The Little Things

And that's exactly what i'm going to do.

I wanted to start the year out by getting the ball rolling with a couple of posts, and i wanted to get out my 2013 favourites post but i've decided i'm going to take a step away from the blog for a short break. It won't be long, and i'll be back soon, but there's plenty going on IRL at the moment and it's a little overwhelming trying to deal with all of that plus arranging content for the blog.

I've read so many bloggers say that you should only blog if you love it, and although i still love it i can tell i need to take a short break. I'm going to take the time to deal through the beginning of the end of my university career, arrange content for the blog and give myself some thinking time. I think it's always worth taking a step back, surveying what you have, listening, learning and understanding.

I'll be back soon with a whole host of posts ranging from my favourite Christmas gifts to how i use my Naked Palette. I should think i'll see you in February, be back soon!

K|xo

Favourite Beauty Products of 2013

I think it's about time i shared with you my favourite beauty products for the past year, and it's going to be a long one so lets get started.

FACE: Seventeen Stay Time Concealer, Make Up Forever Full Cover Concealer, Good Things Miracle Mattifier, Benefit Facial Emulsion, Superdrug Tea Tree Facial Wash, Superdrug Tea Tree Stick, St. Ives Apricot Blemish Fighting Scrub & Boots Skin Clear Ultra Treatment Wash.

I have oily, sensitive, acne prone skin that has regular break outs and can be sensitive against particular products, especially too heavy face products. So, i've actually found it best for me to only use concealer, rather than foundation. I really believe that loading already acne prone skin up with heavy foundation will never help the matter, so i purely use a lighter concealer over most of my face. I've been through a few trying to find the best for me, and this newer offering from Seventeen is my newest favourite that i've used for most of the year. It stays well, and gives me just the right amount of coverage. It's also a nice colour match, and i've found it works nicely with my skin.

I struggle with really dark under eyes and have been scouring the concealer world for the perfect under eye number. When i went to America two years ago i bought the Make Up Forever Full Cover because i'd heard so much about it, but it took me months to actually try it but once i did i fell in love and now i actually really love it for my under eyes. It covers nearly everything and i rarely find it drying, unless i have troubled skin, and it works perfectly for what i need it for. It's heavy coverage but that's what i've been looking for to cover my darkness.

Like i said, i have oily skin so finding the right base for me has proven tricky, but once i found the Good Things range it was a match made in heaven. I actually love a lot of their skincare, it seems to really suit my skin. The Miracle Mattifier works great as a base under my make up, and it keeps most of the oils at bay for most of the day. After i apply i leave it for about five minutes to settle into the skin and after that it really helps my make up to stay put too. Overall, it works really nicely with my skin and in turn helps improve my make up too.

If my skin is going through a rouge patch, it usually means that it tends to get dry patches but seeing as i'm prone to be oily i never really had anything to combat it. Until i tried the Benefit Facial Emulsion. It's a really light moisturiser that my skin seems to drink up, and it really helps the effected areas without making anything else worse. I actually got it free the first time, but it's become a firm favourite and i now buy it for myself.

I was using the Good Things Stay Clear Cleanser which deserves an honourable mention but towards the second half of the year i discovered that my skin loves Tea Tree. So when i found the Superdrug Tea Tree range, i was made up. I now use both the stick and the Facial wash and it really seems to help improve the general overview of my skin. The stick also really helps to improve spots, it does take a little longer than some of the stronger spot treatments out there but it soothes as it works and i love them both.

My favourite scrub is still the St. Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub, and has been for a long time. I've talked about it time and time again, so all i'll say is that i love the way my skin looks and feels after use and my skin loves it.

The Boots Treatment Wash was a Summer find, and i tested it on a whim, but now it's a firm favourite i couldn't live without. It tingles as it works, which i love, and it really helps with breakouts and my complexion.

EYES: Soap & Glory Thick and Fast Mascara, Urban Decay Naked Palette & MAC Naked Lunch, All that Glitters, Honesty & Mulch.

I have tried so many mascaras in my time, and before this i was in love with the Benefit Bad Gal but that was getting a little too pricey. So when i found this it turned into my holy grail mascara. Thick & Fast has a really similar brush to the Bad Gal, which is a big fibre brush. I can't work with plastic bristles or a really small brush so this is my perfect mascara wand, and it's about £9 cheaper than Bad Gal.

I bought the Naked Palette this Summer while i was in America because i've been eyeing it up since i bought the Naked 2 two years ago. I enjoy using the Naked 2 however, i don't use it very often because i've come to realise that the colours are a little too cool toned for me, i much prefer warmer shades. So after doing a little research i found that the Naked 1 to be much more in my shade range and i've come to really love it. It's taken me a few months to really get into it, but it deserves to be here because i've fallen in love. I love the mix of shimmer and matte, and i much prefer the packaging to the Naked 2. Soon there'll be a post about how i'm finally using my Naked Palette.

