However it didn't feel right to not do a 2017 beauty favourites, so here are the products that I absolutely loved during 2017!

Kicking it off with skincare, because if you read my 2018 Beauty Goals you'll know that I want to focus more on skincare going into this year. A brand that has fully impressed me this year has been Clinique as i've not really tried any of their products prior to this year, and i've loved trying a few products from them this year. The Clinique Take Off The Day Cleansing Balm (£23) deserves all of the hype that gets because it is probably one of the best cleansing balms I have ever tried. It melts every type of makeup away and leaves my skin feeling clean, but also nourished. Another product from Clinique that i've loved this year, so much so that i've recently repurchased another tub is the Clinique Pep Start Hyrdoblur Moisturiser (£24.50) which i've spoken about a lot over the months as it's amazing for skin lacking a bit hydration but also needs a bit of pore blurring.

During 2017 I definitely found a fair amount of beauty products that have completely blown me away and I will continue to love for a fair few years to come. My favourite foundation of 2017 has got to be the Lancome Tient Idole Foundation (£31.50) as i've raved non stop ever since I was very kindly sent this, and have since repurchased it. It's an incredible foundation that gives a lovely amount of coverage that isn't too heavy what so ever, which is what I look for in a foundation. A face palette that I have used everyday since I purchased it back in Feb is the Kat Von D Shade & Light Palette (£37) which is hands down the best contour palette I have ever used, yep the best! I find myself able to use all of the shades within this palette depending on if i've tanned or not, and it works whichever way you want it to. If you want a natural contour, it does that, and if you want a more defined contour, it's great for that also!

During the last few months of 2017 I really got back into eyeshadow and experimenting more with my day to day makeup and I discovered some amazing products along the way. For the budget friendly option, I absolutely loved the Freedom Makeup ProArtist Eye Foils* (£5) of which all work so well and compliment each other beautifully! A more recent addition to my eyeshadow collection was the Huda Beauty Mauve Obsessions Palette (£25) which is the most daring eyeshadow palette that I own but I absolutely love it, and it gives me so much confidence when I experiment with it.

A few products that I purchased whilst in Australia have also made the cut into my 2017 beauty favourites and are some of my favourite products to date. The Becca Cosmetics Champagne Pop Highlighter (£32) had been on my wish list for an age, so when I saw it in Sephora I just had to have it and it has never disappointed me (other than the fact it smashes so easily, but I can get past that). Another product I picked up whilst in Sephora was the ABH Dip Brow (£19) of which I actually got colour matched to because there were far too many shades to choose from, and i'm so glad I did because I picked up the most perfect shade! I absolutely love this for making my brows look normal and if you haven't tried it for yourself then you are missing out! The last product that I treated myself to in Australia was the Giorgio Armani Si Perfume (£73) which I had wanted for such a long time and it has been my most used fragrance this year, so much so that there isn't much left in this bottle. 

My favourite lip product of this year will come as no surprise as one of these was in my beauty favourites of last year, and it is of course the Kylie Cosmetics 'Bare' Matte Liquid Lipstick from her vacation collection. For anyone who has tried out her lip kits, then you'll know how amazing they are (even if you do have to pay hella expensive customs fees) and if you haven't, then you need to because i've not found a liquid lip that comes anywhere near close to these, including the ColorPop ones.

The last two products within this years beauty favourites are a bit miscellaneous but have overly impressed me this year. My favourite and most used hair care product of this year has been the L'oreal Smartbond Conditioner* (£16.01) which is an at home treatment that works with their Smartbond range, which is stocked in salons across the country. (You can read a little more about my experience with Smartbond here). The last product that I wanted to give a quick mention is the Nail Swipe Nail Polish Remover* (£2.60) which is nail polish remover that works slightly different but I find so much more effective. Essentially you apply this as you would a nail polish and leave it for a couple of minutes to work into the nail polish before wiping away with a cotton pad. I find this works so much quicker than ordinary nail polish remover and you use so much less product in doing so. If you're a lover of switching up your nail colours then i'd highly recommend this product!

What were you favourite beauty discoveries of 2017?

Carry on reading to find out more about the products i've loved through November.

If you saw my recent post you'll of seen that i've been trying a few new products from It Cosmetics as they have recently launched in the UK, and i've been really enjoying their products as i've wanted to for some time now. Out of all of the products i've been loving the Brow Power 'Universal' Eye Brow Pencil* (£19) which has become my everyday brow product as of late (mainly because ABH Dip Brow has gone up in price and I want to savour my current one as much as I can) and I absolutely love how defined it makes my brows appear, whilst also looking very natural. 

