February favourites.

February came and went in a blink of an eye and with spring just around the corner, it's hard not to get excited for the warmer days ahead, even if you're a winter girl through and through like myself. Last month wasn't particularly good beauty wise, as I spent almost two weeks feeling utterly poorly and makeup wasn't high on my priorities list; nevertheless, I still managed to fall in love with some exciting bits, discover a new fragrance and dig out an old love from my nail polish box.

My first favourite is a new fragrance buy I'm absolutely in love with. Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia Cologne (£40) is described as the ultimate autumnal scent but with a mix of sweet ripe pear and green notes of white freesias, warmed up by amber and patchouli, it's also the perfect fragrance to transition into spring. It ticks all my personal fragrance boxes as it's fresh yet sophisticated, not overly sweet, persistent enough that I can still catch a whiff of it on my scarf and coat the next day and it's simply great for layering. In fact, it goes so well with another favourite of mine, the Jo Malone Nectarine Blossom & Honey Body Créme (£50), a fluffy and super luxurious moisturizer that smells like mellow peaches and summer days. A tiny blob massaged onto my hands and forearms is enough to release the gorgeous fragrance that lingers for hours, and add just a touch of warmth and sweetness to the cologne. I'm afraid a full size purchase will have to happen very soon.

As I mentioned before I haven't been wearing much makeup this past month but whenever I had to leave the comfort of my warm bed and put the tissues aside to go out, I've been constantly reaching for the Lorac Pro To-Go Palette for a quick and fuss free smokey eye. As usual, Lorac hits the eyeshadow nail right on its head with this palette: all the shades are buttery soft, blend easily and translate on the lid just as well as they swatch. The compact also hides a blush duo and a bronzer, that make it the ideal travel buddy for short trips and to apply your makeup on the go.

For lips, I've been completely obsessed with the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipstick in Bitch Perfect (£23), the most perfect peachy-pink nude with a nourishing yet long-lasting formula, housed in a gorgeous '20s inspired rose gold case that makes my heart sing every time I look at it. Every girl need one of these lipsticks - or maybe four - in her life!
I've also been loving the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil (£18) in Raspberry. When it comes to mixing skincare and makeup to create unique products, Clarins definitely know what they're doing. This non-greasy, non-sticky offering really does miracles for chapped lips and prevents dryness and those painful cracks, while providing just a hint of sheer pink colour. Also, did I mention that it tastes like candy?

Lastly, I have to mention my go-to nail polish combination of the minute. I've recently rediscovered OPI Tickle My Francey (£11.95) and I've been religiously painting my nails with it for the whole month. It's a brown-based nude pink that reaches full opacity in just two coats and I love how clean and chic it looks on the nails. For an extra oomph and a bit of fun I've been pairing it with a glitter top coat - seen here is OPI Which is Witch? from the Oz the Great collection - painted only on the tips to create a French manicure with a twist. I'm obsessed.

What have you guys been loving this past month?

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L'Oreal Infallible 24h MAT foundation & concealer.

Sponsored Post.

Besides makeup brushes, if there's one product I can hoard till the point where my drawers resemble a well-stocked Sephora store, it's foundation. I'm all about the base and I never tire of trying out new products, hoping to discover little gems to fuel my obsession with.
If you have read this blog before, you'll know that I usually gravitate toward luminous and radiant formulas; however, every once in a while I really like matte skin, but in the past finding an opaque foundation that worked well in combination with my dry complexion has been a real struggle. Luckily I seem to have found a true game-changer and the best thing is that it's a drugstore offering.

After reading all the serious claims about the 24 hour wear and shine control in conjunction with the high coverage, I was a little hesitant when the new L'Oreal Infallible 24H Mat foundation (£7.99)* landed on my doorstep, as I anticipated it to be on the thicker side of thing. How wrong I was!
This is such a beautiful foundation, unlike any other matte base I've tried before. The light-as-air formulation blends seamlessly into the skin and provides a medium to full coverage that is easy to sheer out or build up, since it layers so well and doesn't look cakey. The finish is demi-matte, as there's definitely a bit of glow there, although is not at all shiny or dewy.
Even without powder or a primer underneath it doesn't slid around and lasts till supper and beyond, still looking as if I've just applied it. I wore it backstage under crazy hot lights and during one of my famous shopping marathons running around town under pouring rain, but Infallible didn't show any sign of wear whatsoever. On top of everything it doesn't cling to dry patches or settles into pores and feels uber comfortable on the skin.