 3 'holy grail' products?

What is your idea of a perfect holiday?

What do you do from Monday to Friday?

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Bronzer

Hello girls! Hope you're all well and have had a great week. If you read my previous post then you'll know I've been away on work experience at a magazine. I also mentioned that there was a nice few shops near the offices I was working at ... This shouldn't have been allowed for a girl like me as my lunch breaks were spent buying things I didn't really need but still bought anyway. I was in the MAC department of one of the bigger shops and was picking up a few new lipsticks when I spotted this little beauty. My 'holy grail' bronzer has always been Bourjois Delice de Poudre but I see that quickly changing as I'm absolutely obsessed with this little beaut. 

The packaging is pretty standard for MAC, just a compact black plastic case with its logo on the front which fits nice and snug inside my acrylic drawers. Some people couldn't justify £21 for a bronzer but I've read rave reviews about it, and a lot of people have commented on its ability to last long not only on your face but as a product itself. I fit an NC30 foundation in MAC and the woman was really lovely in helping me find a shade that suited my skin tone.  I went for 'Give Me Sun' and its not too orange and not too golden. It sits perfectly in the middle colour wise which I'm super impressed with.  I've not tried the mineralize skin finish powders before as I don't personally like a dewy finish on my face and would rather use a highlighter on my brow bone and down the centre of my nose. This isn't so shimmery you end up looking like a disco ball as its slightly matte but slightly dewy. A really weird skin finish to explain. 

I use my Real Techniques blush brush  to apply this bronzer and its got a lovely pigmentation to it. I don't find myself having to consistently scrape my brush against the product to get a bit of colour pay off which is great. I guess that's why it lasts such a long time?! It doesn't patch across my cheeks, jaw bone or sides of my forehead which is a huge added bonus as there's nothing worse than spotting that in a shop mirror with that lighting. 

All in all, I can see this quickly becoming a good replacement for my Bourjois bronzer even though its triple the price. I'd give it a huge thumbs up and once it runs out which it will have to do one day, I'd definitely repurchase it. I've had my eye on the MAC studio fix concealer so once I pick it up and give it a bash I'll let you girls know what I think of it. 

Have you used MAC's mineralize skin finish bronzer? What did you think?

The Perception Of "Beauty" In The Media

Image: weheartit

Hi Girls! It's been almost a week since I blogged because I've been on my work experience at a magazine. I've had the most interesting week and have done everything from Starbucks coffee runs to interviewing Rudimental and it's been absolutely amazing! I was tasked to write an article around a topic I thought would interest teenage girls and came up with the idea of media perceptions of what girls think of as 'perfect' and how they're deceiving and unrealistic. I know it's been done a million and one times, but after researching countless adverts, interviews and statistics I thought I'd put my own spin on things.

I've seen this advert countless times and it gets me everytime. I don't understand why we all strive to be our idea of perfection when perfect doesn't even really exist. Girls look up to people like Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears (maybe...) but what they're being sold on the look of these people is fake. It's all PhotoShop. I personally think that the media is completely responsible for this. They sell us images of perfect looking products with perfect looking celebrities but more often than not, were always disappointed. I also think that the media are responsible for making girls grow up way too quickly. I was researching magazines on the market for teenage girls and sure I came across the likes of Bliss and Sugar. Now, I remember reading these magazines when I was about 14 but I definitely don't remember them being filled with problem pages on sex and relationships. Surely 14 is way too young to even be thinking about that sort of thing yet alone be having problems with it? Not only this, but there were style articles featuring high platform heels and teeny tiny miniskirts. I reckon back when I was that age those pages would have been filled with boot cut jeans and dungarees, not clothes which attract male attention at 14 years old. Maybe I sound like an old hag saying all of this, but I don't want my daughter one day to be exposed to this world where our idea of perfect isn't even real.

You can't just blame PhotoShop though. People are smart enough to make their own decisions and choices but what about when these choices aren't right? I don't mean to bore you girls with statistics, but it shocks me that cases of anorexia has tripled since 1993. That's only in the space of nineteen years, imagine what it could be like 10 years from now? I personally think that my 'body ideal' is someone like Beyonce or Kelly Brook. They aren't tits on a stick (excuse the expression) and they have curves in all the right places. More importantly, they look healthy and as though they can't be snapped in half at a tap. I know some girls are naturally slim and have a fast metabolism (lucky girls) but I'm talking about those with a health issue who have willingly put their lives at risk because they saw a fake image of a celebrity in a bikini on a beach promoting trainers (I'm mentioning no names).

