2016 Beauty Discoveries

So 2016 definitely wasn't my best year for blogging, but I thought this would be a great time to mention a few products I found in 2016 that I loved, that may not have gotten the blogging attention they deserved. I obviously loved more products than just the four I'll be mentioning today but these are the new-comers to my stash that really stood out.

1. Tata Harper's Regenerating Cleanser. So 2016 was the year in which I was introduced to Tata Harpers products, and narrowing down a top pick from her cleansing range wasn't easy, (I also have the Purifying and Oil Cleansers and they're both FAB options too). I decided to go with the Regenerating one for a couple of reasons: firstly, it got me back into manual exfoliation. Second? It's unlike other things I have. While I love the Oil Cleanser, we all know I love a bit of Una Brennan for oil cleansing. Equally, I really enjoy the Purifying Cleanser, but it's not leaps and bounds away from the Oskia Cleansing Gel that I've been using for years. The Regenerating Cleanser is a thin cream cleanser with little sand-like grains (no plastic beads) that provide a light exfoliation during your cleanse. I use this either AM or second cleanse in PM. Bonus points for the scent.

2. Pixi Rose Oil. This is just genius. Now I will never be caught bad mouthing the MV Organics Rose+ Booster, but if there's ever going to be anything that comes close to rivalling that product, for texture, for how it leaves the skin looking and feeling, for scent, it's Pixi Rose Oil. It's mind-boggling how they've managed to make an oil that is so lovely for such a good price. It's £26. just go buy it. Your skin will thank you.

3. Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. Let me go on record for saying: liquid eyeliner was once the absolute bane of my makeup existence. I found it difficult to apply, and once I did apply it I found that it never really lasted well on me, that it faded or smudged. This eyeliner pen is so user-friendly because of it's flexible felt nib and the ink inside the pen is super black, doesn't fade and it's very water resistant (and I'm a contact lens wearer so trust me I have tested that claim). It's not the cheapest liquid liner out there but it's also not half the price of the Tom Ford one, so I'd say I'm on to a winner.

4. Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in "Ex-Girlfriend". So do we remember the series of posts around this time last year where I went a little loopy for the Gwen Stefani for Urban Decay collection? I did go back, I did buy the lipstick in "Ex-Girlfriend" and I have worn that shade at least once a week since. It's just such a good nude for paler people. It's nicely sheer and a little deeper than my skin-tone and has a lovely, wearably glossy finish. Goes with everything, super comfortable, thank you Urban Decay.

June Favourites

First of all apologies for the lack of post on Friday - It was a hectic week and I just couldn't find the time or the brain power to crack out a post but I hope I'm forgiven. We're back today with my favourites from June '16 - so lets hop to it.

Let's kick things off with a lip combination that I've reached for most of the month shall we? I've been layering on some Maybelline ColourSensational Shine Gloss in "130 - Fuchsia Flash" over my Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in "05" for an everyday lip this month. I love it because it's a mid-tone pink so it's understated and wearable but it's still bright and looks put together. I've thrown this on for work and play and it's such a lovely low-maintenance lip combination.

We've been pretty skincare heavy here recently so I'm going to try not to harp on about these too long but there's been a couple of skincare products that have absolutely brought my skin back to life (and unfortunately, both cost a pretty penny). I've re-discovered my MV Organic Skincare Rose Plus Booster and I have no idea how this fell to the back of the class. It's essentially good skin in a bottle, no matter how lack-lustre my skin is looking I find that a couple of drops of this massaged into the skin before bed has me looking like I've been drinking my water and sleeping a lot (which lets face it - usually I haven't been).

My Tata Harper cleanser obsession continues but this month I've been mad for the Purifying one. This is a lovely, thinner than most, gel cleanser that I've just been loving for my morning cleanse. The light texture makes it quick and easy to use and whenever I use this I feel like all of the grit and grime just follows it down the plug hole when I rinse. Also - the lovely sharp citrusy scent is great for helping you wake up in the morning and for me it just adds to that "super clean" feeling.

Finally a slightly less beauty-oriented product: I recently stumbled across Next's home fragrance selection and their "White Jasmine" range smells incredible. I got the Decorative Owl Reed Diffuser and it's so cute and smells amazing but I can't find it on the website (maybe it's in store only?) so here's the standard one. I'm awful at describing scents but the packaging says that the top notes are violet leaves and plum, the mid notes are jasmine and white lily and it has a white musk and amber base. It's just a nice clean, fresh, floral scent that's not overpowering or overly girly smelling (I tend to go for more gender neutral boarding on somewhat masculine home scents and this is more on the feminine side for me).

In The Queue - Inside My Backups and "To Be Tested" Drawer (Part 1 - Skincare)

So I, like many other beauty obsessives in this world, have a drawer in my stash dedicated to products that aren't in my rotation at the moment for one reason or another. Some of these are products that are tried and tested and that I just can't be without and others are items I've acquired that haven't made it into the testing arena yet (While I do have options open I try not to have everything open at once). I'm going to be rotating some new things in soon so I figured it would be a good idea to let you all know what's in there so if you're itching to hear about something I can prioritise that.

The Backups.

In the backups drawer I'm sure you'll be surprised to hear that I'm hoarding a few cleansers. I've got a full sized Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel, a gel-to-oil cleanser with a lovely light rose-y scent that I fell in love with from the word go. I've also got a full size of the Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser in here, again it's a gel cleanser but I prefer to emulsify with this one - I'm currently working my way through the last drops of a trial size I had. I've stashed away not one but two mini's of the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel, which is really similar to the Oskia in texture but maybe a bit heavier, I love these for travel. Finally for cleansers, there's a mini of the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm, this was the first skincare product I properly got obsessive with and it's a lovely light, citrus-y scented balm cleanser.

The only other skincare products I have in backup are the Balance Me Congested Skin Serum, and a mini Omorovica Queen of Hungary Mist. I panic purchased the Balance Me serum as I had a trial size that I've been using for ages and I was convinced it was going to run out much quicker than it seems to be doing. With the queen of Hungary it's one of those products that I use and enjoy but I'd never pay for. This particular bottle was a gift with purchase and it's lovely, but it's completely unnecessary and very expensive for a refreshing mist.