Another makeup brand i've been trying a few products from is Wonderland Makeup and i've really been enjoying their Studio Finish Primer* (£15), which is probably my least used makeup product, mainly because I never find that they make a difference. Ever since i've begun using this i've really noticed how much longer my foundation lasts throughout the day, as it really helps to blur and smooth the surface of my skin. Also all of their products are cruelty free, so if you're on the hunt for a new makeup brand to try, make sure to check out their products. If you're thinking of ordering make sure to use my discount code 'Bloglife15''for 15% off!

A product that i've recently rekindled my love for has been the Becca Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector (£32), which I loved back in the spring/summer time but I often flick between highlighters and i've recently begun using this a lot more and I had truly forgotten how much I love this highlighter. It definitely does as the name suggests, as it give your skin a beautiful champagne shimmer that just pops.

Finally this month, you will have seen I made a large order from The Body Shop as they have recently brought out their limited edition scents for Christmas and of course I ordered at least one product from each scent. New to the scents this year is frosted plum and i've been loving the Frosted Plum Body Scrub (£15) as it's been working wonders on my dry skin and it smells absolutely incredible.

What products have you been loving recently?

As the weather has been changing, so has my style and also my makeup picks as i've been pulling out the more wintery scents and spicier makeup pickings, of which has been nice as it's allowed me rekindle my love for some old products, whilst enjoying some new ones as of late.

The first product is one that i'm sure every blogger or just pumpkin scent lover out there has smelt, as The Body Shop have released a limited edition Vanilla Pumpkin range and being a massive fan of their shower gels I couldn't not resist picking up the Vanilla Pumpkin Shower Gel (£5) from the range. As the scent suggests this is a lovely vanilla scent with a little twist with the added pumpkin, that mixed together just work so well. I find that this isn't too overpowering as some pumpkin scented products can be, and it's super creamy which leaves my skin feeling so nourished whilst also smelling great!

Another scented product that I can not get enough of at the moment is the YSL Black Opium Perfume (£50) of which i've recently rekindled my love with as i'd kind of put this away for the summer months, but now that autumn/winter is here it's time to bring it back out! If you've not tried this fragrance, then you've just got to, as it smells absolutely incredible. It's the perfect sophisticated yet feminine fragrance that has a slight mysteriousness to it that I just love, and i've been getting a lot of wear out of this recently!

A couple of products from Lancome that have been getting a lot of love from me recently have been the Monsieur Big Mascara* (£21) which i've been using for about a month now and it has blown my away with how good of a mascara this is. It coats every single lash amazingly, and gives amazing volume and thickness, so much so that a lot of people think i'm wearing falsies when in fact i'm not! The other product from Lancome is from their latest collab with Olympea Le-Tan, which is a limited edition collection described to be perfect for this autumn. The product in question is their Cushion Highlighter* (£30) of which works in a similar way to their cushion foundation as you apply in a similar way but once blended out it leaves a beautiful highlight that is stunning but yet not too overpowering at the same time. I also adore the packaging of this collection as it's so fun and quirky!

Finally we have some eyeshadow shades that i've really enjoyed playing around with recently, and these are from the Freedom Makeup HD Eye Foils* (£5) in the shade 'Metallic 1', which are just a beautiful mix of copper and red shimmer shades that all work so well together to give an autumnal eye look that is just stunning! Being a girl that typically sticks to golds and bronzes, i've really enjoyed stepping out of my comfort zone with these eyeshadows and i've found a whole new buzz when it comes to doing my makeup!

What products have you been loving recently?

Over the years that i've been into makeup i've always stuck with the old faithful high street brands, and the only products I really splurge on now from time to time is foundation after exploring more of the higher end brands. Having said that, when it comes to 90% of my makeup bag, you'll find all affordable beauty brands, of whom i'll always love and use.