I don't know one single girl who is 110% happy with the way they look. We always want more and more, and were actually quite a greedy bunch of people whether we like it or not. Whether that means going down the route of surgery or crash dieting, we continuously strive to be an airbrushed version of ourselves. I'm not criticising surgery or dieting in any way shape or form as it would make me a huge hypocrite. I am currently dieting and using diet pills to loose some stubborn pounds I managed to put on over the Christmas break but I don't hide it away. I also made the decision to have breast implants last June, but it hasn't changed me as a person. I can also say I made that decision purely off my own back and that the media didn't influence me. I was unhappy with something that I had the power to change so I did. Some of you may think of me as a 'bimbo' or a 'tart' because of this, but do you know why that is? It's because the media has force fed you information about peoples looks and what they're like. Do you wear glasses? You must be a geek. Do you like rap music? You must be a chav. Although we don't admit it, we all judge people subconsciously. Again, I know the whole 'real' beauty thing has been done countless times but it really is about time that more brands show toned down airbrushing of bigger models as that's who the market can relate to. Do you look like Kate Moss or a Victoria's Secret model? Good for you. But what about the rest of us, the real girls and women? Don't get me wrong of course I love make-up and beauty or else I wouldn't write this blog. But what I don't like is the way that the media has made us feel like were not good enough or that were a chip off the block and can only have a 'normal' 9-5 job because were not 6ft tall and weigh 100 pounds.

Image: google

I haven't written this post to moan or ask for drama if some of you may disagree, I've written it purely because it's been such a focus for me the past few days and has made me think long and hard what the media are really doing to us. I could go on and on with this post, but I don't want to bore you with other things because it would be as long as my arm if I did. I'd love to know your thoughts on this topic too. Are you clued up when it comes to what the media try to sell to us as 'perfect'? Or do you admit that you may be a little brainwashed and therefore feel guilty about your looks/job/money/everything? Once the article I have written is published I will update you all so you can have a read if you're interested. 

What are your thoughts on this topic?

What's In My Wash Bag

Hello Girls! There is currently a thick blanket of snow covering London which makes me super excited. For my last post for the next week I thought I'd show you what things I'm taking with me in my wash bag as I'll be staying at my boyfriends. As part of my Media course I have to undertake a week of work experience for a Media company, and I've been lucky enough to have mine at a magazine. It may not be Vogue, but it's always good to start somewhere and I'll be working at a magazine called Live, which is aimed at people aged 16 to 24. I can't wait either! It's in Brixton which is great as I'm able to stay at my boyfriends for the week as he only lives in Streatham, so I won't be blogging for the next week or so. Sobs. But I have some great new posts coming up when I get home as the offices where the magazine is based are right next to a department store and a Superdrug. This shouldn't be allowed; lunch breaks will never be the same again! Anyway, after my slightly rambling intro, I'll get started with my last post for the week.

I took advantage of the 2 for £8 offer in Boots on James Brown haircare as I've used the brand in the past and really liked it. I went to the travel section and found the cutest mini deodrant, deat defence spray, toothpaste and mouthwash - how cute are they?! The razor is pretty self explanatory and you can't go wrong with Impulse body spray in your bag either (also on offer for 99p!). I'm anxious to try the Neutrogena cream face wash as I didn't get on with the gel wash too great but I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I'm stuck with it for a week! 

I hope you all have a great week and stay warm! Sorry for such a short post but as I mentioned previously I'll be back with loads of posts lined up. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter at @MissEssex or follow my Instagram at misskendalwestonx 

My Top 5 Soap & Glory Products

Oh look, another post about Soap & Glory! I'm sure by now you're probably yawning at your screens and know that I'm an uber fan of the brand, and if you read my recent post then you'd have seen the vast collection I have collected over the past month or so (read it here). Somebody suggested I do a 'Top 5' style post on my favourite products which seems like a great idea. I'm sure some of my favourites are the same as some of you girls too which is great. I'll be honest and say there isn't actually a product from Soap & Glory that I've used and haven't liked. That's most likely to be the reason most responsible for my ever growing collection and the need to expand it on a weekly basis! As I mentioned in my previous post, I've found the majority of these products worming their way into my daily skincare routine instead of using them for special occasions or pamper sessions too...

♥ Whipped Clean Shower Butter

I wouldn't even dream of spending £8.00 on a regular shower gel except for this one. When I first bought this, I loved the idea and sound of a shower 'butter', a body wash which doubles up as a moisturiser which smells un-believ-able. It leaves my skin ridiculously soft, and the scent of shea butter lingers for a really long time too.

♥ Night In Shining Armour Cream

So I know I only posted my current skincare routine recently and I did warn you that I was sceptical to change. A change which took place within a few days because I rediscovered my love for this night cream! It's such a lovely consistency and doesn't feel too heavy on the skin but still leaves my skin extra soft and hydrated in the morning.