To Be Tested

I find it difficult to give things a fair test if I have too much on rotation but I still pick up interesting bits so that when I have time to test things I have products ready. At the moment I'm hoarding a Clarins HydraQuench Cream (normal to dry skin), a Skin Blossom Gentle Face Wash and a Barefoot SOS Repair + Renew Light Moisturising Lotion. Again, I have a tonne of minis that are just waiting for me to break into them: Aurelia Miracle Cleanser, Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase, Vasanti BrightenUp Enzyme Face Rejuvenstor Exfoliating Cleanser, Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover, and the Alpha H Essential Hydration Cream. If there's anything anyone's wanting to see on here soon I can pop that on the to do list. :)

May Favourites

So it's time for another favourites post. I've kept it pretty short and sweet this time but I'm absolutely loving everything I've included. So lets have a look:

For makeup I've gone back to an old favourite: the L'Oreal True Match Foundation. I did a post a while back comparing the new formula to the original and I was pleasantly surprised that they had in fact managed to improve the formula. It's still super lightweight on the skin and the coverage is nicely buildable but it has a little more glow that help it to look super natural on the skin. I've always gone back to True Match for the warmer months and I'm super happy that I still love it.

If you haven't already heard me harp on about Sunday Riley's Luna Sleeping Night Oil, I think you're a minority on the blog. When this first launched last year I was very much put-off by the price. I've tried a couple of Sunday Riley's oils in the past and I've not been nearly as impressed with them as I have been with other more affordable (but still pricey) oils (MV Organics Rose Plus Booster, and the Clarins Lotus Oil to name a few great options). While I still don't rate the other oils in the lineup, Luna has earned a permanent spot in my skincare stash. It just makes your skin look better overnight and since I've started properly looking after my skin I'm finding it's not often I find skincare products these days that do that for me. Totally worth the hype.

Another skincare product that I've been obsessed with this month is the Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser. I got a trial size of this in a set I got for Christmas and had it have not been in that kit I definitely wouldn't have picked this product out of all the things in Tata's range but I absolutely love this cleanser. It has super refined granular particles (think more "grains of sand" than "those horrible plastic bead things") that are held in a thin creamy cleanser that just feels great on the skin. I like to use this as a morning cleanse or a second cleanse in the evening. Since it's a bit exfoliating so it's definitely not one to be removing makeup with. Also, I know I go on about scents all the time, but the scent on Tata Harper skincare products is just amazing, this has a light citrusy scent that's so fresh and relaxing.

And finally this month, something I never thought I'd be including in a favourites post: Stila's Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner Pen. I never thought I'd find a liquid eyeliner that I enjoyed. I generally have loads of trouble applying liquid liner and if I do manage to apply it I end up with panda eyes before long but this is different. The nib is a long thin felt tip nib that just makes applying your liquid liner so easy to do that I've literally been reaching for this everyday since I got it. the formula is nice and long wearing but it isn't completely smudge resistant, if you have especially watery eyes or you rub your eyes a lot this will move a bit.

If My Skincare Stash Disappeared...

When it comes to skincare, I think we can all agree, I'm somewhat obsessed. I have a bathroom cabinet that's practically overflowing with cleansers, a whole drawer dedicated to masks and enough serums, oils and moisturisers to last me a few years at least. I'm starting to cut back a bit on my obssesive collecting and it got me thinking - if I got rid of everything and had to start again, what would be on my shopping list?

Cleansers

In my cutting down I managed to get this down to three. As much as I absolutely love a lot of cleansers - seriously, I may have t dedicate a whole post to my favourites. The absolute have-to-have-it list is just these: the Una Brennan Vitamin C Brighten Cleansing Oil (shock horror), the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel (surprise surprise) and a more recent love in the Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser.

I wanted each of the products in this list to serve a specific purpose and I feel like these 3 work different enough to earn a spot in my hall of fame. The Una Brennan is a liquid consistency and is the product I reach for to remove makeup more often than not. I love the Oskia gel for a morning cleanse or a second cleanse post-makeup-removal in the PM. While the Tata Harper is a more recent purchase, I've nearly used up my travel mini and have a backup ready for when it's finished (and when you have as many cleansers as I do, that's a big deal). I'd been shying away from manual exfoliators for such a long time but this is nice and gentle but leaves the skin so soft and smooth, and the scent is so lovely.

Toners

I've pin-pointed two toner-step products that are must haves for me and, again, I don't think they'll be much of a surprise: For an exfoliating toner my pick is the Pixi Glow Tonic, it's effective and affordable. Enough said. I also love the La Roche Posay Serozinc since it's got anti-bacterial properties but also doubles up as a refreshing spritz since the mist is so fine. I think that both of these work equally well in the AM or the PM and they can be used together or separately. I have used lots of more expensive toners but I genuinely think these two are the ones I reach for the most and that they're the ones I'd be repurchasing once I've worked my way through my current beauty stock room.

Serums/Moisturisers/Oils

I've let myself have a few options here since I like to switch things up a bit. For AM, I love the Indeed Labs Hydralyron serum, the Clarins Lotus Facial Oil and the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. I've spoken about Hydralyron on this blog so many times now but it's still a firm favourite for an affordable hydrating serum. My Clarin's Oil has been another one I've been quite consistent with, it's a good quality oil and it doesn't break the bank as hard as others that I enjoy and the scent is so refreshing in the morning. Then the Charlotte Tilbury cream is just lovely under makeup, I couldn't use it everyday since it's quite a rich cream and my skin isn't dry enough to warrant using this constantly but it's great when I do reach for it.

In the evening, I just love using the Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, another product that I've chirped on about before. It's a thin jelly-ish texture and it just fixes your skin, that's all I can say about it. Although the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil is a very recent addition to my skincare stash, it's such an SOS saviour of a product that I know I'll be going back for more once I'm out. Finally, while the Indeed Labs Fillume moisturiser isn't something I talk about much on the blog, I've been using it for a while now and it's such a good night cream, it's really plumping on the skin and makes you wakeup looking fresh.

February Favourites

Another month down and it's been a good one for new discoveries. I have quite a few things to talk about this month so lets get right down to it.