NYX COSMETICS

NYX have a been a brand us Brits have wanted to try for years, and since it finally made it's way over the pond last year and into most Boots stores, and online at places like ASOS and Debenhams, I myself and many beauty lovers have flocked for their products. Having tried a few of their products, the one area of products that I love NYX for is their lip products, because they are so affordable but also work absolute wonders. A personal favourite of mine is their Lingerie Liquid Lipstick (£7) of which I own a few shades of these, and they are a lovely liquid lipstick that has a long lasting formula and a pretty good shade range also. Another lip product of theirs that I love is their Intense Butter Gloss (£6) of which I never expected to like, but this completely converted my love hate relationship for lip glosses and is probably my most worn lip product from NYX. 

MEMEME COSMETICS

MeMeMe are a brand i've loved for a few years having been introduced to them through blogging back when I first started, and i've had the pleasure of trying out a few of their products. MeMeMe to me are an affordable beauty brand with a boutique feel, especially as their packaging is a little more special, and gives a higher end feel. A few favourites of mine from them are from across their whole range of products, and not just one area in particular. One product that i've loved for quite some time now is their Dark & Divine Mascara* (£8) as this has a plastic wand applicator that just coats my lashes and gives them an amazing amount of volume in just a few sweeps! Unfortunately mine has been that well loved, that it's now ran out but is one i'd repurchase and highly recommend. Another product of theirs that I love is their Blush Me Box* (£9.95) in the shade 'Matte Bronze' of which is currently my go to bronzer as it is a more subtle bronze for us pale skin gals, but is easily build-able to give a lovely bronzed glow!

3INA

3INA are a newer brand to me, after being introduced properly to them a few months back and so far loving their products, so I couldn't not talk about them. Personally I think 3INA are in a realm of their own, as they cater for people like myself but their products are of a artist level, making them a budget yet high quality brand for professionals also! My favourite products hands down is their The Highlighter 201* (£10.95) as it's the perfect everyday highlighter. It's subtle, yet build-able and I absolutely love using this on a day to day basis! Another product that has recently made it's way into my stash is their The Eyebrow Kit* (£15.95) and i'm an absolute sucker for an eyebrow kit, especially one I can use on the go. What I like about this product is that you have the option to use both powder and/or wax to fill in and shape your brows, and the tweezers make it handy to sort out any unruly hairs quickly!

Which affordable beauty brands do you love?

With the weather being in that temperamental stage of being freezing in the morning, and warm come the afternoon to me means Autumn is approaching. With that being said, for me i'm already beginning to plan my transitional content and with that comes reflecting on the products that I have discovered this summer and loved throughout summer.

To me it only seemed fitting to do a round up style post of these products, as some i've not really spoken of and others are ones that are definitely worth mentioning, as they are some absolute favourites of mine and will be coming with me as we approach into the colder months. So here are a few products that have well and truly stolen my inner beauty lovers heart this summer.

Starting off with the product that is the most fitting, and of course it is fake tan! I've tried out a few tans this summer, but one that has impressed me so much this summer has been the Rimmel Sunshimmer Instant Tan* (£6.99) of which i've used before and loved, however the one i've been reaching for the most has been the matte finish, which I prefer to the shimmer finish. For me this is an amazing instant tan and is the first i've found to apply evenly giving such a beautiful glowing tan but without leaving any streaks. Now as this is an instant tan, it's going to come off when you get your skin wet, these things can't be stopped however this is a lot more water resistant to other instant tans i've previously tried, which for me isn't necessarily a selling point but is nice to bear in mind. If you're on the look out for a new instant tan that is also budget friendly, then i'd definitely recommend trying this out!

Another product from Rimmel that has really impressed me these last few months is the Rimmel Insta Duo Contour Stick* (£6.99), which for a high street/drug store cream contour stick is pretty amazing! I typically only use the contour side of this as the highlight is a little too subtle for me, but i've been wearing this day in day out and for many different occasions as it can be worn quite subtly, or it can be built up into a more bold contour look. What I love about it, is that it's so easy to apply and anyone could easily use this even those who haven't contoured before, as it's really easy to work with and blends out so lovely on the skin that you honestly couldn't go wrong! Instead of using the highlight end of this product, instead i've been loving the Jeffree Star 'King Tut' Skin Frost (£25.50) which I know controversial but I can't deny how stunning this highlighter is. It's had a lot of love from me over the past couple of months, and is definitely a product i'll get a lot of use out of because lets face it, these highlighters are huge! 

For lips it was a no brainer, as i've been wearing the Kylie Cosmetics Send Me More Nudes ($45) liquid lipsticks all summer, but my favourite shade has got to be 'Commando' which is the most stunning orange toned nude i've ever laid my eyes on! I've raved quite a lot about the Kylie Cosmetics lip products, so I won't go on but if you want to read a more in depth review, with swatches then check out my post here.

