Real Techniques is by far my favourite brand when it comes to makeup brushes as I cannot fault them in anyway. They apply makeup flawlessly, they are of great quality and they are really affordable. 

Ever since I saw the Real Techniques Nic's Picks Set (£29.99) all over instagram a good 12 months ago, i'd pretty much set my heart on it but it wasn't until they released the set in silver that I decided to order them. Luckily I managed to pick them up on Amazon for a really good price and I have not regretted it one bit, and I just love the silver touch to these as they look so classy.

This set contains (as the name would suggest) five of Nic's favourite brushes from the Real Techniques range, along with three exclusive brushes to the set. The Duo Fiber Brush is the only brush that I already owned from the set, but it's one of my most used RT brushes so I knew welcoming another was a great idea. I'd also wanted to try out the Cheek Brush for quite sometime since reading reviews and as it's a set exclusive there was no other way of trying it out. It is great for contouring as its the perfect shape for getting into the hollows of the cheeks and also around the temples/jaw, but also doubles as a buffing brush if ever needed.

Onto the eye brushes within the set, and the Base Shadow Brush is also one i'd never used and the shape of this brush is perfect for applying your base eyeshadow, but also great for multitasking and blending into the crease. Another set exclusive is the Angled Shadow Brush and again, the angled shape to this brush is great for getting right into the crease and packing on colour to the lid. Finally we have the Eyeliner Brush, which i've been using to do my eyebrows with and its the perfect shape really as it's slightly smaller than the RT Brow Brush, which means you can get a more precise shape to them.

Overall this set is great as you've got every brush you'd need to create an entire makeup look and it's so affordable compared to the price of the individual brushes.

Have you tried out the Nic's Picks set?

When it comes to winter, the cold temperatures and gale force winds can be quite harsh on our skin and I find that during the winter my skin is constantly dry, even more so than usual so I like to really rev up the moisture, whilst also products to help combat dry skin.

There is some major love for The Body Shop in this post as I just love their skincare. All of their products are cruelty free, vegetarian and so affordable that you can't not give them a try. Starting off with a recent addition and current serum of choice is The Body Shop Aloe Protective Serum (£12). This is aimed at the more sensitive skin type, ones that need a little extra care, but is also great at adding an extra boost of hydration before then applying your usual moisturiser. I've found it's really been helping combat my dry areas, especially on my forehead and it seems to be providing that little extra protection that the skin needs throughout the day. The only thing I don't like is the smell, but you can soon get past that.

Next is one of my favourite cleansers to use during the winter months and this is The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter (£12). I love the oil version of this cleanser, but I find this one to be a lot nicer to use during the colder months as it works great to remove makeup, but it's also really gentle on the skin and the oil/butter formula to it just sinks in - instantly hydrating. 

Moving onto masks now and a great one to use especially when it comes to exfoliating the skin is The Body Shop Warming Mineral Mask (£10). What is great about this is that it can be used on any skin type to give the skin a deep cleanse, whilst also opening up the pores and exfoliating any dead skin away. I love a good clay mask, but this one is all the better as it heats up when applied to the skin to really refine and revitalise the skin.  Moving onto a more moisturising face mask and my current favourite is the Rodial Super Acids X-treme Hangover Mask* (£45). The name of this mask kind of suggests what the skin is going to be like, dry, dehydrated and just lacking of moisture, so this is a great pick for just giving the skin a good pick me up - whether you're hungover or not. 

So those are my winter skincare staples when it comes to combating dry skin due to the cold and harsh weather!

What are your winter skincare staples?

Started my advent calender - Seems like a pretty obvious one as everyone started their advent calenders this week, but being 21 my Mum thought I was 'too old' for one but she eventually got me one. I love the whole run up to Christmas and it gets me so excited to just spend time with the people I care about.

Went to The Clothes Show Live - On Friday I got to go to The Clothes Show Live at the NEC and I was lucky enough to get a press pass, which i'm so thankful for. I met up with the lovely Emma, who I have been speaking to for a long time, ever since I started blogging really so it was lovely to finally meet her. I'll be doing a post dedicated to the entire day, so keep checking back for that.

I'm driving down to Plymouth today to see my Dad, so expect a more exciting post next weekend and I may do a little post on my time down there, if I get up to anything exciting.

What have you been up to this week?

I picked up MAC 'Up The Amp' Lipstick (£15.50) in duty free on the way back from my holiday in September and it didn't really get much love until now. The main reason for this being is that I was a little scared, as a purple lip is something i've never really worn before and I wasn't sure whether I could pull it off but I now absolutely love it!

For me it's the perfect vampy purple that isn't too full on, as i'd never be able to wear any of the vampier MAC shades and I think the pink undertone is what I like so much about it. It's also an amplified finish, which means its not matte or drying in anyway and the pigmentation is beautiful. I've been loving wearing this mainly during the evenings or on nights out, but i've also been wearing it on a daily basis to bring something different to a typical everyday outfit.

If you're wanting to try out a purple lip, but are a little worried you won't pull it off then I highly recommend trying out this shade and giving it a swatch.

Have you been rocking a purple lip recently?