I'll start with one that's possibly a bit obvious: in my post about the new releases to the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani line, I made my feelings towards the Lipsticks in that collection pretty clear (click here if you missed it!). I have gone back and picked up the shade "Rock Steady" (resisting hard on the other shades - surely buying them all is a little extreme?) but it's the shade "Firebird" that really has my heart. It's an awesome deeper bright pink and it's super comfortable and so unique and my other lipsticks have barely had a look in this month. Seriously, love.

With a bold lip I've been going for something a little less in-your-face on the eyes and I've been gravitating to the Love of Colour One and Done Shadow Stick in the shade "Champagne Problems". I got this in my Birchbox this month and LOC is an in-house brand at Birchbox and let me tell you, these shadow sticks aren't messing around. They're £8 each and they're pigmented, long lasting, creamy eyeshadow sticks and you'll be hearing more about this brand in an upcoming post. My only complaint? There's only 2 shades available in the UK right now - LOC, please release more!

Another Birchbox win this month was the Spectrum Collections Tapered Finishing Brush. This brush retails for £7.99 and it's a really lovely brush for contouring the cheek bones. I love that it's so colourful and even though it's only £7.99 full price it feels really sturdy and nicely made. For those of you that want vegan friendly, cruelty free brushes these are also synthetic bristle brushes.

Ive been getting back into using setting sprays. I went off them because the only ones on the market were a bit up there in price and for me they didn't do an awful lot - Ive had the Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray in my collection for years. On a recent trip to Boots I saw that the L'Oreal Infallible Fixing Mist had come over to the UK and it was in my basket before you could say "setting spray". I'm still not sure if it's doing much for the longevity of my makeup but it does make my base apply a little nicer as it gives some slip and I've been using it every day since I got it.

And finally? Hair masks. I've not been into hair for ages but I'd been wearing it up off my face a lot for a few weeks and noticed the ends were feeling a bit brittle and not as soft as they normally are. Depending on how much time I have in the shower I've either been reaching for the Swell Ultimate Volume Masque or the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer in the "Geranium & Neroli" scent. I personally prefer the effect of the Philip K option, it's a bit of a faff having to dampen the hair, put the mask in and then leave for 5-10 minutes before shampooing but the effect is great.

My Must-Have Masks

Face masks have always been a really popular product type in the world of skincare and with good reason. They tend to be my go-to product for a quick fix when my skin's misbehaving and I've tried an awful lot of them but here's a run down of my favourites from the ones I've tried:

For the dry or dehydrated out there, there's a lot of moisturising masks on the market and, while some budget options are quite good, my absolute favourite one is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask (£23 for 100ml). It's essentially a super heavy duty night cream and you apply a thin layer before bed for a boost of hydration. The scent is nice and fruity and it leaves the skin feeling soft and supple. If the Origins is out of your price range my affordable alternative would be the Super Facialist by Una Brennan Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask at £9.99 for 125ml. This is more of a quick fix type mask than an overnight treatment but it works well and the rose scent is lovely.

Clay masks are something you really don't need to spend a lot of money on if you don't want to. My absolute favourite clay mask is the Aroma Actives Deep Cleansing & Purifying Clay Mask. It's around the £10 mark for 100ml and I pick this up from Sainsbury's (although this product isn't available on the Sainsbury's website), I like this one because it's an effective clay mask but it doesn't strip all of the moisture out of the skin like some clay masks do. If Aroma Actives isn't available near you or if you just fancy splurging on a more luxe clay mask, the Charlotte Tilbury Goddess Skin Clay Mask is a nice one. My only problem with it is that, at £45 for 75ml, I think it's quite steeply priced for something that works very similarly to the Aroma Actives one.

The final mask type I'll be talking about today is the exfoliating mask. I have two that work very similarly and they are the Oskia Renaissance Mask and the Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask. They're both an orange-y pink gel texture with a soft rose-y scent. They both go onto the skin with a jelly-ish texture and neither of them will dry or "set' on the face. I personally wouldn't be able to tell the difference between them in a blind trial and they're quite similarly priced with the Oskia being £48.50 for 50ml and the Tata Harper being £45 for 30ml. I'll leave either of these on for 3-10 minutes, rinse off and my skin feels so smooth after use.

A good exfoliating mask for me has some slightly pricier ingredients in the formula and, because of that, I haven't been able to find a more budget friendly option. However if you're strapped for cash and need some exfoliation in your life I'd recommend a more affordable exfoliating toner which you can use 2-3 times a week like the Pixi Glow Tonic (£18 for 250ml) or the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads (£22 for 60 pads).

January Favourites

First month of 2016 is over and I've never been so glad to see the back of a month in my life. January this year brought me some big challenges but there's been some great product discoveries this month that have helped me along the way. We've also got one rediscovery in here too that I'm equally excited about. So let get into it.

My rediscovery this month was the Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation. I absolutely love this. The shade match it great, the formula is comfortable and it lasts well on the skin and the packaging is practical for travel. For a high-end foundation it's not too up there in price £32.50 for 30ml (although it was definitely more around the £26 mark when I first started wearing it so the price has crept up over the years). I use shade "03" and the shade range is really impressive. The lightest shade is white and the darkest is very dark, and the shade selection caters to everyone from the fairest of the fair to those with the absolute deepest of skin tones which is great.

I finally picked up one of the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors, these have to be one of the most hyped lip product ever and for good reason. I have shade "02" which is a natural pink and theres a really nice amount of shine to these. They're a relatively sheer lipgloss/balm hybrid product that are super comfortable on the lips without being sticky at all. Also - the scent/taste on these, they're lovely and sweet without being overpowering at all. Best of all? They've just introduced a berry shade into the line and I will definitely picking it up shortly.

This one won't come as a surprise to those who read my review/rave on the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette (here - spoiler, it's a positive one). The packaging is amazing, the selection of shades is the perfect balance between wearable and fun colours and it really caters to my "fairest of them all" skin tone. My favourite shades have been "Punk", "Zone", "Steady" and "Danger". The formulas are amazing and most of these are shades I can see myself reaching for a lot. I've picked up a few more bits from the collection so check back on Friday this week to hear more about that.

