Hero Products of 2015

 I can't believe that it's almost the end of 2015! 2015 brought some awesome things to my attention, from new music, to amazing beauty products to staple skin-care items and I would like to share a few of my hero finds with you!

In May I finally tried the brand La Roche-Posay and it just changed my outlook on skincare, skincare should be simple, minimalist but still thorough, and this is a brand which delivers just that. I have a post dedicated to three of my La-Roche Posay finds and I can happily tell you that I have repurchased them all and they are still in my skincare routine.

In terms of music, three artists really stuck with me this year; the first is Muse, their new album Drones is fantastic, I am such a fan of their music and I am going to see them next April! My favourite songs are Dead Inside, The Handler and also JKF which then leads to Defector! The next album I listened to on my trip to India and that was Maroon V's album V and it was really good! More on the pop side but really energising and just good fun to listen to! I mentioned their album in My September Favourites! The last artist I want to mention is Lo-Fang, I just discovered his album Blue Film a week ago and I am already obsessed! If you love mellow music which has meaning and love to just sit down and listen, then this is the album I would point you to! My favourite songs include Blue Film, #88 and Boris!

My next hero product, well hero brand that I discovered this year is NARS, their foundation the All Day Luminous Weightless (£32.00/ 30ml) was the first product which really called out to me, I did a full review of it, but  to sum up, it's super lightweight, really pigmented and just lasts nicely on the skin. If you want an all rounder foundation, then this is the one I would point you towards! I received my first NARS blush this year in the shade LibertÉ (£23.00/4.8g) and although it looks a bit out there in the pan, it's actually really lovely on the skin. It's a burnished apricot shade that adds a bit of definition, and just really suits tanned skin. The formula and pigmentation are phenomenal, I only need the tiniest amount and I am set!

The last thing I want to mention is my blog, this year I have really enjoyed delving into my more lifestyle post, my 10 studying tips was one of my most viewed posts! My holiday photo posts also get quite a bit of views, this year I went to Paris and India! I want to thank you guys for reading and commenting!

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Review: L'Oréal Volume Million Lashes Waterproof

For some reason, I've never really ventured into L'Oréal, they always seem to have lovely stuff, and some products have been forever on my wishlist ( the True Match foundation, is something I want to try). In Boot's L'Oréal have an excellent offer: if you spend £14.99 or more you get a free gift, the Feline Fatal Christmas 2015 gift which includes a mascara, an eyeliner, an eye-shadow quad and also a nail varnish. So I snapped up this mascara, along with a primer and I've been so impressed with the deal I just had to share. 

The L'Oréal Volume Million Lashes Waterproof  (£9.99/ 2ml) is eye-catching, it has a lovely mirrored gold exterior and is more on the chubby side, I wanted this purely because it is waterproof, I have learned the hard way that short, thin, straight lashes need a waterproof formula in order to hold a curl. This actually lived up to it's claims, I don't have a million lashes but it seems to bring out a few more, giving me a more doe-eyed effect, also it holds a curl so it is a good mascara in my books! What I love about this product is that it has an anti-clump wiper, so when you pull out your mascara wand from the product, it's got a nice amount of product to give you what you need and so it's hard to really make a mess of things.

I only wear one coat, and I find that this is good for separating and defining individual lashes, it gives you a slightly fanned out effect which is nice. This mascara makes your eyelashes feel normal, it's not crispy or hard, and so you can tell that this product just wants to emphasises and make use of what you've already got.

As this is waterproof, and some people may find taking this off an issue, I always use a separate eye make-up remover just because I don't want to irritate my eyes. I found that this wasn't that hard to remove without using an actual eye-makeup remover, but I only use one coat, so that may be why!

I'm happy with this product, and I'm glad I went and bought it. Usually with mascara's, I know within the first five minutes if I will like it (my eyelashes will usually start drooping) and this has most definitely exceeded that! 

I can't wait to try out the other L'Oréal stuff and I will be reviewing them for sure! Let me know what your favourite products are from L'Oréal.
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The Best Winter Eyeshadow Palette: M.A.C Burgundy Times Nine

I made a new purchase a few months ago and it's completely astounded me how I failed to mention it on my blog, because I have been using it like crazy! 

