November favourites.

This second to last favourites installment of the year is coming to you a bit later than planned but, as I'm sure you'll all understand, my Christmas shopping had to come first and I've been quite busy elbowing my way in and out of utterly packed department stores and festive street markets in the past few days. Now that all the items in my to-do list have been checked, I can finally sit and ramble about these lovely products I've absolutely adored throughout November.

On with the makeup first, the showstopper of the gang is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Love Liberty (£23), a fab matte raspberry housed in the most exquisite rose gold bullet - the kind you'll proudly pull out of your purse in the middle of an event to touch up, although you'll find these lipsticks are incredibly long-lasting and don't really need retouches -. I've recently raved about the absolutely superb formula here so I won't rant too much about it. All I will say is that these lippies are beyond amazing and worth every single penny. Love Liberty in particular is the little black dress inside my makeup bag, as it looks so effortlessly chic and adds something extra to any outfit or makeup look.

For the eyes, I've been really into mustards and golden browns lately and I've worn a combination of the Nabla Cosmetics Eyeshadows (£5) in Caramel and Glitz - respectively a matte ochre and a burnished bronzy gold - pretty much every single day without fail. I never get tired of the signature Olsen twins heroine-chic smokey eye that's so in trend at the minute and I love the way these shades make my eyes look brighter and more intense.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (£56) really speaks for itself. With three gorgeous blush shades, it's a big hit for those lusting over a lit from within glow and definitely something that should be part of any beauty junkie's collection. Luminous Light on the left gives a beautiful Snow White rosiness to the cheeks, while the pop of peach in Incandescent Electra in the middle is seriously uplifting. My favourite of the three and the one I've used the most lately is Mood Exposure, a luminous mauve that instantly brightens the skin and lights up dull complexion in one swipe. Next is another blusher I've reached for a lot, the Stila Covertible Color in Lilium (£16), - a nude-ish pink with just a hint of coral - that is moisturizing and dewy but somehow stays put all day. It's one of the 'best bang for the buck' products I reach for when I'm running out the door or on lazy makeup days, as it immediately lifts the face with a lovely and uber flattering healthy flush.

For the base, I went back to an old friend, the Clarins Instant Concealer (£18.45), to conceal any darkness and brighten the under eye area, whilst keeping the skin nicely moisturized at the same time, as I've been experiencing a little dryness around the eyes recently. Like 8 hours of sleep in a tube, this concealer fakes fresh, radiant skin like no other and covers redness and pigmentation surprisingly well, considering its lightweight formula. If you can find the right shade for you, definitely give it a whirl.
I've also been giving some love to the Wayne Goss Brush #13, which is everything I've ever wanted the MAC 109 to be and even more, as it's ridiculously soft and doesn't shed at all. I particularly love it with liquid and mineral foundations but it's also great to use for contouring and highlighting, and even blush if you're after a rather precise placement.

My hair is not loving autumn/winter weather at the moment and it can use all the help not to fall completely flat at the roots and loose shine. Last month I've rediscovered the Redken Body Full Volume Amplifier (£12), a great pre blow-dry texturizing and strengthening spray infused with wheat for instant fullness and volume, and soy for extra strength on the long run. I spray a good helping at the roots then dry my hair upside down for maximum lift that stays around all day - and it's easy to refresh with another spray and a quick shot with the hairdryer -.
Finally, a word about L'Occitane Almond Delicious Hands (£8) hand cream that hasn't left my side for weeks - really, I'm at my second tube already -. The smells is simply divine - not your typical nutty almond scent, but there's a bit of tartness in it that keeps it fresh and interesting - and it leaves my hands feeling soft and supple for hours.

Let me know what your November favourites are in the comments below. Are you done with your Christmas shopping yet?

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Party Essentials.

Now that November is out of the way, we're finally allowed to get overly excited for the party season and dig out all the glitters. Whether you plan to party hard every night or sit through a four hour long meal with friends and family, I got you covered with long-wearing and reliable products that will see you through the Holidays without fail. It's time to glow!

Starting with the base, my first choice is of course a primer, to make foundation go on more smoothly and make it last a lot longer. A personal favourite is the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance (£29), which leaves my skin looking healthy and more supple and gives it a gorgeous glow that shines through the makeup in a very subtle way, whilst of course keeping everything in place.
For foundation, I always go back to NARS Sheer Glow (£31) as it's ideal for photos, has a flawless radiant finish and stays perfect throughout the day - or the evening -. Despite the buildable medium coverage, it looks natural and I find that when I wear it I don't need to touch up at all during the day, 'cause my skin never looks oily but simply glowy.
To get rid of blemishes and dark circles I've recently rediscovered the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (£22) and, seriously, what was I even thinking when I put it on a side? It's brightening and moisturizing but it doesn't move around, and gives an amazing coverage without that caked-on effect that only makes imperfections look more obvious.

