January Favourites 2019

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Hello and welcome to my first post! I though it would be fitting to reflect on the first month of 2019 by going over some new products I tried and fell in love with.

1. NYX Professional Makeup Can't Stop Won't Stop 24-Hour Foundation 30ml

I am a big lover of all things makeup (and skincare) but being a student means that I can't afford most premium brands of makeup. NYX is a great brand when it comes to this as it falls just towards the more expensive high street brands but the products almost have a premium feel to them. This foundation is definetly one to fall into that category. Its a full coverage foundation with a matte finish but it does not look too caked or dry out the skin at all. I find it to be almost a dupe for my favourite foundation, Estee Lauder Double wear, which is double the price. There is a large variety of shades and the NYX staff are great at helping you to find your best shade. This has become my everyday foundation and I like to apply it either with a damp sponge for a lighter look or with a dense foundation brush (I used the elf one) for some heavier coverage. I believe this is one of the best drugstore foundations out there, especially, if you have a darker skin tone and usually have difficulty finding your correct shade.  

Image taken from Boots website

https://www.boots.com/nyx-professional-makeup-cant-stop-wont-stop-24-hour-foundation-30ml--10255994#ZguCtUD0Gp1LmSk9.99

2. Effaclar Duo K[+] SPF30 by La Roche-Posay

Image taken from Boots website

I have combination skin but recently its been breaking out a lot. I'm blaming all the sugary and oily food I ate over Christmas but I normally tend to have a few spots over my face. I wouldn't particularly say that I suffer from acne as my skin isn't that bad and isn't too oily but I have lots of marks from previous spots. Switching from my old moisturiser to this has definitely helped a lot. My skin isn't breaking out as much, does not get greasy throughout the day and it acts as a good primer for foundation. I find it best to put on just after I've washed my face as it stings very slightly which enforces the fact that its working. Furthermore, this contains SPF30 which is really helpful as not wearing any sun protection can make your blemishes darker and last longer and also affects your skin in general. This is definitely a must for my skincare routine.

Image taken from Boots website

https://www.boots.com/la-roche-posay-effaclar-duo-plus-spf-30-anti-imperfections-corrector-10229316

3. No7 Radiant Results Revitalising Sonic Action Cleansing Brush

As mentioned previously, I haven't had the best skin as the new year started. I used to have the older version of the No7 cleansing brush but since they don't make the matching heads anymore and mine was getting a bit worn out, I decided to get the new one. I have found that this is a lot gentler on the skin and cleanses the skin really well. I tend to use it on days when I'm wearing makeup such as foundation or concealer which is usually most days. I use wipes to get rid of the heavier makeup on top and then like to use the brush with my daily cleanser to give my skin a deep clean and prevent any further breakouts. As its so gentle I can use it up to once a day without drying my skin too much. If you don't tend to wear much makeup throughout the day or aren't particularly worried about breaking out as such, I would recommend using the brush twice a week to exfoliate and cleanse your skin.

Image taken from Boots Website

https://www.boots.com/no7-radiant-results-revitalising-sonic-action-cleansing-brush-10245105-#1gow6xE4vP3BgV8c.99

4. StylPro Makeup Brush Cleaner and Dryer

It's no secret that I'm one of the laziest people on the planet! Being someone who loves makeup as much as I do yet prccrasting for days when it came to washing my brushes, well that could be another reason why I used to break out so much. This was the perfect Christmas for me and is one I used straight away on Christmas day! The pack comes with the bowl, the StylPro tool, a range of attachments that cater for various brush sizes and some cleanser. In the past, I have washed my brushes with baby shampoo or used antibacterial sprays for a quick fix and I found that with the first, the bristles on some of my brushes would fall out, they would lose their shape and take very long to dry whereas with the latter, they wouldn't be very clean. StylPro is the most efficient way to clean your brushes and it keeps the shape and quality of your brushes. Although its a bit expensive I think the money will be saved from not having to buy brushes as often!

Image then from Boots website

https://www.boots.com/stylpro-makeup-brush-cleaner-and-dryer-10224940

5. BOSS The Scent Eau de Parfum for Her

As someone who has experience working with fragrance, this product has to be the one that surprised me the most. Usually, I am not the biggest fan of Hugo Boss women's fragrances as I find that they don't particularly cater for my palette. I quite like a lot of their men's fragrances and would usually recommend them to my customers. In December 2018, I received a 5ml sample of the fragrance which is so cute and also very generous. I was pleasantly surprised as it contains a fruity top note with a deep cocoa base note. I usually tend to prefer perfumes with rose in them but this combination has definetly become a favourite of mine. It also lasts all day on my skin as its an eau de parfum but it is available in a stronger and a lighter scent to cater for other preferences.

Image taken from Boots website

https://www.boots.com/hugo-boss-boss-the-scent-for-her-eau-de-parfum-30ml-10217016

6. Knit-Effect Owl Tea-for-one Set

This is another item that I received for Christmas in 2018. I am a big fan of owls and tea so this has to be one of the cutest presents I have ever received. This particular tea set is from ASDA and I believe it may have been part of their Christmas gifts collection as it is currently out of stock. However, there are others available similar to this on their website and I'll put the links for them below. I tend to have pancakes for breakfast most weekends and this is perfect as it makes a large amount of tea to go with them. I have found that cleaning it can be quite tricky but it is dishwasher safe, however, as a student I don't have access to a dishwasher so I just like to get in there and try to scrub it as well as I can!

Image taken from ASDA website

https://direct.asda.com/george/home-garden/tableware/knitted-animals-range/SET2910,default,pd.html?cgid=D26M08G08C14

https://direct.asda.com/george/home-garden/cups-mugs/cloud-tea-for-one-teapot-set/050330604,default,pd.html?cgid=D26M08G08C07

7. Soy Milk Pods

Although I'm not vegan, I have been trying to consume as little dairy as possible to hopefully clear out my skin but also as I may be lactose intolerant. As there is no test for lactose intolerance, the best way to diagnose it is through a trial bases where you monitor whether dairy products upset your stomach. As this is mostly the case for me, I try to avoid such products as much as I can. As I mentioned earlier, I am a big fan of tea but a problem I've encountered far too much is the unavailability of soy milk or companies charging too much for it. These pods are a great help as I always keep a couple in my bag so that I can have tea whenever I please! One advice I would give is to make sure to keep them in a secure pack as they can be crushed easily.

Image taken from Amazon website

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Individual-Soya-Milk-Substitute-Portions/dp/B00L1D695U

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and if you try any of these products then please let me know what you think of them. If you have any suggestions or feedback, then please get in touch!