So the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel has finally been knocked off the top spot. I have a review on the whole set coming up soon but the Tata Harper Purifying Cleanser has just jumped to the top spot in my skincare stash this month. The citrus-y scent is nice and refreshing for an AM cleanse and the formula is creamy and cooling on the skin. I saw a noticeable difference in my skin after using this cleanser which always puts a product on my radar. Obviously I take pretty good care of my skin so when something makes a really visible difference for me it's always impressive.

My last pick is also a skincare product and again it's one that been featured in a post recently: the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. I only have the travel size for now and I'm rationing it until payday when I can go and treat myself to a full size. This is just such a lovely day cream, super moisturising, makes a nice base for makeup, smells amazing. What's not to love?

A Re-Introduction: Happy Birthday Blog!

I'm pretty big on reflection and I think celebrating milestones and achievements is really important when it comes to self improvement. With that in mind I'm dedicating this post to my blogs first birthday.

My first ever post was "A Short Introduction". I wasn't really sure how to kick off this whole beauty blogging thing and I figured an introduction to who I am and why I'm doing this was probably a good place to start. My first full week of blog posts was dedicated to my top favourites - but after a year, which makeup products are still on my must have list?

Both the foundation and concealer I included in my original line up have been switched out. My go-to foundations at the moment are the L'Oreal True Match and the L'Oreal Infallible, I've been finding the colourstay a little heavy lately and I've hear that it's been reformulated so I've been trying out other things. I've been using a combination of the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer and the Clarins Instant Light Brush on Perfector for concealer. I still really like the Nars but the shade range doesn't go quite as light as the other too.

I think we all know that I'm still using and loving the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder and the Soap & Glory Solar Powder is still in my regular line up as well. I'm using it more as a contouring shade lately but I still like to take a big fluffy brush and bronze up my hairline with this too.

While I still like Urban Decay Primer Potion, it's not something I run out and repurchase straight away anymore. I've tried the Too Faced Shadow Insurance and that's equally nice, and Rimmel also do a decent one if you're not needing super long staying power. The Urban Decay Naked Palette is still something I use but I've been mixing it up a lot more with my eyeshadow palettes. Maybelline's The Nudes Palette is a great neutral pick and I've been getting a lot of use out of the Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Palette since I picked that up too.

I've had great luck with brows this year, from the Maybelline Brow Satin to the Soap & Glory Archery Pencil. I've given up on filling in with eyeshadow as it gives a less defined finish. For eyeliners I generally reach for either the Rimmel Scandaleyes ones or the Maybelline Master Drama. For mascara I've been using the MaxFactor 2000 Calorie Curved Brush Mascara, it's not quite as voluminous as the Urban Decay combination but it's quicker and guaranteed to get a super black lash every time.

For lips, my collection has been growing and growing this year and it's something I'm always changing up. Interestingly, the lip products I've picked out my most used over the year follow the same kind of colour/texture combination as last years (I'm clearly a creature of habit) but not one of these is a repeat.

The Nars Soft Matte Lip Pencil in shade "Iberico" was a bright, matte orange-y red but in the last year I decided that it was maybe a little too orange for an everyday wearable pick and I've been reaching for the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in the shade "Hot Pepper" a lot more. Still a matte orangey red and still a bright shade but this is more red than orange.

I have a new glossy, medium pink pick this year: the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in "404 - Cherries in the Snow". This is one of those iconic shades in the Revlon line and swatched next to last years pick the Estée Lauder Colour Envy Lipstick in "Tumultuous Pink" the Revlon pick is just a tiny bit deeper in tone.

My absolute favourite nude shade has been the Rimmel The One Lipstick in "700 Naughty Nude". Admittedly, this was something I picked up a little later in the last year but I've worn it at least once a week since I bought it and despite easy having a 50+ strong collection of lip products, this is one that I would instantly repurchase if I lost/finished it.

My 2015 Hair, Bath and Body Favourites

So the final instalment of my 2015 beauty favourites is going to be focusing on all things hair, bath and body. If you've been keeping up with the rest of these posts you'll already know that these aren't "hall of fame" type posts, they're very much like the monthly favourites I post. But here we have it:

I've loved two shampoos pretty equally this year and both are from the L'Oreal Sulphate-Free range. The first one I liked was the Ever Pure and I've since moved on to the Ever Strong as it gives more volume but I love this range in general. Leaves your hair really clean but not stripped and is great for not making colour-treated hair fade too quickly.

My other hair favourite this year is the only styling product I've ever been faithful to: the Color Wow One Minute Transformation. I got this in a gift-with-purchase at a Space NK event back in February and I've loved it ever since. I literally use a tiny pee-sized amount in the roots of my hair to give some lift after straightening and it's great.

My favourite bath product of the year was a tough choice because I've used and loved so many this year, but when it came down to it the one I wouldn't want to be without it the Aromatherapy Associates Bath Oils. I've had the mini set for a while now and since some of the oils are getting pretty low I've recently invested in the slightly larger Ultimate Bath Jewels set that they had out this Christmas. They're just so relaxing in your bath.

For body scrubs I've tried some great ones towards the tail end of the year but my consistent favourite has been the Soap & Glory Pulp Friction. The scent on this is lovely and the scrubbie-particles are really exfoliating without being painful or irritating at all. The best thing about this is the formula though, the particles are suspended in a creamy formula that really clings to your skin and so it doesn't go everywhere and leave your bathroom a mess.

Last but not least we have the Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream. Smells like mint, feels great. You just apply a thin layer to your feet,pop on some socks and there you have it, silky smooth feet in no time. The tube recommends wearing it to bed but I can't sleep in socks so I just wear it under my socks around the house when I haven't got much on and I love it.

So my 2015 favourites series has come to an end, but check back on Monday to see what products I really didn't get on with through 2015.

My 2015 Skincare Favourites

2015 Favourites continues, and just like I did in my makeup favourites, this is more of a random picks that I've loved than a "Hall of Fame" type set up. I think skincare has taken over in the last few years as my favourite element of beauty so I own and test a lot of it but I have some definite favourites this year.

My cleansing favourite through the year has been the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel. While in the very last week of the year I've found something that I think may top it (trust me, I'm just as surprised a regular readers) this has been with me all year and while I've been using it sparingly, it always makes my skin look amazing and the experience of using it is blissful. Will continue to use this in my rotation even if it does eventually fall of that top spot.

