Monthly Favourites: February 2014

February; what an eventful month you've been! My boyfriend has moved to the States, which while not as close as I would like at least we're on the same continent now! I got a wee little promotion at work which is why my schedule has become easier to stick to the two a week posting schedule and my sister hosted the most badass DIY Harry Potter Birthday party for my nephew that turned 8; I helped out and was referred to as Mrs. Professor Snape all afternoon which I wasn't too upset by. You can see pictures of my sisters handiwork below. And yes, that is me teaching a spells class to a room full of kids...

Now on to the beauty!!

Skincare

February was a month of discovering new favourites and falling in love with old ones all over again!

Delarom Revitality Cream: This little wonder was one of the items I stockpiled during my trip to Paris, I've been using it for about six weeks now and it's amazing, let's just say NO MORE FOREHEAD WRINKLE! If you'd like to know more about why I love this product so much you can read my recent review of it here.

Etude House Missing U Handcream in Peach Panda: Ok, let's be real here, I only bought this hand cream because of how adorable the packaging is, but can you blame me?! Look at how cute it is!!! The cream itself was alright, great scent and doesn't leave your hands with a greasy residue but not nearly moisturizing enough if you have scaly dry hands like me. So why then did I love it so much? Because of the way the packaging is designed you can easily refill the panda when you've used up all the cream, so once I was out of the hand cream from Etude House I cleaned it out and refilled it with the Body Shop's Vineyard Peach Body Butter.

Clarisonic: I've had my Clarisonic Mia for about a year now and I love it. I know some people that use them daily whenever they cleanse their skin but my sensitive little skin just can't take that. When it was oilier and more acne prone that's exactly what I used to do and it worked wonders for me, but when my skin made the massive switch from oily and acne prone to dry and sensitive using it that much caused me to break out like crazy, so I stopped using. This month I reintroduced it to my skin care regime, only using it 2-3 times a week, when my skin was feeling dull or I had a lot of make up on and I just wanted to feel like my skin could breath again and I'm really happy I kept it around instead of giving into the urge to toss it when my face started to freak out; some times less really is more!

Hair Care

Charles Worthington Moisture Seal Overnight Ultimate Hair Healer: Fleur had mentioned this product in one of her favourites videos so when I was in London I had to pick it up and give it a go; it is truly worthy of the name Ultimate Hair Healer! The last night before my weekly shampoo I coat my hair in this and then throw it up into a bun; first let me point out that there is no messy residue left on your pillow from this which is awesome and after shampooing and conditioning as usual in the morning my hair was so unbelievably soft and shiny. When this runs out I'm going to have to get one of my friends in the UK to hit up Boots for me!

Charles Worthington Strength and Repair Pro-Heat Repair Milk: I picked this up at the same time as the overnight mask above because Boots had them on offer and I love this stuff! It works as a heat protectant for blow drying and straightening so you don't need to use two products- it leaves your hair super shiny and soft and I found it also gave a little added volume to my limp locks. I haven't been able to find anywhere online where I can get the Charles Worthington Spa at Home collection so if you know let me know in the comments below!

Difiaba Luminessence Shine Mist in Hibiscus Formula:  I bought a whole bunch of stuff from this collection online (ie. eBay) about a year ago and absolutely loved everything except for this, to me it was a let down, I felt like it left my hair looking greasy instead of shiny. After watching a YouTube video, can't remember who, about dry shampoo and shine sprays I tried spraying it into my brush and then running the brush through my hair as opposed to spraying it directly into my hair and what a world of difference that makes! I absolutely adore this now, its a combination of aromatherapy and hair care in one. The smell is incredible but not so strong as to be offensive, everything else in the collection also has this wonderful scent and my hair always looks so shiny and healthy when I use it. It pairs great with dry shampoo to bring back some shine instead of the "I didn't wash my hair this morning, or yesterday morning and coated it in powder instead" dull hair look I was previously sporting.

Beauty

L'Oreal's Mega Volume Miss Manga Mascara:  I picked this up in Boots back in January because the mascara I'd been using was finished and this one was new and on offer; it boasts uncontrollable volume and it does not leave you disappointed. The wand has a 360 degree flexible cone brush that makes it super easy to apply to even the teensiest lower lashes.