Finally to round of this post is my favourite fragrance pick, as every summer I discover a new summer scent. This year i've gotten so much wear out of the Missguided Babe Power Eau De Parfum (£28) which i'm pretty sure every blogger has got their hands on by now, and although i'm not a fan of the packaging, I absolutely love the scent. For me it is one of those summer in a bottle scents and is such a me style of scent. The best way I can describe it is a fruity scent with a vanilla twist, which makes for the most beautiful of scents! If you haven't tried this, then you honestly must because it's gorgeous! 

What products have you discovered this summer?

These past couple of weeks my creative juices have been flowing, so much so that I completely forgot to schedule in an end of the month favourites and as I haven't missed a favourites in what is probably years, I definitely didn't want to start now. So although for me this post is very quickly thrown together, I still wanted to share some products i've been loving this month.
As you'll see in an upcoming post of mine, August has been a funny month and i'm kind of glad that September is on the horizon as I have some really excited things coming up these next couple of months. Anywho, here are a few products that i've been enjoying this past month!

This month i've really been trying to sort my hair out, as I treated it to a root touch up, trim and smartbond treatment at the end of July and since then i've been taking as much care of it as I possibly can! A range i've been recently trying out is the Charles Worthington Strength and Repair range, and in particular i've been loving the Strength and Repair Fibre Bond Protein Cream* (£7.99). I'll be posting a more in depth review soon, however this stuff is exactly what my hair has needed these past few months as it just helps to protect it from any heat, whilst also just smoothing out and restoring any dry areas.

A new skincare product that has recently entered my life after telling myself for months that I needed it is the L'oreal Hydra Genius Liquid Care (£9.99), which i'd heard and seen so much about but just hadn't seen it to pick it up. Whilst I was in Plymouth at the weekend I spotted in Boots and just had to pick it up! I've been using this on and off as my skin has been somewhat oily, which isn't like my skin but on the days where it's needed a moisture boost this has been a welcomed addition to my skincare regime. I'll probably speak more about this in the future, but i've not been using it long enough to give it a proper full review as of yet.

Lastly this month i've been loving a few bits from 3ina, of which I did a first impressions/review style post (which you can read here) and since then i've really been getting a lot of wear out of the 3ina The Highlighter 201* (£10.95). It's a beautiful highlight for everyday wear, as it's quite build-able but can also be worn quite subtly, which for me is perfect when I really can't be bothered to make an effort. I have a thing for gold/champagne highlighters and this has become a part of the highlighters that I use on rotation!

What products have you been enjoying this month?

As I think back July has been absolutely mental, what with travelling to HK and China with work, having the most amazing work summer party and turning 24, i'm definitely ready for some chill time!  And by chill time, I mean I need to book a holiday, so if you have any recommendations, please leave them below! 

Onto the products i've been loving this month, and fragrance has been a big one this month as I feel like i've been chopping and changing between a few old favourites but also some new scents that I hadn't tried before. Clive Christian is a luxury perfume brand for both men and women, who create exquisite fragrances using the rarest and most precious ingredients, of which i've recently been trying out a few of their ladies perfumes which smell absolutely incredible! I've been trying out both scents from the Noble Collection which is a collection inspired by Clive Christians passion for moments that shaped key periods in British History, and has been created in a pair to offer a both masculine and feminine fragrances to encourage enjoyment with no boundaries. I've personally been loving Noble VIII Magnolia (£350), which is a beautiful floral fragrance that just exudes elegance and clash. With notes of clove, rose and cinnamon its a scent that houses a few of my personal favourite scents and is one i'll be getting a lot of wear out of over the coming months!

Another fragrance i've been loving for on the go chilled kind of days is the Being by Sanctuary Spa Chilli, Mango and Tonka Bean Body Mist* (£5) which smells absolutely incredible! It has a lovely blend of fruity and spice that is just the right mix for me and is like no body mist i've ever tried! It lasts really well and is lovely for when you need to freshen up on the go! I've also been loving the Being by Sanctuary Spa Salted Caramel and Macadamia Hand Cream* (£5), which has been sitting on my desk ever since this arrived and it's been keeping my hands lovely and nourished! The scent is absolutely incredible and i'm constantly having to resist eating it because it smells so amazing! 