For makeup removal there is nothing more worth the money than the Super Facialist by Una Brennan Vitamin C Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil. The packaging is pants but the actual product inside is amazing. Removes makeup quicker than anything else out there. I do like traditional eye-makeup removers but I prefer this of any of them.

I feel a bit of a cheat for including 3 "cleansing" products in this round up, but for a convenient skincare product, the Garnier Micellar Water has been something of a lifesaver for me this year. It's not something I use daily and it's not something I recommend as your "cleanse" step. But in scenarios where you've got home late or your up early and your general tone is "can't be bothered" this is a great cheat. My skin won't look it's best if I use this as my only cleanser for a few days but for occasional use it's fine and I like to keep a bottle on hand for emergencies.

My facial spritz of the year has been the La Roche Posay Serozinc. I'm so happy that this product finally made it's way onto the UK high street and while there are more luxurious spritz's out there, this one is both the most effective and the most affordable. I love the calming spray and it does keep my break-outs a bay when I'm using it. It's one of those products that I keep in backup.

Best serum is an easy one: Indeed Labs Hydraluron. The Sarah Chapman Skinesis Hydrating Booster is pretty similar for effect but feels a bit nicer going on if you're feeling a bit spend-y or you're wanting a bit of a treat. But bang-for buck? Indeed Labs every time. I've repurchased multiple times. It's in the backup drawer. It's used at least 3 times a week. Absolute must-have. I always stock up when it's on offer in Boots.

For my moisturiser step, I flit between them all the time depending on how dry/oily my skin is, whether I'm wearing makeup ect. So rather than pick a favourite I'd just mention a few that have worked great for me over the last year: the MV Organics Rose Plus Booster, the Clarins Lotus Facial Oil, the N-Spa Oil-Free Moisture Gel, Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial, Omoravicza Illuminating Moisturiser and the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturiser. There's probably some that I've missed out but they've all been great for me in 2015.

Check back on Friday for the "Other Beauty Bumf" edition of the 2015 series. :)

My 2015 Makeup Favourites

So I've spent an awful lot of time trying to plan out how I wanted this post to look. It's my first annual favourites post and I wanted to make it informative and interesting, but also appropriate for where my collection sits right now - I've been doing this whole blogging thing for almost a year now, but I'm still no where near an expert.

I love the annual favourites where things are laid out as the best in a certain category but, realistically, there would be gaps where I don't have a "Holy Grail" type product. I also think that format works better for vloggers and could get a bit lengthy and dull via blog post. So with all that in mind, I figured I'd just run over the products this year that have wowed me. There's no rhyme or reason and there's no "Best of" type set up, this is just the things I've loved most this year. So lets get going.

While I'm not sure I need to mention the Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder, when I thought "what's the one product I would go straight out and repurchase if it was lost/stolen/etc?" that was the only permanent product that came to mind. There will more than likely be a day that I stop harping on about this product, but that day is not today. If you're oily/combination or have any patches on your face where you struggle with oil control (for me it's my T-zone) this powder is great. While it doesn't leave me completely touch-up free all day, it's the longest lasting product I've found so far.

Another base product I've adored this year is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer. I did begin the year with the Nars Creamy Radiance Concealer and that is very similar in texture. I just think the shade range is better on the Urban Decay and I was able to get a better skin-tone match with that one. Also, it's a tad cheaper than the Nars and the formulas are very comparable.

When I was thinking about coloured complexion products for this post, I got a bit stuck. I'm quite promiscuous when it comes to blush, bronzer and contour. I love my Nars One Shocking Moment Palette but I've still been using my L'Oreal True Match Blush and my Soap & Glory Solar Powder in rotation with it so it didn't quite make that top spot. Then I realised that whatever I'm contouring with, I always use the Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush. It's just the perfect shape for chiselling out some cheek bones.

For eyes I have two slightly different products. The Maybelline Master Drama Khol Eyeliner Pencil has made it into this list because, While I do still use my Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in "Perversion". I'm at the point where I'm just using it because I have it and it wasn't cheap. I think the Maybelline is just as good and won't be repurchasing the Urban Decay again once it runs out. (Although the colour selection on the UD is much better and I would still go to them for the out-there shades).

My other pick for eyes is one product where I thought "what's the one eyeshadow product that I'd be really upset to lose?" and it was the Nars Steven Klein Eyeshadow Single in "Stud". This would have been my "go straight out and repurchase" product had it not been a limited shade (please make it permanent Nars! We need more of this!). It's just the most beautiful, subtle but glitzy shade ever. It's a light bronze with a subtle almost greenish tone to it and then a super fine gold glitter running through it. The formula is lovely and creamy. It's stunning and I wear it constantly.

Finally, my least favourite decision of the whole post: the lip product. In this last year I've become somewhat of a lip product junkie so narrowing it down to a single product was quite tricky. In the end I just thought, "what have I reached for most throughout the whole year?" and from the very beginning of the year until the very end I'm sure it's got to have been the Lipstick Queen Big Bang Lipgloss in "Creation". Similarly to the Nars eyeshadow, it;s a neutral shade with something a little special. The formula is nice and comfortable, the colour is sheer but not too sheer and the shimmer to it is super pretty but also really fine and you can't feel it on the lips at all.

So there we have it, my makeup favourites for the year. Next up is skincare, see you on Wednesday!

December Favourites

So first things first: Happy New Year everyone! As you read this, I will be nursing a hangover and begging the boyfriend to make me tea and bacon butties for breakfast (there is nothing like a brew and a bacon sandwich to nurse a hangover).

So with December being over and done with, I figured it was time for my December Favourites. I've still chosen to do a December favourites as well as my 2015 favourites because there's some new stuff I've been loving this month that wouldn't make it into the yearly favourites and I don't want them to get missed out.

In the spirit of Christmas, I spent most of December sporting various shades of red and berry on my lips, and to compliment that I've been going for quite an understated, neutral eye and the Soap & Glory Lid Stuff Palette in "What's Nude" has been perfect for that. It has a matte cream, a matte dusty pink, a matte medium brown and a shimmery pinky-taupe shade. These do kick up quite a bit of fallout but they're easy to blend and the shades are so wearable.

