A BELATED JANUARY FAVOURITES

This week I thought I'd post a belated January favourites, seeing as I hadn't gotten round to doing it before. I know I'm quite late in posting my monthly favourites, but I wanted to take all of the photos outside and once again, the British weather has let me down for the past week. So, with some admittedly make-shift photographs in place, here are the things that I enjoyed this January.

URBAN DECAY NAKED 3 PALETTE

I haven't had the Naked 3 palette for very long, as I got it for my birthday, which is at the end of January. When compared to the other two Naked palettes, this one is quite different from the other two, because of its pinky hues - I personally really love these new colours, as they really bring out my blue eyes. There are also more matte and satin colours than there were in the previous palettes, which I prefer for everyday wear.

SLEEK BLUSHER IN FLAMINGO

In the pan, this blusher does look like quite a scary colour, as it is a very vibrant hot pink. The pigmentation of this product is amazing, as I have apply the tiniest amount of the product for a nice flush of colour. Because it is so vibrant and pigmented, I reckon that this shade would look good on almost any skin tone - however, if you have pale skin like me, you do have to be a bit careful not to apply too much!

NAILS INC. NAIL POLISH IN STRATFORD

My favourite kind of nail polishes are normally nudes - however, this polish from Nails Inc. is an exception to this rule. In the bottle, the colour of the polish is quite difficult to describe: it is a duo-chrome, but it has hints of gold, green, and pink it. I was expecting this polish to be very bold on the nails, but it is actually a surprisingly subtle colour. This means that the shade is very versatile, as it can be worn during the day or on a night out.

REVLON COLORSTAY ULTIMATE SUEDE LIPSTICK IN SOCIALITE

I mentioned this lipstick in my last post, but I felt that I had to put it in my January Favourites as well. Normally I don't go for pink or nude lipsticks, but I saw this one in Boots and thought that it looked like a good everyday lip colour. The shade itself is definitely a 'my-lips-but-better' shade, which is great for everyday wear but also to wear with a smoky eye makeup look. This is also the first matte lipstick that I've ever bought - I have been put off buying them in the past for fear of them drying my lips out too much, but this product has a nice creamy formulation that is also quite hydrating.

TV SERIES - BREAKING BAD AND SHERLOCK

If I'm going to be really picky, Sherlock technically isn't a monthly favourite of mine, but rather an all-time favourite. However, as the third series was aired and released last month, I'm going to include it in the list anyway. Overall, I really enjoyed Series Three - His Last Vow was my favourite of the series, as it had quite dark undertones as well as being thrilling and tense throughout. On the subject of tense programmes, I started watching Breaking Bad this month -  I think it's safe to say that I am now addicted to this show. I'm about half way through Series Four, and I can see why it is so hyped up - it is very well written and the characters are amazing because they always flit between good and bad.


So that concludes my belated January Favourites - I hope you all enjoyed this post. I've decided that my weekly posts will be published on Mondays from now on, so keep an eye out next week for a new post!

GET READY WITH ME: BIRTHDAY DINNER

On Saturday night I went out for dinner with my friends to celebrate my eighteenth birthday, which was on the 28th January. I thought I'd do a Get Ready With Me post because I've never done one before and it seems like quite a fun little post to do. So without further ado, here is my first ever Get Ready With Me post!

Boots Botanics Cleansing Cream - Clinique Clarifying Lotion - Simple Vital Vitamin Day Cream

Before I put my makeup on to go out, I always redo my skincare routine. I start off by using the Boots Botanics Gentle Cleansing Cream and put it all over my face like a mask. I let that sit on my skin for a couple of minutes before washing it all off with hot water and a flannel. After that, I use the Clinique Clarifying Lotion (for skin type two) on a cotton pad and apply the product all over my face. Finally, I use the Simple Vital Vitamin Day Cream to moisturise my skin - I like using this particular product because it is light on the skin and is non-greasy.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum - Urban Decay Primer Potion - Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer

For my base makeup, I stuck with my tried and tested Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation. I love this product because it can be built up to medium coverage but still gives the skin a lovely healthy glow. For my under-eye concealer, I used the Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer - I haven't had it for very long, but I still think that it does the job well. I chose not to powder my skin, as I wanted a dewy finish rather than matte. After that, I prepped my eyes for eyeshadow using the Urban Decay Primer Potion.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

I decided to use my Naked 3 Palette for my eyeshadow and did quite a smoky eye look. I took the shades Factory and Mugshot and made a wash of colour across the lids. I then took more of the Factory shade together with a touch of Blackheart and smoked the colour almost up to the brow bone. While this may sound pretty dramatic, I should point out that I have hooded eyes, so the colour was just visible above the hood. I then took some of Nooner and blended it along my lower lashline, taking the colour quite low, as I think that the technique works well to create a dramatic look on a hooded eye shape.

Rimmel Glam'Eyes Liquid Liner - Clinique Quickliner - Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

To finish off the eye makeup, I used the Rimmel Glam'Eyes Liquid Liner to create a very thin line along my top lash line. I didn't want to make it too dramatic, as I wanted the focus to be on the shadow on the upper half of the eye. I then used the Clinique Quickliner to add some definition to the lower lash line - as I mentioned before with the eyeshadow, I think that bold under-eye makeup works well with a hooded eye. With all of the eyeliner in place, I then added a few coats of the waterproof version of the Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara. I like to wear waterproof mascara on nights out as I know that it will stay in place and won't smudge anywhere.

Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil - Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Socialite

Onto the last of the makeup now - I finished off the look by filling in my brows with the Soap and Glory Archery Brow Pencil. I filled them in a little heavier than I would normally to balance out the strong eye makeup. Finally I chose the Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in the colour Socialite to wear on my lips, as it is quite a muted pink colour - it's almost like a my lips but better kind of shade.

Skye Satchel from Oasis - Dress by Apricot - Shoes from Cloggs.com

Finally for my outfit - I picked out one of my favourite dresses for the occasion, which is by the brand Apricot. I managed to get it at half price just before Christmas in a sale, so I'm not sure if it will still be available to buy. I paired the dress with some opaque black tights and my studded boots from Cloggs.com, which, again, I got in the sales so they might have sold out by now. The handbag that I brought with me is still available to buy, and I absolutely love it - it is the Skye Satchel from Oasis and it costs £25.

So, there you have it - my first ever Get Ready With Me post. If you enjoyed this type of post, leave a comment below and let me know if I should do them more often. I'll probably be posting a slightly late January Favourites some time this week, so keep your eyes peeled for that.