Lastly, is also a palette that is actually relatively new but i've fallen so in love that they truly deserve to be on this list. I have to admit that i've always been a little sceptical of MAC and their prices but after exploring the beauty world through my blog for the past four years, I've come to find that spending that little bit extra usually makes all the difference. I decided to treat myself for Christmas with a MAC quad and i'm so glad i did. It really got my love for using eyeshadows back and the colours i chose have become my go-to eye look. They're buttery soft and blend amazingly together. I chose All that Glitters, Naked Lunch, Honesty and Mulch. My favourites are Naked Lunch, All that Glitters and Mulch together, they make a beautiful, shimmery smokey eye and paired with my Naked Palette it's a match made in heaven.

LIPS: YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 19 Fuchsia in Rage, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie & Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon.

The Christmas period renewed my love of the bright lip, as is shared in this post, and i have to admit i was a little bit hesitant to give this shade a go but i've come to absolutely love this shade. The YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Fuchsia in Rage is my new favourite lippy. I love the formula and the beautiful colour that can be easily built up, it's super bright and is actually like a lovely plummy, purple pink shade. It's my absolute favourite and i'm going to be wearing it all year long.

Revlon's Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie is actually one i haven't worn for a while, but at the beginning of the year it was my everyday shade. It's a lovely "my lips but better shade" and i have a feeling that my new addition of plumful may take over my love for this kind of colour.

This year my favourite red shade has been Revlon's Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon, and it's a beautiful sheer colour. I've worn it sporadically throughout the year and it was usually my bright go to but i've actually ordered a new red from MAC that a MAC make up artist recommended to me, for my skintone, so i can't wait to try that out this year.

HAIR: Aussie Miracle Recharge Colour Mate Leave-In Conditioner, L'Oreal Expertise Ever Riche Conditioner, Aussie Colour Mate Shampoo & Mark Hill Get Gorgeous Turn up the Heat! Extreme Heat Protection Spray.

The Aussie Colour Leave In Conditioner is something i've talked about over and over again so i shan't natter for long, but i use this every time i wash my hair and it really helps to keep my locks tangle free. They've actually changed the name and i think the formula of this now to be called the Miracle Recharge but for me it does the same thing with a slightly different smell; it keeps my hair soft and manageable.

I am so happy i found this L'Oreal conditioner this year. Thanks to Fleur De Force talking about it i decided to give it a go and it's amazing. I've used it in many ways, by keeping it on for only three minutes, five minutes as well as twenty minutes plus depending on what my hair needs but every time i hair feels like new hair afterwards. I highly recommend trying this tub mask conditioners out if you have dry hair because they really are amazing.

The Aussie Colour Mate Shampoo has been my shampoo of choice for many years and there's little to say other then it washes my hair darn good.

I am an absolute nightmare for using heat on my hair with no heat protectant what so ever. I did this for a long time on my bleach blonde hair, but now i want to look after my hair i've been using it almost every time i use heat. My problem was that i used heat when my hair is dry as i shower most often at night, but most heat protectant is to be used on wet hair and they made my hair greasy when i used them on my dry hair. So, until i found Mark Hill's i never used it. However, Mark Hill can be used on wet or dry hair and you can never use too much product. It doesn't weigh my hair done and leaves my hair soft and shiny.

NAILS: OPI Original Nail Envy Nail Strengthener, Models Own Champagne & Barry M Gelly Shine Blood Orange.

For me, this year has been the year of no nail varnish. I haven't worn almost any nail polish other than during the Summer while i was away and during the Christmas period. What i've been wearing for almost every day this year is the OPI Original Nail Envy, and my goodness does that stuff help your nails grow. It's amazing stuff, and has really helped improve the health of my nails and i love the look of clear nail polish too.

When i have been wearing polish, Models Own Champagne is always my go to and has been for many years. I wore it all throughout my Summer holiday and if i've ever wanted to wear a shade, it's been this one. I love that it matches everything and i love the epic shimmer!

This Christmas i have come across an amazing find that is in no way new and that i have seen many a blogger talk about before, but i've just got around to trying. Barry M has never been a brand i go to for nail polish. What i think of with Barry M is thick, gloopy paint and an insaney long drying time. However, i've seen many bloggers raving about the Gelly Shine range and loving them but because it's Barry M i've never given it a go. Until it go to Christmas and i realised i don't own a real red nail varnish. I needed one in a hurry and only had my little town Superdrug for choice, so i decided to give this one a go finally and it's amazing. A beautiful red shade, and the dry time is really rather quick. It looked great on it's own and underneath glitter, and after two shades was pretty much opaque - perfect.