On to the fun part, I love me some sparkle and falsies, which I'm guessing you all know by now, and I especially love them for the Holidays. ESQIDO mink lashes are my go to falsies at the minute because they're so comfortable to wear - thanks to the cotton band - and make my lashes look absolutely fab without going too overboard. The Unforgettable ($42.99)* ones fall more on the natural side of things and add just the right amount of volume to give a subtle fuller look with a soft gradient that gives a great cat eye lift to the face. If fake lashes aren't your thing, you'll need an extra black mascara that doesn't flake or smudge, holds the curl all day and night, and adds clump-free volume. The NARS Larger than Life Volumizing Mascara (£18.50) ticks all the boxes and has been my number 1 mascara for years now. I strongly recommend it.
The Burberry Effortless Liquid Liner (£23) comes in handy to conceal the lash band and draw a crisp line to give definition. I'm a gel liner girl to the core but I'm seriously impressed with this product: it has a very firm felt tip applicator that allows to draw both super thin lines and extra bold flicks, a great formula that is blacker than black and sets to a beautiful satin finish, and above all it's incredibly long wearing.

When it comes to glitters I have two favourites, MAC Glitter Reflects (£17), either in Pearl or Antique Gold, and Illamasqua Ore Pure Pigment (£16.50). The MAC number is utterly perfect for an ethereal, almost wet shine - and can be mixed with anything, from gloss to nail polish to add extra sparkle to any look -, while the Illamasqua offering is a complex mix of burnished gold pigment and a mesmerizing blend of white, copper and green glitter particles - very Christmas appropriate - that brings a simple smokey eye to a brand new level.

A party look is not complete without a red lip and of course I have to mention NARS Cruella Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (£18) which is my must have red at the moment. The long-lasting, non-drying formula lasts well through countless drinks or a full meal and the chubby pencil fits even in the smallest clutch for touch-ups on the go. If it's not red it has to be berry and the Charlotte Tilbury Matter Revolution Lipstick in Glastonberry (£23) is the most perfect deep mulberry out there. The formula is out of this world, comfortable yet long wearing and oddly multi-dimensional, so much that it makes the lips look soft and plump, almost lit from within in a way. For mistletoe-ready lips these are the way to go.

If you find that you need an extra help to make everything stay in place, the Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (£20) is great to seal everything in and finish off the look. The gentle mist acts like a top coat for your makeup and makes everything sweat and heat proof for up to 16 hours. It's oil free, it doesn't dry out my skin and I often use it in place of my setting powder to make sure my base looks fresh and glowy yet stays put till cleansing time.

Enjoy your Holidays!
Which are your party essentials?

*Press sample

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an early christmas wishlist.

I haven't done one of these in so long I was dying to get back into the routine. These posts are actually quite useful to keep track of what I really want to buy throughout the month and now that we're only four weeks away from Christmas they're perfect to drop a few hints here and there for Santa...

001 I'm obsessed with NARS pencils at the minute and Biscayne Park Satin Lip Pencil (£18) - a peachy nude with a sixties vibe - is right up my street. It's one of those shades that can easily go unnoticed as it doesn't pop out as much as its hot pink and deep red counterparts but I saw it the other day on a friend of mine and I fell in love with it instantly.

002 Can you believe I still don't own any NARS Audacious Lipstick (£24)? I check them out every time I pop at Sephora but I just can't decide which shade I like the most and I always end up leaving empty handed. I mean, I clearly need all 40 but that's simply not going to happen and I need to sort out my priorities ASAP. Which one do you recommend?

003 Five years later my old GHD is still going strong but I can't stop thinking about the beyond gorgeous GHD Rose Gold Styler (£130) - my obsession for rose gold is showing -. Do I need another flat iron? Probably not, but I know I'm probably going to buy it myself if Santa doesn't get to it first.

004 Face oils are one of my many obsessions and Caudalie are one of my favourite brands when it comes to skincare, so of course it seemed logic to start lusting over the new skincare offerings from the brand. The Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil (£26) is designed to soothe sensitive skin and nourish dry and dehydrated complexions while the Polyphenol C15 Overnight Detox Oil (£29) calms and detoxifies the skin and is apparently a close dupe for my beloved and much more expensive Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial. They both sound so appealing I'm really not sure which one should I buy; on one hand I really enjoy the Polyphenol range but on the other hand I think the Vinosource offering would work better for my skin. Decisions, decisions...