If you saw my recent post Must Have Summer Bronze Picks, then you'll know how much i've been enjoying the Bondi Sands Self Tanning Foam (£14.99) for a light bronzed glow! I picked this up as it was on offer and is so much cheaper than St Tropez, which also makes my skin quite itchy so I wanted to see whether this lived up to the hype and so far i'm loving it! It fades really nicely, doesn't smell of biscuits and lasts a good week before needing a top up layer, so I'd definitely recommend! 

Lastly for this months favourites has got to be the Kylie Cosmetics Send Me More Nudes Matte Liquid Lip ($45) which I have been wearing to death ever since I ordered these a few weeks back! The whole set has a lovely mix of nudes shades are all different enough, and have the same amazing finish as the original matte lip kits! I posted a full review of these last week, so go give that a read for a more in depth review!

What products have you been loving this month?

*This post is part sponsored by Spot Digital.

With the weather being so beautiful at the moment i've been pulling out products that I wouldn't typically use all year round but have been life savers these past few weeks, as well a few new products that have majorly impressed me this month that I just had to tell you about!

For me summer is my favourite season, although being a natural ginger I do find the heat to be overwhelming at times I love nothing more than dressing for summer but with that comes my very pale skin so i've been fake tanning quite a bit recently. I'm planning on doing a separate post on my favourite tanners, but one product that I love to use on top of my tan after a day or two is the Sanctuary Wonder Body* (£9) which is a body lotion with a slight tint that just gives the skin a lovely glow and kind of evens out a tan if it has gone every so slightly patchy! I love this as it makes my skin look so healthy and feels so smooth!

A cleanser favourite of mine for a little while now has been the Superdrug Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser (£4.99), but more so recently because my skin has been super shiny but still quite dry and this has been amazing at removing my makeup but without leaving my skin feeling stripped. For a more budget cleanser this  has really impressed me, to the point where it may have topped the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, which i'm not complaining about because this is the third of the price and does just as good a job, maybe even better!

Finally we have two products from Rimmels latest collection release, which has really impressed me over the past two weeks! Their Insta Duo Contour Stick* (£6.99) has been my go to cream contour for the past couple of weeks, as it gives such a natural contour that I absolutely love and it's so easy to work with! The other product from the collection that i've loved is the Insta Fix and Go Setting Spray* (£6.99) which has been an absolute life saver with this hot weather recently. I've never tried a setting spray before, and for the first one to try it has really impressed me and has made my makeup stay put longer than usual!

So those are the products i've been loving these past months!

What products have impressed you recently?

My personal style is very casual, but I love incorporating new trends that have a casual yet feminine feel to them whether it be embroidery or a cute sleeve, anything that I can style up with a trusty pair of jeans but I wouldn't say i'm a loyal follower of trends, if I like something then i'll buy it not just because it's 'on trend'.

FLORAL EMBROIDERY

A massive trend at the moment that I absolutely love is all the beautiful embroidered pieces, as it's adds such a lovely touch to any piece of clothing and is so pretty for summer. Recently Zara have been killing it, and one of my current most worn pieces is this Schiffili Embroidered Top (£25.99), which also has a beautiful flared sleeve with a lovely scalloped detailed hem. I've been getting so much wear out of this top, as it's so easy to style with pretty much anything, you name it. Below i've linked a few others that I have had my eye on, that are all beautiful in their own right and aren't going to break the bank.

DUPE CLUTCHES

If you're a girl on a budget like me, then you'll know how splurging on designer handbags just isn't going to happen, and so many brands are putting their spin on them by creating impressive dupes that are literally a fraction of the price. A recent addition into my accessories collection is this Missguided Circle Clutch, of which unfortunately is now sold out but it is my most worn clutch at the moment and I absolutely love how luxe this looks. It's very in tune with one of my favourite designer bags, but I could never justify forking out for one no matter how much I swoon over it. I've linked a few of my favourite dupe bags below, as there are some amazing yet budget friendly options.

STATEMENT BELTS

For months i've seen so many bloggers styling up their jeans with a statement belt of some description, and I have never been a belt kind of person but ever since I added this Vintage Western Style Belt* (£4.78) into my wardrobe, I have literally worn it to death and it just adds a lovely touch to an outfit and makes it look just put together. With that being said i'm already on the hunt to add more statement belts into my collection, as I am wearing this one to death and I want to switch things up a bit. Below are a few that I have my eye on, that I think would look amazing with any high waisted jeans!