Skin Food Good Afternoon BB Cream in Peach Green Tea: When BB Creams first became popular in North America I steered clear because I had super oily acne prone skin and was busy applying full coverage mattifying foundation with a spackle, the thought of a more natural looking finish with a built in moisturizer was blasphemy to me. So when I started ordering Asian cosmetics and received billions of little samples of different BB Creams I figured maybe it was time to give them a try. I tried 12, yes 12, different samples and this one was my favourite; now that I have dry skin the moisturizing properties of a BB cream aren't up to par with what my skin needs so this one is nice in that the green tea provides oil control so I can layer over my normal cream without looking shiny and it gives great natural coverage.

MAC's Mineralize Skin Finish in Perfect Topping: I'm obsessed. Some days I feel like bathing in this and get a little carried away and suddenly what started out as a highlight has moved onto my collar bones and shoulders because I just can't be shimmery enough! This is a gorgeous rose gold colour that came out with the Fantasy of Flowers collection, I swatched it in a previous post that you can see here.

Random Bits and Bobs

Nigel the Dachshund Necklace from Cat-a-Cake Creations: I stumbled into a cute little boutique shop in Brighton and immediately fell in love with this necklace. I've previously owned two little dachshund and they're probably one of my favourite breeds and will always have a soft spot in my heart so when I saw this necklace I knew I needed it in my life, plus the cute little description that reads " Nigel is one cute little sausage dog looking for a loving home! He has 3 beautiful stars engraved on his back. He loves walks on the beach and dislikes Justin Beiber."stole my heart. While I was paying for the necklace I got a change to meet Nigel the cute little sausage the necklace was modeled after and I heard the heart warming story of how he was given as a 30th birthday gift to cheer up the designer who was a little upset about turning 30. You can find Nigel and many other cute designs here. That adorable little Jammie Dodgers necklace is next on my list!

Tea of the Month:  I was going to give it to Wanderlust Green Tea by Yumchaa Tea but since I already mentioned it in my What's in My Bag post I thought that I would give it to Choconut Oolong by David's Tea because it's like dessert in a cup and I've been indulging all month long!

Blog of the Month: She's quickly become one of my favourite blogger/vloggers, could it be that it's because she's a Canadian living in England with fantastic taste in beauty and skin care.... most likely. That or because she's freaking adorable. Check out Essiebutton here and on YouTube here.

Let me know what you guys were loving this month in the comments below!

What's in My Bag?

Every kid loves trick or treating at Halloween, I was no exceptions, although I loved it for a completely different reason than most 7 year olds. I wasn't too bothered by the candy bars that I did or didn't get, I probably wouldn't have noticed if they were handing out moldy sandwiches, I was out there completely  because I had a strange fascination with getting to glimpse into people's homes over their candy bowls, yes I AM a creep, I fully acknowledge this. Well to me the "What's in My Bag" posts are like the grown up version of trick or treating for me; a brief glimpse into someone else's life. So here's my life in the form of my handbag!

First a quick note on the bag itself: I picked up this Betsey Johnson bag at the TK Maxx in Brighton about a week after what we will call the Great Purse Flood of 2014. My boyfriend and I were in Paris for the weekend and while trying to get over jet lag and a bit of a tummy bug I was drinking a lot of Emergen-c (a flavoured drink powder high in Vit C) and I had put a full bottle of it in my bag before a busy day of sightseeing. Whilst in Notre Dame I felt something wet on my leg and glanced down to see my bag dripping, when I opened it up the entire contents of my bag were bobbing around in the purple liquid that had come pouring out of it's bottle. I'm usually quite calm and it takes a bit to ruffle my feathers but I dashed out of the cathedral, with Pete making an effort to keep up, where I ripped everything out of my bag, flipped it inside out to pour all the water out and tried not to bawl on the steps of the Notre Dame cathedral on our first day in Paris... When we got back to our hotel at the end of the day my guy spent half an hour, bless him, trying to dry my bag with the horrid hotel hair dryer; I spent the rest of our trip stuffing his backpack with all my skin care. Once back to London we noticed that my bag was STILL damp and had developed a quite unpleasant odour and desperately needed replacing, but since I spent nearly my entire livelihood on french skin care it was off to TK Maxx for a new bag, enter this lovely not-so-little bag that could probably carry my entire life if need be, we celebrated my tossing the stinky old bag in the bin and I haven't look back since! Ok, maybe it wasn't such a quick note..