♥ The Righteous Butter

Now this is an all time favourite not only of mine, but probably hundreds and thousands of bloggers and other girls too. I bounce between this and good old Palmers cocoa butter but still prefer this. It is such a nice product to use after a long hot bath and the extra rich formula leaves problem areas like knees and elbows soft beyond belief.

♥ Smoothie Star Body Milk

I think this is a relatively new product from Soap and Glory and I've been hooked since I received it in my 'Best Of All' gift set (read my post about it here). I know I've always named a body moisturiser in my 'Top 5' but Hand Food doesn't even need to be spoken about as it's my favourite. The yoghurt, oat and honey formula leaves skin moisturised without being greasy and it sinks in really quickly too.

♥ Peaches & Clean Cleanser
I mentioned that I use this in my current skincare routine and I am still absolutely loving it! It's one of those products that I look forward to using and it's not a chore to cleanse my face like some others. It smells gorgeous and melts away make-up like a dream.

 What are your favourite Soap and Glory products?

January Glossybox

Another month, another Glossybox delivery! Squeal. I've been subscribed to Glossybox for nearly a year now, and I actually think this months box is one of my favourites. It's got a nice selection of skincare goodies in there and who isn't absolutely loving the little sleep eye mask either? This months box's theme was 'detox' and came with a cute little booklet with advice on how to detox your life which I think was a really nice touch. With the new year and all I guess it's the best time to put these products in there. I got...

♥ Glossybox 'Glossy Dreams' Sleep Mask

♥ Sanctuary Spa 30 Day Thermal Transformation

♥ Lacoste 'Eau De Lacoste' Perfume Sample

♥ Monu Instant Radiance Microfoliant 

♥ BM Beauty Finishing Powder

♥ Murad Ultimate Moisture For Eyes

♥ Sanctuary Spa Thermal Rose Clay Mask

I'm really looking forward to trying the thermal clay mask. I've used a Superdrug own brand of this product before and it was so lovely, so I'm expecting high things from this. I'm pretty comfortable using my Soap & Glory 'Greatest Scrub Of All' as a facial exfoliator, but I'll give the Monu Microfoliant a go as I've seen r=mixed reviews on it so want to pass judgement myself! I'm not really a fan of a dewy finish on my skin, so the finishing powder from BM Beauty could be used as a highlighter I suppose? I'm quite settled with my Sleek highlighter in my Face Form contour palette but the pink undertones in my sample look perfect for my brow bone so I'll definitely give it a bash. I was worried when my Balance Me infamous 'Wonder Eye Cream' had finished, so I'm jumping the joy that I have a replacement in the form of Murad Ultimate Moisture for eyes. I'm hoping it works wonders for me just as the wonder eye cream did. I'm a bit gutted there's only one sample of the 30 Day Thermal Transformation as it points out that it needs to be used up to three times to see a visible difference but hey, if I like it, I may go on the hunt for the full size product. Another perfume sample to add to my collection is the Lacoste Eau De Lacoste sample. I know some people don't particularly like receiving samples but I love it as I can just pop them into my handbag for a quick spritz during the day. I'm super excited to use the Glossybox own brand eye mask as it's so cute and girly and I can't fall asleep without my TV on! 

What did you get in your Glossybox this month? Did you enjoy it as much as others?

My Very Late Favourite Products Of 2012

Hello! So I'm only two weeks bleedin' late with this post .. but better late than never I suppose? I wasn't planning on doing this post at all but I had a horrible case of writers block so thought why the hell not! I don't know about you but these posts have been my favourite to read these past two weeks. I'm loving seeing what other bloggers have tagged as their favourite products from the past year, and even more so that I have a few of the same! I personally think that 2012 was a great year for beauty and hair products, who can forget the launch of the 'holy-grail' Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation or the launch of the Charles Worthington Hair Shine home kit? So, without further ado, here is the low down of the products that I have loved throughout the last year...

Bath & Body

Batiste Dry Shampoo in 'Lace'

Who doesn't love dry shampoo? It's the most convenient thing since sliced bread and just a quick spritz leaves my hair looking freshly washed. I love this one from Batiste as it smells gorgeous and doesn't leave your hair with a horrible consistency. 

St Moriz Instant Tanning Mousse in Dark

This is by far my holy-grail tan of choice at home and I wouldn't even dream of using anything else now. I've been using it for as long as I can remember and because I have olive toned skin, it doesn't leave me looking orange or patchy. Winning. 