What are your current favourite on trend pieces?

It's safe to say that this year I have purchased and tried out a fair amount of products that I have been eyeing for months if not years, and the majority of these products have definitely become a daily addition to my beauty routines. 

Starting off with skincare, as that usually comes first in a beauty routine and a few products have really stood out to me over the past few months but one product that I have loved and used pretty much everyday since I first purchased it is the Clinique Pep Start Hyrdo Blur Moisturiser (£24.50). This moisturiser is literally like no other that I have used before, and it is absolutely incredible especially if you suffer from dry skin like me that is often hard to hide when applying foundation. For me this instantly smoothes and soothes any dry skin areas, whilst also giving my skin a much needed boost of hydration which leaves it looking smoother and more glowy. What I also love is how this kind of doubles as a primer, as it creates a lovely smooth base for my foundation to sit on and helps it last longer throughout the day.

As for foundation my favourite of this year has got to be the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation* (£31.50) of which I have raved about endlessly in a number of posts recently. I love this foundation for many reasons, but mainly because it is super light weight but provides an amazing coverage that just covers any imperfections but it lasts so well throughout the day, although it's definitely not gym proof as i've recently found out! Another product i've been loving to apply my foundation with is the Rose Gold Artist Brush Set* (£12.06), in particular the larger oval paddle brush as it applies my foundation like a dream. It buffs in within seconds and leaves my foundation looking absolutely flawless! 

As you all are probably aware, my love for the Kat Von D Shade & Light Contour Palette (£37) is real as it is hands down the best contour palette I have ever used, and i've used a few over the past few years! I recently spoke about this in my post here, and how I can use it in a couple of ways but also how amazing the contour shades are! If you haven't tried this yet, i'd highly recommend as it is as amazing as everyone says it is! Moving onto highlighter, it will come as no surprise that the Becca Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfecter (£32) is hands down the best highlighter to have ever been created! The rose gold pop that this gives is just stunning, and I have so many compliments when i've worn this highlighter. For me it's like no highlighter I have ever used and I feel absolutely amazing whenever I wear this!

For fragrance, the scent that stands out to me is the Giorgio Armani Si Fragrance (£73) of which I have wanted to try for years and I am so happy to have this in my life. For me it's a sophisticated version of my favourite kind of scents, with a slight more sexiness to it that I just love. If like me you enjoy your fruity and floral scents, then this is definitely one for you try as i'm sure you'll love it just as much as I do!

Finally one hair care product that I have recently purchased is the Redken Extreme Anti Snap Treatment (£) which I was recommend by my hairdresser as my hair is quite damaged, and is prone to a lot of breakage and since adding this into my haircare routine I can see how badly my hair needed something like this. It's great for helping to strengthen your hair especially if it is prone to breakage or split ends, and I have noticed such a difference in the quality of my hair since I began using this! 

What products have you been loving so far this year?

When it comes to my everyday makeup look I keep things very minimal, mainly because I only give myself a very small amount of time to do my makeup which means I really rely on a few select products to work quickly and last through out the day. 

When it comes to my base i've really been loving the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation* (£31.50) because it is a perfect match for my skin tone and gives an absolutely amazing amount of coverage that lasts pretty much all day, and well into my evening gym session. As i've mentioned a few times, the main reason why I love this foundation is because of how light weight it is as it doesn't feel like you're wearing foundation whatsoever, which if you're like me in the fact that you hate feeling like you're caked in foundation then you will also love this foundation.

A palette that i've used every single day since I purchased it is the Kat Von D Shade & Light Contour Palette (£37) and it's so true that everyone should own this contour kit. I love to use this for a couple of different things as it is actually somewhat versatile and isn't just for contouring. Now as i'm not a huge fan of the baking trend, I tend to use the top three shades to set my foundation and concealer in place, which sort of helps to highlight the under eye area also. I of course also use this to add a bit of light contouring to my face, and I mix two of the contour shades to create the perfect tone for my skin and then lightly apply to me cheek bones and my jawline to help combat my double chin. 

