FAVOURITE BODY PRODUCTS OF 2014

Looking back over the selection of products that I have chosen, they do seem pretty random but they are the products that most stood out to me and the ones that I most enjoyed using in 2014. Most of these products were also discovered in 2014 - I think! 

Laura Mercier ambre vanille 

I first discovered how amazing the ambre vanille range smelt when my sister and I went to London to see Taylor Swift. We stopped off in Covent Garden to do some shopping and obviously found our way to Space NK. I sprayed the ambre vanille fragrance on my wrist and for the rest of the day I was sniffing my wrist non stop, like some crazed addict. It's such a gorgeous and unique scent. My mum and sister kindly bought me the fragrance and body cream as graduation presents. The only issue is I use the body cream so sparingly as it's so ridiculously expensive, but then I don't want it to just go off, so I better start slapping it on! 

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

I didn't think something so simple as a hand cream could be so luxurious. I've tried using cheaper hand creams, as lets face it, it's just hand cream. The Clarins cream leaves your hands so much softer and hydrated and also helps to keep your nail bed area from getting dry. As an added bonus, it has that classic Clarins scent to it. 

Xen Tan Moroccan oil 

I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with all fake tan products; even the most hyped about products do not seem to work for me. I often apply the darkest shades, spend the next 8 + hours looking and smelling like 'biscuit girl,' as my dear boyfriend likes to call me. I then wash it off and have a slight golden glow to show for my hours of trying to achieve a dark tan. The Xen Tan Moroccan oil is definitely one of my favourites to use, as it gives the best colour, lasts well and I feel that the moroccan oil element to it really helps the skin, as a lot of fake tans can be quite drying. I also loved the Lauren's Way Rapid tan, for it's obvious speed, but like I said, the Xen Tan wins for me as it gave the best results overall. 

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

The Sugar Crush range has an absolutely amazing scent to it; it's so fresh, fruity, zingy and just so invigorating. The scrub elements are tough enough to leave your skin really smooth, yet not too rough and harsh. 

I've just realised that I seem obsessed with scents, which is probably true, but I just can't get into products that don't smell lovely too. What were your favourite body products of 2014?

MAY FAVOURITES

 May is the month that I always dread most, as it means one thing and one thing only for students, exam season! This month saw my last ever university exams completed and fingers crossed, passed with good marks! I now cannot wait to enjoy all of the future Aprils and Mays, as they're normally so sunny and being stuck inside revising really puts a damper on things.  Although make-up wasn't worn as much as I would have liked and shopping definitely didn't take place, I've still managed to collect together a few products that I really enjoyed last month.

First, a month of essay writing and revision tends to lead to a lack of sleep, so I've been really packing on the under eye brighteners! First I use the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer, then the Bare Minerals Stroke of Light to brighten and then set with MAC's emphasize powder. The concealer covers any darkness and then the pink toned Stroke of Light helps counteract any left over darkness while also brightening, with that duo and emphasize to set, I looked like I'd had my 8 hours every night! 

The Bare Minerals Ready foundation has been a new favourite of mine for the last few months; it's so quick and easy to apply and far more long wearing than any of my liquid foundations so it worked great when I just couldn't face no make up and also on exam days. It provides medium to full coverage, which is very surprising coming from a powder product. Peaches blush has been my go to lately; it's a gorgeous peach colour...obviously, but easy to wear. To add to the quickness of May's make up, you could call it laziness or I'd prefer smart thinking... I've been multi tasking the Real Techniques Blush brush. I've been using it for foundation, powder, bronzer and blush and it works great. The tapered top makes it ideal for blush and bronzer but it's still big and round enough for buffing in foundation and powder. 

The Urban Decay Chill setting spray has finally made an appearance this month. I got it for my birthday or Christmas last year, I can't remember which - they're only 2 weeks apart! As it started to get warmer and I needed my make up to last longer, as my drive to uni is 2 hours, plus exams being 3 hours and then 4 hours ahead of the exam to cram and a further 2 to drive home, I wanted my make up to last. The spray seemed to do a good job at helping the staying power of my make up but it's also really nice just to spray to refresh, especially as it has a cooling effect which has been great with the heat and my skin has been playing up lately and feeling a lot drier than usual. 

Finally, the Laura Mercier ambre vanille fragrance. I first smelt this scent from heaven in February when my sister and I went to see Taylor Swift in London. I couldn't stop smelling my wrist all day and knew I needed it! My sister Hannah kindly bought it for me at the beginning of May as an early finishing uni present and I've worn it everyday since! It's quite strong, as in a little goes a long way - which my boyfriend and Hannah frequently told me, after I'd been spraying quite freely. 

I hope you've all had an enjoyable May and I will now be back to regular posting - yeyey! :)