005 One look at the Burberry Holiday 2014 collection and I was sold. Everything looks utterly gorgeous - that gold packaging should become a regular thing - but after checking in out in real life there were only two pieces that really caught my eye and I'm seriously considering picking up: the Complete Eye Palette Gold #2 (£40) features four beautiful variations of gold shadows with that signature dreamy buttery texture Burberry powders are known for, whilst the Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base in Nude Radiance (£34) is the perfect cross between a moisturizing primer and a liquid highlighter that leaves the skin smooth and glowy, ready for foundation.

What are you thinking to buy at the moment?

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10 Beauty Finds Of 2014 So Far.

Product round-ups are usually a first-of-the-month or of-the-year kind of thing but recently I've seen a few of these posts pop up in various magazines and in my Bloglovin' feed - last but not least, Vivianna's one - and I thought it would be fun to jump on the bandwagon as well. With a few weeks to go till the end of 2014, there' still plenty of time for some new beauty discoveries to find their way into my top list, but here's a little round up of my ten favourite finds of the year up to now.

001. Bumble and bumble Dryspun Finish (£21.50) - A cross between a dry shampoo, a texturizing spray and a light hold hair spray that gives just the right amount of grit to my hair without making them look or feel crispy or dirty. It gives to freshly washed locks that second-day hair look that makes styling so much easier, as it allows the hair to catch on itself and build more volume and texture rather than falling completely flat.

002. LORAC Unzipped Eyeshadow Palette - I'm a big Lorac fan and their palettes are definitely a staple in my collection. With an incredibly silky-soft texture and great pigmentation, this swoon-inducing offering features all my favourite shades for an everyday look and is hands down my most reached-for at the minute. If you're a fool for rose gold, bronze and berry shades like I am, this palette will truly knock your socks off.

003. Foreo Luna Mini (£99) - It's pretty much the answer to all the prayers for a gentle cleansing device that doesn't aggravate sensitive skin whilst still delivering great results. One use is enough to experience smoother and more luminous skin and after using it consistently for a few months I can say that my skin has never looked better.

004. Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial (£45) - I always have it on hand for when things get extra stressful, but on a day-to-day basis I like to use it at least once or twice a week to give myself a good face massage and then leave it on to pamper my skin overnight. This delightful mix of oils is a proper skin hero and leaves my complexion ultra radiant and deeply nourished come morning.

005. Hourglass Diffused Heat Ambient Lighting Blush (£28) - If I had to pick one blush to wear everyday for the rest of my life, it would have to be this gorgeous poppy shade swirled with my favourite Ambient Lighting Powder. It gives the most perfect healthy flush with a lit from within glow to the cheeks and, unlike other powders, it doesn't sit on the skin but blends perfectly into the base for a beautiful natural finish.

006. Daniel Sandler Cherub Watercolour Liquid Blusher (£14.50) - Pinched cheeks in a bottle, that's it. Cherub is a soft petal pink with a waterproof formula that blends like a dream and doesn't budge, and it's basically undetectable on the skin. It's the ultimate bonne mine blush that looks like fresh skin flushing from within.

007. Jo Malone White Jasmine & Mint Cologne (£40) - I've been completely obsessed with the whole Jo Malone range, but this one is still the top of the class for me. It's such a lovely combination of mint, white flowers and a subtle hint of rain and manages to be bright and fresh but still quite feminine at the same time.

008. Rae Morris Magnetic Brush range - Beware of Japanese brushes, for they are addictive. My piggy bank is not very happy for my penchant for artist brushes, but I really can't help it and in my defense, Rae's line is simply spectacular. All the brushes are hand-made, oh-so-soft and perfect for precise and controlled application of any kind of product. My favourite picks have to be the Ultimate cheekbone, which is a must have for contouring lovers, and the Liquid Foundation brush, perhaps the best duo-fiber brush I own.

009. NARS Velvet matte Lip Pencils (£18) - Velvety soft and not drying, the formula of these beauties is absolutely spot on. With my chronically dry lips, I used to avoid matte lip products like the plague, but these lovely lip pencils had me change my mind in a second - they stay put all day without making your lips feel like they could fall off at any minute and the shade selection would make even the harder to please squeal with excitement -. My must have shades are Cruella, Never Say Never and Sex Machine.

010. Anastasia Brow Wiz (£15.50) - My go-to product of the moment to cheat the perfect arch, Brow Wiz has a super fine nib to draw all the missing hair and fill in the brow with precision, and a build-in spoolie to blend everything and keep things natural. I tend to use it when I want my brows to look polished and quite defined but not painted on. It's really the best brow pencil out there right now.

What's your favourite beauty find of the year so far?

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