Sticking with the cheek area, i've recently pulled out a few old favourites and really rekindled my love for them, and i'm so glad I have! Firstly is a blush that will always be a favourite of mine which is the Milani Luminoso Blusher (£10), which is probably the most loved blusher within the blogging community. It is a lovely coral pink baked blush with an absolutely beautiful highlight running through it that just makes the cheeks pop! Speaking of highlight another product i've been loving so much recently is the NYX Liquid Illuminator (£8) which is prettiest liquid highlighter i've ever used. This particular shade has a lovely pink tint to it that is so different to any shade that i've used and adds a lovely subtle highlight to an everyday look.

Finally a product I hadn't used for quite some time but I literally praise every time I do use it is the Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm (£9.50). I totally forgot that I had a pot of this and my lips have been unbelievably dry recently, so when I found this a few weeks ago I literally slathered it all over my lips and have been everyday since. It is genuinely amazing at keeping your lips nourished, but also lightly exfoliates any dry skin without making your lip crack and sore.

I initially found this favourites quite hard to pull together, as I haven't been trying that many new products this month, and I didn't want to just post about products i've already spoken a lot about. Having said that I wanted to talk about a few select products that have really surprised me this month and I wanted to give a bit of a first impressions on them.

If you caught one of my recent posts, then you will have seen that I recently had the opportunity to try out the L'oreal Smartbond Treatment as my local Regis Salon (of which you read my post here) and they very kindly sent me the L'oreal Smartbond 3 Conditioner* (£12.99) which is step three to the treatment of which you use at home in between salon treatments. I've used this a few times now, and although my hair is still amazingly soft after having the treatment i've noticed that this has continued to make my hair feel like it's been treated at a salon. Although it is early days and i've only had one treatment, it's definitely something I would highly recommend to anyone, who like me has quite damaged hair.

A recent purchase of mine that I never thought i'd make was for the Missguided Babe Power Perfume (£28). A friend of mine recently wore this and I couldn't get over how amazing it smelt so of course I jumped straight on their website to order it and of course I made sure to use their 30% student discount that they had on at the time. For me it's the perfect summer scent and has a lovely mix of fruity and floral notes, which is right up my street when it comes to fragrance. If you're on the hunt for a new fragrance that isn't going to break the bank, then i'd definitely recommend trying this out.

Lastly for this months favourites is the Nadia HNC Gel Nail Starter Kit* ($99.99) which is the perfect at home gel nail kit for anyone wanting to start trying gel nails at home but without the toxic chemicals that some kits contain. Although I did only receive this  a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to share my first impressions on this kit as it one of the best at home gel nails kits that I have tried. The kit comes in a small cary case containing everything you will need, including base & top coat, five polish shades, cuticle oil, LED lamp and a few different tools to help you achieve some cute nail art looks. The gel polish itself is of an amazing quality and the shades are so beautiful that i've found it hard to choose which shade to go for! I will be sharing a couple more posts on this kit in the coming weeks, with a few nails looks and also a more in depth review, so if you want to find out more on this kit then stayed tuned for that.

So those a few products that i've enjoyed over the past few weeks, of which I will be sharing more about over the next few months once i've really gotten to grips with all of them to give a more full review!

What products have you loved this month?

For me when it comes to hair care, my favourite hair product has got be a hair mask as I just find they are the only products that make a noticeable difference to the appearance and quality of my hair just after once use. I'm always trying out various different hair masks, but these two have been mega favourites of mine these past few months!

A hair care brand that i've always loved is Lee Stafford and a recent range that they have released is their Coco Loco Range and i've been loving their Coco Loco Coconut Mask (£6.99) as it smells absolutely incredible, and leaves my hair feeling intensely nourished. I typically use this at least once a week when a normal conditioner just isn't enough to give my hair that conditioning that it needs. I usually apply this to my hair and leave it for around ten minutes to really soak in and do it's magic. What I also love about this is how amazing it leaves my hair smelling and all coconutty!

Another hair brand that i've loved for a while but haven't tried many products from is Macadamia and I love picking up their products from TkMaxx as they are slightly cheaper, and a lot more justifiable. I have always loved their Deep Repair Masque (£12.75) and is a hair mask that I always come back to, and wonder why I haven't used or repurchased for some time. I've been using this religiously for the past few weeks after spotting this in my local TkMaxx and I can tell my hair is so happy to have this back in it's life. I find that any product with some sort of oil always works wonders to my hair and the macadamia range is one i'd definitely recommend trying!

What are your favourite hair masks?