I honestly think this palette is the one to get this season because it's just got a little more edge over other eye-shadow palettes out there...

M.A.C's Burgundy Times Nine (£30.00/0.8g), is the winter palette that beats them all in my opinion. The packaging is standard M.A.C: simple black plastic that encases nine small eye-shadows, it's sturdy but sleek and also has a magnetic strip, so that the eye-shadow is protected.

The reason I was drawn to this is because I think it's very good value, you get nine shadows which equates to just over £3 each and you do get a decent amount of product. I have never actually finished a full size eye-shadow before and so I think having these mini ones is just really convenient as it really lets me test out some novel eye-shadow colours that haven't been hyped about so that I can really just discover and explore.

M.A.C do four of these little palettes and I was torn between this one and the Amber Times Nine, which is more brown and gold oriented. What urged me towards this one was that it actually does contain a gold and also a brown, so I figured this would be the best of both worlds. I have to say the colours in here are the perfect balance, the matte and satin finishes are perfect for everyday wear, but you also have the more shimmery and 'out-there' colours to deepen your look for evening wear.

The quality and pigment of these shadows are great too! They are super smooth and don't require much product to get an opaque layer of shadow on your lids and they blend out amazingly, especially the mattes. 

My new favourite daytime eye-shadow is Haux, it's a nude beige-purple colour which is great for all over the lid and because I have brown eyes, this really makes my eyes stand out and look a little brighter. If I feel like adding a bit more 'oomph' to my look, I'll add either Embark or Sketch to the outer corner of my lid. I know I would have never chosen this colour as a singular eye-shadow because I would get drawn to the more ostentatious colours, but I will purchase a full-size of Haux, If I ever finish this!

This is my go-to palette for everything at the moment, but it's especially handy if I am travelling as this takes no space, and makes my Urban Decay Naked Palette look a bit bulky, and too much for if I am just going home for the weekend! All in all, great palette for yourself or even as a gift for people who want to ease into wearing a bit more colour on their lids!

What do you think of this palette? I would also love to know what you are reaching for this season, so leave me a comment down below!

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Sì by Giorgio Armani

I love fragrances and although I don't talk about them a whole lot, I want to start exploring with scents a bit more. I think perfume is one way that you wear your personality, especially before you meet someone, it creates an impression, and so picking something that feels comfortable and like you is a must!  

Giorgio Armani Sì Eau de Parfum (50ml/£67.00) was a gift from my older sister, and as soon as I had a whiff of this, it was love at first smell! It's a scent which makes you want more, it's powerful and potent which means that you only need a few spritz but doesn't get too overpowering or sickly either. This scent lingers on my clothes, which I love, and so the quality of the product is definitely on point. 

When I smell this I can detect a woodsy rose and vanilla, and that's what captivates me with the scent, it's sultry but also really comfortable to wear in the day and night. I honestly wear it everyday now, I am totally hooked and I really wish I discovered this sooner because it smells fantastic. If you haven't smelt this, I would urge you to, especially if you like vanilla based musky scents. I haven't yet heard of anyone who doesn't like this, so I would love to hear what you guys think! 

Packaging wise, I love the simplicity, it's probably more of dressing table staple due to the heavy glass bottle but I have no complaints! All in all, it's just a beautiful fragrance that I think can be used in all seasons, but I think in spring and summer, this will be perfect for the evening due to the muskiness. Right now, no one is going to stop me wearing this. 

 For a more detailed descrption Boot's describe Sì as:

"Sì – The Modern and Elegant Chypre. Chic, sultry, intense and soft at the same time, Sì is a chypre scent reinvented, lingering on the skin and captivating the senses. It combines an inflection of three accords: blackcurrant nectar, modern chypre and light musky wood. The fragrance opens with notes of Sicilian Bergamot, Mandarin oil and blackcurrant liqueur which is supported by a heart which bursts with Rose May, Neroli and Egyptian Jasmine. Warm undertones caress the unique chypre base notes of Patchouli oil intertwined with Blond Woods, amber and musky undertones known as OrcanoxTM. Finished with a sweet animalic accord of Vanilla which gives this fragrance, longevity and unforgettable sillage. "

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