Another product for the eyes that I've been reaching for a lot this month was the Clarins Instant Light Brush-On Perfector in the Shade "00" - the lightest shade. I've loved everything I've tried from the Clarins Instant Light range so far so I really need to go and pick up some more of it. This one is kind of like the YSL Touche Eclat but stepped up in terms of coverage. A great under-eye concealer that covers and brightens effectively.

On the topic of glow-givers an absolute steal of a product that I've loved this month is the Revolution Radiance Palette. This is one of their 3-shade highlighter palettes and they've been coined as being dupes for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. Now I haven't tried any of the Hourglass powders yet to compare but the Revolution ones are really nice. I don't use the darker shade as I'm really pale but the far left shade works great as a face powder for me and the centre shade is my highlight of choice lately.

I've been cheating on my Dove Invisible Dry Deodorant with the Mitchum 48hr Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant. I tried a Mitchum spray-on in November and really liked it so I thought I'd give this one a go. It's not my favourite in terms of texture but it's more effective than the Dove, I think I'll have to experiment with which formula I prefer but this looks like a winner for me.

And finally, I have a confession to make. December has been a real lazy month for me. My skincare routine went completely out the window for a good week when the Christmas shopping blues hit me. Between working full time and Christmas stuff I wasn't getting an awful lot of sleep so I traded in my skincare routine for extra minutes in bed and just did a quick morning cleanse with the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water. I wouldn't recommend using this all the time but for lazy days it's better than nothing.

My Picks of The Lush 2015 Christmas Collection

So for me Christmas Eve is the day of preparation and family time. In the afternoon my family usually go out to see a Christmas film at the pictures or if we're feeling fancy we go for a pantomime or a play and in the evening it's all about snuggling up on the couch with our Christmas film of choice (Gremlins. Always Gremlins). But the morning is preening time. I like a nice bath and to get all nice and clean. So with that in mind, while I know it's a bit late, I thought I'd go through my picks of Lush's 2015 Christmas Collection.

While the bath bombs aren't normally my favourites (I do prefer something that will give bubble normally) the bath bombs in this years Christmas collection have pretty much been killing it. I've loved Golden Wonder for years now and I'm glad it keeps coming back. I didn't pick up Santa Claus last year because I wasn't sure I'd like it but I've seen some demos now and it's got some lovely colours to it and the scent is lovely.

I'm borderline addicted to the scent of Yog Nog. I'd have picked up the soap as well but I have enough in reserves to last me until next Christmas so I couldn't justify it. Dashing Santa isn't my favourite for scent but I like the effect in the bath so I did pick one of those up again this year too.

Anything Snow Fairy is my favourite so the Snow Fairy Shower Gel has made an appearance (although I never buy the massive ones because I have about 5 shower gels on rotation at the moment and they're quite expensive for what they are). I also picked up a Candy Mountain because the sickly sweet bubbles are just lush. Pun partially intended.

This post is also missing some products that I love: Butterbear (I was convinced I'd already been and picked some of these up!) it's my favourite for mixing with normal bubble bath for so moisture. Holly Go Lightly is also absent because as cute as it is and as nice as it smells I bathe to get clean, not to become covered in glitter. Finally, I didn't pick up a Star Dust either, because it smells lovely but it's just a white bath bomb from what I've seen and I'd already picked up quite a few bits.

I'm also a bit gutted that while Cinders has made a reappearance in the Christmas release this year, the scent seems different. I'm not sure if Lush have changed the scent or if maybe my scent preferences have changed slightly, but I used to love that one and now it does nothing for me.

October Favourites

I can't believe October is pretty much over already (I know this is a bit earlier than I normally post my monthly favourites but that's the way the schedule fell due to other posts I've got lined up). I've been testing out a few new bits this month and I think I've found some good picks for this one.

On the make-up front, I know I gave these an honorary mention last month but I just wanted to mention that the Fluer De Force Lip Gloss has been a true favourite this month, I've worn the shade "Written In The Stars" at least twice a week since I picked it up and it's just a great fuss-free everyday neutral.

With me keeping it simple on the lips I've been going for a bit of a stronger look on the eyes and have been gravitating towards my Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon in "Golden Quartz for Hazel Eyes Day" it's a great rusty bronze with golden shimmer that seems to give a subtle hint of green to the lids and I love the uniqueness of the shade. The formula is great too, nice and quick to apply and lasts well.

My final makeup favourite for the month is the Bourjois Sourcil Precision Eyebrow Pencil. I have the shade "07 Noisette" and it's a great eyebrow pencil. It's a bit waxier than other formulas and I find that I don't need to use a brow gel with this one as it's got a little hold to it and my brows aren't particularly unruly. My only bug-bare with this is that the brush on the lid is a bit pants, if they swapped that out for a good spool-y brush this would be perfect.

Possible TMI here: as it's been getting a bit colder I've been finding that my feet have been getting a bit gross looking/feeling. I've been popping on the Soap & Glory Hell Genius Amazing Foot Cream under my socks on a daily basis and it's sorted out any dryness or general winter-woes pretty quickly. A great SOS product.

For skincare I have two new favourites, one high end and one budget. For high end I've been loving the Skyn Iceland Pure Cloud Cleanser. It's a lovely, cooling creamy cleanser and while it can be used both day and night I find that the cooling sensation is just exactly what I want in the morning to wake me up.

My budget skincare find is the Nspa Oil-Free Moisture Gel, this is an insanely good product. I'd moved on to using oils instead of moisturisers 9 times out of 10 because moisturisers just weren't cutting it for me. Having oily but dehydrated skin made it really hard for me to find something hydrating enough but that wasn't too heavy or greasy to wear under makeup but this product has it down. It's a nice hydrating cream that sinks in almost immediately.

And there we have it, I still can't believe how fast this year is going.

September Favourites

Another month down and its been a good one this month both for finding new favourites and rediscovering old loves that I'd forgotten about. With it being the end of skint-tember, not everything will be high-street this time around but there's some affordable products in the mix. An honourable mention needs to go to the Fleur De Force Lipglosses, I love these at the moment but haven't had them long enough for them to qualify as a monthly favourite but I didn't want to leave them out.

