February Favourites 2018

Unlike January, which felt like it lasted all of 2018 and well into 2019, February just flew by. I don't feel like I've even had the chance to catch my breath, let alone try and form an opinion on new things. But I have, and here they are.

Bourjois Radiance Reveal concealer in Medium - £7.99 at Boots

It's been a really long time since I've talked about a concealer on here, I can't actually remember the last time, it's been that long. But I've completely fallen back in love with Bourjois' Radiance Reveal concealer and had to talk about it. Radiance Reveal is something of a hybrid that is designed to brighten the skin and conceal imperfections. It’s got a nice light texture that blends nicely into the skin while still providing a decent amount of coverage. It's formulated with hyaluronic acid and glacier water, whatever that is, making it very hydrating and it doesn’t have any annoying bad concealer habits, like caking or creasing or oxidising.

Barry M Speedy Quick Dry in Sprint Finish - £3.99 at Boots

When I first started my blog - nearly 5 years ago... what?! - I was completely obsessed with nail polish. To the point where I couldn't go into a Boots or Superdrug without buying at least one. Now it's really rare for me to even paint my nails. In fact I've just got rid of maybe 80 per cent of my 300-strong nail polish collection. Sprint Finish is one of the few that survived the cull, due to the gorgeous  berry red shade and rather fabulous formulation, which is thick, creamy and dries almost instantly. It also has a wide curved brush which is designed for easier application, and really good colour off so you can get away with just one coat. Love it.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair - £53 at lookfantastic

I've waxed lyrical about my love of this stuff before, but lately, after some very well placed podcast ads, I've found myself obsessed with it. I basically used up this little sample bottle in like two weeks and my parched skin lapped it up. It's formulated with Estée Lauder's exclusive Chronolux CB technology. which is supposedly designed to aid the skin's nightly renewal process and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for 'more beautiful skin everyday.' It also claims to leave the skin feeling smoother, stronger and more hydrated, which is the main reason I've been using it so religiously. It's really lovely stuff, and my skin feels a lot better for it.

Alpha H Clear Skin Daily Moisturiser with Glycolic Acid - £23 at Cult Beauty

I actually got this in the ASOS beauty box back when it first launched, which I think was at the end of November last year maybe, but I've only just got round to trying it... my only excuse is that I have so much skincare. Anyway Alpha H was developed by Michelle Doherty, who designed it specifically to target problem skin, which I have. The Clear Skin Daily Moisturiser is for acne prone skin,  which again I have, and is formulated to moisturise and fight blemishes. It contains 10 per cent glycolic acid and hyaluronic acid to clarify and moisturise the skin, as well as tea tree and aloe vera which have antibacterial properties. It also claims to manage oil production and refine the pores. I've been using it pretty much every day and I really like it. It feels very cooling and refreshing, which is so nice first thing in the morning, and I've noticed an overall improvement in my skin. It's definitely something that I'll be repurchasing once it's all gone. 

Rosie for Autograph Nuit Parfum - £14/£28 for 30/75ml at Marks & Spencer

This is something that I completely forgot I owned until I happened upon it during a clear out. If memory serves I think I got it in a subscription box, but I forget which one. Nuit Parfum is part of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's original collection with M&S from a few years back, and it smells effin' amazing. It's actually a pretty solid dupe for Tom Ford's Velvet Orchid, which you all know I love, but with the added bonus of being less than a third of the price. It's described as being 'infused with vintage femininity'. Now despite the somewhat dubious description it doesn't smell like Grandmas. It's very floral but has a warming sort of spiciness that stops it from being heady and sickly. It has top notes of jasmine and French centifolia rose (?) with base notes of musk. It's floral but definitely more of a winter floral, and it has amazing lasting power. It lasts all day. It's also cruelty free and vegan. Lately I've been more and more interested in where products come from, how they're made, and the impact they have. Without sounding preachy I'm really starting to lean more towards products that are ethical, so it's really nice to know that something I already love is cruelty-free, as well as being suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Plus, and I may have mentioned this already, but it smells bloody gorgeous. 

Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Outlaw - £17 at Debenhams (currently out of stock! Boo!)

I have a feeling that every monthly favourites post from now on is going to feature a Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in one form or another. I love them! They are wonderful. This month's favourite is Outlaw, which is a blue-toned bright red. It's very bold and very, very pretty. I've recently swapped over to Outlaw from Nahz Fur Atoo, which is a deep, rich burgundy, and was the only lipstick I wore for about four months. Anyway Outlaw is more of a spring red, whereas Nahz Fur Atoo is my go to winter lipstick.  At the risk of repeating myself, the formula of these lipsticks is amazing! It doesn't budge, it's so comfortable to wear and it's so easy to apply. I'm obsessed. I love them. I LOVE THEM!

What are your current favourites? xx