BODY: Soap & Glory Hand Maid Anti Bacterial Hand Gel, Cuticura Mango & Passionflower Anti Bacterial Hand Gel, Soap & Glory Clean on Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel and Soap & Glory Heel Genius.

I am an anti bacterial obsessive. I have one on my bedside table and in every bag available. I'm never far from one, and i use them all the time. The Soap & Glory Hand Maid is such a lovely option for anti bacterial, it smells delicious and comes in a great compact size.

However, using Hand Maid became a bit pricey for use at home because i use it so often. So, i found Cuticura which make slightly larger bottles and are often on offer. They have a lovely Mango & Passionflower scent and it does the job, sitting pretty on my bedside.

I suffer from sensitive skin and i've found that when i'm going through a bad phase that some shower gels are a bit too much for my skin. It wasn't until my dad bought me the huge Soap & Glory gift set last Christmas that i found my love for Clean on Me. It's so creamy and moisturising, but really helps you feel clean. It doesn't flare my skin up, it comes in huge bottles and i love the scent!

Soap & Glory Heel Genius is not something i use so often but when my feet are feeling a little beat up, as in Southampton i do a lot of walking, i layer this on my feet, pop my socks on and go to sleep. It feels disgusting but in the morning, my goodness are my feet soft!

So, that's another year over with and into another year we are. It's been interesting reflecting on the past year, but i'm really looking forward to what's to come.

Happy New Year!

K|xo

What was in my Stocking?

Maoam Stripes Box, Pick & Mix Tube, Munchies Tube, Simple Soothing Toner, Mitchem Deodorant, Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser, MAC Plumful Lipstick, Soap & Glory Hand Maid Anti Bacterial Gel, Essie Winter 2013 Mini Box Set, Soap & Glory Thick and Fast Mascara

My mum really is a pro at putting together a stocking. When i was little i had a really long, stretchy knitted stocking which would be filled with bits and bobs, sweets and sometimes DVDs, perhaps a voucher but now i've downsized to s small, skinner stocking which you would think harder to find things the right size to fill it. But have no fear, my mum is a pro.

This year she outdid herself; it was full of things that i needed, some sweets and a few surprises. I will always need moisturiser, toner and deodorant; My favourite mascara is a little pricey so it's nice not to have to buy it for myself for a while; and it was a nice surprise to find Plumful and the Essie Winter collection in there. I've been meaning to buy Plumful for so long, so it was really nice to find that in my stocking and i just never got around to trying out the Essie Winter Collection and by the time i wanted to give them a go, a new collection was out and i'd missed them.

This was the perfect stocking for me, and i was ever so happy with it's contents. What did you find in your stocking this year?

K|xo

Farewell 2013

I often feel that New Years Eve is overrated; the pressure to celebrate suitably, deciding on the perfect resolutions and making sure to start the new year a fresh. This year i decided that enough was enough and i stayed in, with my family, snuggled up with a blanket and a glass of fizz.

Reflecting on this past year, i think it's fair to say that it really has not been my year. There have been plenty of highs and lows, but unfortunately 2013 had more lows. I was ultimately very worried about welcoming 2014 with open arms, but over the past week i've come to realise that i can start again and forget much of the past.

However, i won't dwell on the negatives, this year has indeed has it's moments too. Some of my favourites include:

Many a trip to one of my favourite places, Experiencing Snow in Southampton, Turning 21 and heading down Diagon Alley, Appreciating the Little Things, Seeing London Fashion Week up close, Spending time at the Happiest Place on Earth, Interning at one of the loveliest Magazines, Spending time with my Kitten and with my Best Friend.

The year started off well but the last couple of months were sadly not my best, so i decided against specific resolutions this year. I start off the year well, but by April they're long forgotten and its gone out the window, so i just have a few little goals that i hope to gain for myself. I have high hopes for 2014, and i hope it will turn out to be everything that i want and need. There are plenty of changes in the works during 2014, which i can't wait to welcome.

I'm a little sad that this years New Year post isn't quite as positive and happy as previous years, but in reality not everything always goes your way. I'm excited for the year ahead, and to see what it brings and i hoping, and praying, that 2014 will be my year. It scares me to think where i might be this time next year, but i guess that's the excitement and the surprise.

And honestly? Do MORE of what makes you HAPPY.

Happy New Year everyone, i hope you brought in the New Year with people that you love and i hope that 2014 brings you all your hopes and dreams.

K|xo