A couple of products I found when testing affordable products for Skint-tember are the L'Oreal Le Blush and the Maybelline Master Drama Khol Liner. The blush is a nice peachy pink that's easy to apply and just brightens up the complexion and the texture is lovely on the face, I wouldn't necessarily have picked this up if I hadn't been trialling products specifically for the posts for last month (one day I'll show you how the blush drawer has gotten out of hand since the blog) but I'm really glad I did because this was a nice affordable find.

I've been picking up a few pieces from Maybelline's Master range lately and it seems to be a line of on-point releases from what I can see. I discovered the Master Sculpt Contour Palette last month and that went straight into a favourites post and this month I picked up the eye liner from the range and again it's shot straight to the top of my love-list. It's a nice strong black eyeliner that wears well but is creamy to apply.

On the topic of the Maybelline Master Sculpt, I may have been cheating this month. Birchbox sent me a small size of The Balm's Balm Desert Bronzer/Blush and I've been liking this for a contour shade lately. It's a bit deeper than the Maybelline so I do have to be a bit careful but it's been nice for popping in my makeup bag when I'm on the go.

I've also shelved my long-loved L'Oreal Pure Colour Shampoo for a while. I ran out a few weeks back and when I went for a repurchase I couldn't find it in stock anywhere, so after a few moments standing at the display in dismay I decided to try the Ever Strong from the same range. The Pure Colour is marketed for "Flat, Coloured Hair" and the Ever Strong claims to be new and is for "Fine, Flat Hair and Delicate Scalp" and it's still sulphate-free from what I can see so good for the colour too and I think it's my new favourite. It's just so much better for giving texture and volume to the hair and I like it a lot.

I've recently been investing in some nice quality brushes as well. I've been using a set I picked up from Frauline for the last few years and they were a great, affordable starter set for me but they've gotten a bit old and need replacing and I've decided to slowly start switching them out for really nice ones (if anyone wants an update on all of my recent brush buys let me know and I can do a post on that). After finally picking up a MAC 217 I don't know how I've managed without one for so long and I'm tempted to go back and pick up this brush in duplicate. It's makes eyeshadow application so easy and if you don't own this brush and you're into eyeshadow, I'd recommend giving it a go.

A re-discovery this month has been the Aromatherapy Associates Bath & Shower Oils, I particularly like the "Relax" and "De-Stress" sub-ranges and will more than likely be picking up a full size of some of these soon. I've been saving these oils for special occasions but I've decided I need to just get using them because they're lovely. I like the miniatures set because I think it contains a mini of all the ones in the range and you can sample which ones you like best before you buy. And if you have a small bath like me you can get 2-3 baths out of each bottle. They're also a great size for travel.

And finally, I wanted to throw in a random favourite this month. My boyfriend and I have made our way through a marathon of most TV series' by now and we decided we wanted something new to do together and decided on getting an xbox game to play. He's really into gaming and I've been known to have a dabble at things here and there. So after much deliberation, we decided that the Lego Games range would be a nice way to introduce me to gaming as they're aimed for a younger audience and generally a bit easy. We picked up Lego Jurassic World a few weeks back and it's been great, the two player is good and there's lots to do so you get a lot of game time for you're money, we've also recently picked up Lego Star Wars so we've got some variation and hopefully I'll pick up some Xbox skills and we'll be able to get something more difficult next time but we're really enjoying it so far. If anyone has any game recommendations for next time we're all ears.

August Favourites

It's favourites time again, I swear, these posts come around way too fast, I can't believe summer is almost over (especially since we haven't really seen a single day of sunshine here in Manchester). It's a bit of a weird bunch this month and not much on the affordable end of things, but never fear, the high-street posts are coming! So here's my favourites from August:

Firstly, I'd not used many eyebrow gels so I was excited to try the Anastasia Clear Brow Gel and it's really nice. I don't have particularly unruly brows, they're quite good and stay where they should be but I always notice the colour I put through them when I do my makeup fades throughout the day and this gel seems to have helped my other products last a little longer in my brows.

Another high-end make-up favourite this month has been the Esteé Lauder Double Wear Light Foundation. I have combination skin and my make-up generally breaks down pretty quickly in my t-zone where I get a bit oily and I've fallen out with my Revlon Colourstay Foundation because it's just been looking a bit heavy lately. The Esteé Lauder has been really nice because it's a relatively light coverage and it doesn't feel too heavy on the skin but it sticks around for a really long time, especially when set with a powder.

I've also been loving the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel this month, it's really similar to the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel in texture but without the rose scent so if that was something you didn't like about the Oskia you might want to try the Clarins. I've had a mini bottle for ages but just took the plunge and picked up the full size (because if there's anything I need in life, it's another cleanser).

The final two things this month are a couple of products that I've really enjoyed using together: the Maybelline Master Sculpt contouring product and the Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush, which I've been eying up for months now. The Maybelline is nice because I have really pale skin and a good contour shade is something that I've really struggled to find but this one is cool enough to use as a contour and comes in a light enough shade that it doesn't look crazy on me and the Charlotte Tilbury brush makes it really easy to place the product in the right place.

Treat Week - High End Makeup Favourites

After finishing a whole week of high-street beauty product posts, I figured the high-end heros needed some love too, so this week is all about those high-end products that are worth the price tag. However since some of these are really pricey products, I've limited myself to 10 so I only mention the ones that I love.

Something that I've posted a review on before that was neither here-nor-there is the By Terry Ombré Blackstars. I have them in "Misty Rock" and "Brown Perfection" and when I first got these I didn't think they were all that, and formula wise, while they're good, they're no better than the Bourjois Colour-Band 2-in-1 Shadow and Liner pencils. The thing that made them qualify for a space in this line up is the shade selection, while "Brown Perfection" is a fairly dupe-able shade, "Misty Rock" is very unique and I think the fact that you can't get the exact colour elsewhere makes it worth the money.

Another product that is definitely more of a luxury than a necessity is the Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. I also like the satin finish pencils from Nars but the matte ones are just lovely, not too uncomfortable for a matte and a really long-wearing finish on the lips and again, the shade selection is lovely. They're a bit different from the matte pencils available on the high-street as they aren't a twist up which I like, since you can keep the nib nice and pointy which makes for easier application.