This month i'd say that I haven't been trying tonnes of new products, as i've had a bit of spending ban on beauty products but I have been sent a couple of new products that i've been absolutely loving, so much so i've already mentioned a few of these in the past few weeks.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that i'm once again featuring the Lancome Tient Idole Ultra Wear Foundation* (£31.50), which has been my go to foundation of the last month! I did a full review of this here, along with an amazing primer of theirs which I love to use hand in hand with this foundation. The coverage of this is amazing, yet it's so lightweight on the skin that you wouldn't have a clue you've got any foundation on! Like i've said every time i've mentioned this foundation, i'd highly recommend trying it out if you're on the hunt for a new foundation.

To go with that foundation i've been loving using this Oval Rose Gold Makeup Brush Set* (£12.04), and I know i'm a little late to the party on these brushes but they are truly amazing! Originally I thought the concept of them was a little odd, but like all things you can't truly judge things until you've tried them for yourself. Like all makeup brushes they are so soft on the skin, but the oval shape really allows you to buff your foundation in seamlessly but in seconds, which is great for someone like me who does their makeup in less than five minutes. I will be fully reviewing these soon, so stayed tuned for that!

A fragrance favourite of mine this past month has got to be the Giorgio Armani Si Perfume (£62.05), which is a fragrance i've wanted for such a long time so to finally have it is like a dream come true! It's a lot more sophisticated in comparison to my other fragrances, and i've been getting so many compliments whenever I wear this, that it makes me feel really confident. 

Finally the last favourite is from the brand Patisserie De Bain, which I posted up a first impressions here last week on some products of theirs that i've recently been sent. From all of the products my favourite has got to be the Sweet as Cherry Pie Shower Creme* (£3.99), which smells absolutely incredible and leaves my skin feeling so soft! Being a massive lover of anything cherry scented or flavoured this product was garunteed to be a favourite of mine, and i'd highly recommend trying out some of their products if you too enjoy sweet scented shower products.

What products have you been loving this month?

This month I had the opportunity of trying out so many new products as I really went all out in Australia and definitely treated myself to some new bits that i've been wanting to try for quite some time now. I also have had a couple of products sent through that i've been absolutely loving, and couldn't give a small feature before properly reviewing them!

A brand that i've recently been introduced to is Osmology who are an online boutique candle store stocking a wide range of candles, and in celebration of their launch last week they have teamed up with the well know candle brand The Nomad Society on their Osmology Candle by The Nomad Society* (£15). I absolutely love the packaging of The Nomad Society candles as they have a vintage yet contemporary aesthetic that I just adore! I also love the scent of this candle, and although it's a little different to the usual sweet candle scents that I typically go for, it's nice to have a change. If you're wanting to get your hands on some new candles, then i'd definitely recommend checking out Osmology and their wide range of candles! To get yourself 15% off at Osmology make sure to use the code 'OSMOLOGY15E''at the checkout.

Moving onto the makeup items that i've been enjoying this month, and up there with my favourite product for every day has got to be the ABH Dip Brow Pomade (£15), which i've wanted for such a long time but not being able to get colour matched really put me off. I got colour matched in Australia, and i'd definitely recommend getting colour matched if possible as the shade I ended up getting turned out to be completely different to what I first expected. I honestly don't know how I ever did my brows before I bought this as my brows just look amazing! 

I picked up a few contour and highlighting products whilst in Australia, probably more than I need but i'm loving all of them this far. The Kat Von D Shade & Light Face Contour Palette (£37) is one i've wanted for such a long time and i've been using it non stop for two weeks, and it's definitely worth all of the hype that it gets! Another palette that i've been loving for on the go is the Tarteist Pro Glow To Go Highlight & Contour Palette (£20), which instantly caught my eye when I saw it and the shades are absolutely stunning! Finally for the highlighting products that I couldn't not mention is the Becca Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector (£32), which has got to be the most beautiful highlighter I have ever owned, and I absolutely love how this looks on my skin.

Finally the last product that I had to give a quick shoutout to is a recent release from my favourite high street beauty brand Rimmel. They have recently expanded their range of mascara's with the release of their Volume Shake Mascara* (£6.99) which is like no other mascara that i've tried. This mascara's innovative packaging is the first of it's kind that I know of, and is essentially designed to refresh the product inside by shaking the mascara to evenly distribute product onto the wand. I personally love this mascara, as it works wonders and doesn't leave my lashes clumpy or feeling weighed down. I will be reviewing this more in depth, but i'd definitely recommend checking it out!