Possibility Shower Gel in 'Raspberry Pavlova'

I love shower smellies! I particularly love the Possibility range too as it's so cheap but the scents are to die for. Amongst my favourites are raspberry pavlova (above), pink champagne and vanilla creme brulee. Beautiful.

Soap & Glory 'The Righteous Butter'

I couldn't have a product favourites without a bit of Soap and Glory! This is a more classic product, and I love it. It smells unbelievable and if you got your hands on the Best Of All gift set, then you would have received this monster of a tub.

Soap & Glory 'Hand Food' Mini

This remains firmly in my handbag throughout the Winter, and the full size product stands proudly on my bedside table. If you haven't tried this beaut, please do. It smells unbelievable and leaves my mitts ridiculously soft and hydrated.

Make Up & Skincare

Real Techniques Stippling & Powder Brushes

I was late jumping onto the Real Techniques bandwagon but I'm so glad that I did! They really do deliver high definition results, and I can't believe I hadn't used them earlier. They are so soft and wash really easily too.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 200 'Soft Beige'

Again, this is one of the most hyped products of 2012. I absolutely love this foundation and it is what I wear on a daily basis. It does what it says on the tin and brightens skin and in turn makes you look more awake which is great. 

Sleek Face Form Contour and Blush Palette 

I reviewed this product in full a month or so ago and since then I have been loving it. It defines my cheekbones and the sides of my nose to perfection and the highlighter compliments my skin tone under my brow bone so nicely without it looking to ashy. 

MUA Undressed Palette

Again, I reviewed this product in full a while back and the colours are a great dupe for Urban Decays infamous Naked palette without the hefty £36.00 price tag. I was super impressed with the pigmentation of these too and they blend so nicely together for a perfect smokey eye.

MAC 'Shygirl' Cremesheen Lipstick

I found a great dupe for this lipstick (NYX 'Pumpkin Pie') but you just can't beat the formula of a MAC lipstick. This is perfect for an everyday lip, and the nude colour means it's not too 'out there' either. 

Revlon PhotoReady Primer

Ahh, a good old controversial product. You either love this or hate it, but I rediscovered my love for it and would go as far to say I prefer it to MAC's Prep and Prime. It mattifies my skin brilliantly and when I set foundation using a sheer loose powder my skin looks flawless. 

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant 

I don't know one Glossybox subscriber who didn't love this in Novembers box! I have used this in the past and I love it. The only bad thing I can think of this is the smell, it hasn't got the most pleasant smell to it but it works wonders and leaves my skin so smooth.

Soap & Glory 'Dr Spot'

This stuff is one of my all time favourite products! Of course nothing beats a good old Sudocream facial overnight, but a dab of this calms down angry spots and speeds up the healing process of the nasty buggers. 

So that's a round up of my favourite products of the past year, even though I'm a whole two weeks late! What have been your favourite products been? Is there anything I mentioned above that you have also loved?

My Ever Growing Soap & Glory Collection

Hello Everyone! I'm sure by now you may have guessed I have a bit of an obsession with Soap and Glory products. I know I'm not the only one to have caught the Soap and Glory bug recently, I can't seem to stop buying products while they're on offer at Boots and I am loving injecting a little bit of luxury into my bathtime! Although I feel like I should save some of these products for a special occasion, some of them are starting to worm themselves into my everyday products. I'm also loving all of the miniature products. They're so perfect for taking away with me if I'm not staying at home, and I especially love the Hand Food miniature that I can just pop into my handbag and cream up if my hands are feeling dry.

I'm sure all of you girls know that all of their products smell amazing. There's something about the smell that you can just tell that it's an S&G product and I love that. I don't even have to mention the packaging - every single one of their products have the most amazing vintage inspired pink packaging and they're so pretty. I love the way they all look neatly stacked up in my bathroom cabinet and bedroom.

Out of all the products shown above, my favourite is a toss up between the Night in Shining Armour night cream or the Righteous Butter. I only posted my current skincare routines recently (read here and here) and already have replaced my night time moisturiser with this as it's such a nice product. It isn't too much of a heavy product but since using it, it's lef my skin so hydrated and soft it's unbelievable. I don't need to begin with the Righteous Butter ... if you do one thing this weekend and you haven't tried it, make sure you do. You'll thank me for it! 

My collection isn't as big as others, but as I mentioned I'm absolutely obsessed with buying more and more products that it's constantly growing. If you're a Boots geek like me then you'll know that they often have products on promotion, usually 3 for 2, so it's rude not to have a little splurge on a bit of girly pamper  essentials. I believe the existing offer on cut throat prices for skincare ends this weekend which I'm completely gutted about but on the bright side, it's an excuse to go out and have a departing spend on a few more products!

Are you a fan of Soap and Glory? What is your favourite product?