I have two high-end mascaras that I love but my favourite of the two is Urban Decays Perversion Mascara, especially with a black liner look because this mascara is the blackest of black and helps my lashes not to get lost in the liner. It adds a lot of volume and just enough length and is even better when you use it over their Subversion Lash Primer.

Another Urban Decay product that I've fallen in love with recently is their Naked Skin Concealer, there is another concealer in this line up that I love but the Urban Decay one is a perfect skin-tone match for me. This is the only concealer I've found that I can wear without applying foundation because it's just that good a match which is rare for me because I'm deathly pale and lots of brands don't stock shades that are quite light enough for me (I find myself having to use the blend-it-down-your-neck-so-it-doesn't-look-so-bad technique on the daily).

I've never been much of a lipgloss girl but I have a couple of high-end ones that I love: The Lipstick Queen Big Bang Illusion Gloss. It feels so nice on the lips because it's such a thin balm-y texture that adds the right amount of glitter, shine and colour on the lips. The shade "Cosmo" is a perfect your-lips-but-better shade for me and I reach for it constantly. It's become one of those lip products that just lives in my handbag.

The second concealer that I love is the Nars Creamy Radiant Concealer. This was my oringinal high-end concealer love. If the shade selection had been better when I first bought it I doubt I'd have ever strayed to the aforementioned Urban Decay option. I think since I purchased they've released a shade light than "Vanilla" that is the one I picked up so I might have to check it out again. It's just a great concealer that's dry enough to use on blemishes but creamy enough to use under the eyes too.

The first high-end make-up product to become a staple in my collection was the Urban Decay Primer Potion, and even though since I found that one I've tried a couple of others, this is still the one I go back to every time. The packaging is none-offensive and easy to use and the formula is great, it makes any eyeshadow formula last longer on the lids and it doesn't separate out in the tube, even when you haven't used it for a while which I love.

A high-end product that I have moments with is the Benefit High Beam highlighting liquid. I just think it's brilliant and if I was always in a highlighting mood I can imagine this would find a permanent home in my daily makeup bag. I generally gravitate to highlights in the summer and winter but not really in spring or autumn so this product switches from my makeup bag to my stash and vice-verse quite a lot, but it's always a product I come back to.

A long-time make-up love for me has been Urban Decays 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils. When I first fell in love with these "Zero" was their black shade and I still love that one but since they've released "Perversion" I've struggled to find a comparable product for cheaper. They also do an amazing range of colours which makes them hard to dupe. While the Rimmel Scandleyes Eyeliner Pencils have a similar formula, the Urban Decay colours are just unrivalled for me.

And finally, a product that, again, I always go back to: Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation. This is my go to foundation for a night out or a day where i'm going to be out for a long time and I really want to look flawless all day. It covers like nothing else but in a natural way and has excellent oil-control for such a comfortable foundation. Also, the shade selection is amazing.

July Favourites

So it's that time of month again, where I relay info on my favourite beauty products of the last month and July has been a pretty non-eventful month for me this year. Lots of time at work and nights in spent marathoning Daredevil with the boyfriend and it's been a month of no beauty buying for me so this one is more of a rediscovered favourites post. But without further a-due.

It's been a month of easy goes-with-everything makeup and so I've been gravitating to No7's Stay Perfect Lip Crayon in the shade "Delicate Pink". I've been loving the your-lips-but-better pinks this month and this one is just so comfortable and I don't need a mirror to reapply.

My go-to blush for the month has been Benefit SugarBomb which is one of their boxed blushes, this is a pink, coral and purple that you swirl your brush in and sweep onto the cheeks. Mine shattered a while back but I've been trying to get some use out of it anyway because it's so pretty. I'm currently on the look out for a similar shade since this is the second of these Ive had that broken on me.

My final pink make-up must-have for the month has been the Bourjois ColorBand Eyeshadow Stick in the shade "05 Mauve Baroque". I originally picked it up hoping it might be a dupe for the By Terry Ombre Blackstar in "Misty Rock" and while, sadly, it's nothing like the By Terry shade, the colour is still nice and the formula is lovely.

For the odd night that I've stayed away from home I've been loving the Skyn Iceland Glacial Facial Cleansing Cloths. While I wouldn't use these every night, they're fine for the odd night here and there and these are brilliant. Very refreshing on the skin and they don't seem to dry out at all. At £13 for 30 they aren't the cheapest in the world, but I've found them to be the nicest one I've used.

And finally, the REN Clarimatte Clarifying Toner has made it's way back into my skincare routine. A few hard days at work have resulted in a few breakouts around my chin and cheeks and so I've been applying this with a cotton bud morning and night to try to keep my skin relatively clear and it always seems to bring my skin back to normality when it's had a bit of a moment.

My Top 3 Nail Picks for Spring/Summer

Despite the fact that it's supposedly spring coming up to summer, in my home town of Manchester, it's currently resembling a particularly botched-up shower in a house with no heating. So in an attempt to prepare myself for the summer that may never come, I've been gravitating to more Spring/Summer nail colours and hoping that the weather would catch-up (a girl can dream eh?).

The newest (and most expensive) colour to land in my collection is Butter London 3 Free nail Lacquer in "Knackered", I picked this up for a wedding I was attending recently and the colour has featured here on the blog before but it's a beaut. I can see myself getting a lot of wear out of it this season as it's that oil-slick effect that seems to be the in thing at the moment, but it's also quite subtle and pretty. Works well on fingers and toes and is chip-resistant to the point that it's a tiny bit difficult to remove, but in a good way.

A shade I've had for years and always go back to is MaxFactor Nailfinity in "Disco Pink", it's the only bright that I really wear these days. A very flattering bright pink shade that comes back every spring and summer for me. I wear a lot of black and navy so I love this to brighten things up a bit and again, the wear time is really good.

And then the go-to goes-with-everything shade is Topshop Nails in "Crystal Clouds". It's a pale gold that's very much a something on the nails but not so noticeable unless it's in the light, in fact I'd maybe describe it as a metallic nude on me. It's not got the lasting power of the other two so you'll have to reapply every few days but because it's so subtle it's not to noticeable when there's tiny chips in it.