These are some of my all time favourite essentials, you can read a bit more about them here and a sample of the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil that I got at Sephora from the lovely lady that always plies me with samples, god I love that lady! Since my post about the Tangle Teezer last month I've bought 3 more; one for the bathroom, one for my bedroom and one for my niece who screams every time anyone goes near her hair with a brush. This pink one permanently resides in my hand bag now. 

My mittens from the 2010 winter olympics in Vancouver; it's been so cold lately that to dream of leaving my house without these bad boys would be insane. I have to say I'm amazed I still have these, most mittens don't make it a whole winter before they get lost but I've had this pair for four years now! I wasn't actually in Canada for the Winter Olympics in 2010 I was living abroad in Ireland so I had family post these to me so I could cheer on my hockey team from abroad. 

There's a little zipper pocket on the outside of my bag which apparently is where I hoard all my lip products, currently in that pocket is:

• Etude House Kissful Lip Care Lip scrub: I use this to prep my lips before putting on lipstick. I love that it comes in a little squeeze tube so I don't have to stick my finger in a little tub of gritty bits, it has a wonderful smell but don't get it in your mouth, ICK! It has a very chemically sweet taste that lingers.
•  Nuxe's Rêve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm: that shit's the balm. Get it! God I love puns.
• Etude House Dear My Lip Enamel in EPK001 (super shiny pink): I mentioned how much I love this lip gloss in my Beauty Bargains for $5 or Less post, it truly is a staple for me now.
• MAC's Dazzleglass Creme in If It's Pink: it's a limited addition colour that came out in July 2010 as part of the Alice + Olivia Collection. I am obsessed, the dazzleglass creme is the perfect combination of dazzleglass sparkle and cremesheen colour and shine. It is quite close to the Playful Petal Cremesheen that came out with Fantasy of Flowers, and Loud & Lovely Cremesheen is the closest thing they have as part of their permanent collection.
• MAC's Cremesheen in Nectarsweet:  you can see a swatch in my post here it is part of A Fantasy of Flowers so get it before it's gone!
• MAC's Fleur d'Coral: also part of the Fantasy of Flowers collection, a swatch can be found at the link above.
• MAC's Show Orchid Amplified Lipstick: This is a pro colour that can only be found in pro stores, I picked this one up in London at the Covent Garden counter. It's similar to Girl About Town but almost has a metallic sheen to it, it's an absolutely lovely bright pink lippie! 
• MAC's Lip Pencil in Magenta: Perfect liner for Show Orchid, Girl About Town or any other bold pink lip. I've also used it with Creme Cup to create an ombre lip!
• MAC's Prolongwear Lip Pencil in In Anticipation: I love the prolongwear lip pencils as not only are they long wearing but they're a creamier formula than the regular pencils which are much more comfortable if you have notoriously parched lips like myself. I love this colour as it's a nude with a pinky peach tone to it, great for a brighter nude lip! 

These are sort of random life bits and bobs. Some Ibuprofen and Motillium I picked up from the Boots in Heathrow Airport before my flight home, my ticket from Once that I saw in London, absolutely phenomenal show if you get the chance to see it it's an absolute must! The spare key to my Kia of Death so I can warm it up when it's minus a million, my wallet from who knows where - I had this exact same wallet five years ago until a pick pocket in Rome stole it, when I got home from Europe my mum had bought me the exact same to replace. My horridly filthy lint roller, I have to wear all black to work and own two dogs that shed like crazy; this is a must. And my double chocolate chunk Quest Bar; these things are amazing, the only protein bars I eat. They taste great, have a pretty good nutritional profile and always satisfy my sweet tooth without sacrificing my health goals to do so; I always have one on hand because when I get hungry, I get hangry.

And last but not least the things that keep me ticking: my daytimer that I use to keep track of work, social engagements, where I scribble down ideas for blogs, etc. This suffered quite a bit of damage during The Great Purse Flood of 2014 but I managed to salvage it. I always have a book on hand because I hate being late so I usually arrive early and just read, right now I'm reading A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy by William B. Irvine I like to switch it up between fiction and non-fiction, so here's some philosophy for the time being! I'm kind of a snob when it comes to tea and rarely drink tea bags so I always have my Tea Filters from David's Tea in my bag along with some tea. This month I've been obsessed with the Wanderlust Green Tea from Yumchaa that I picked up while in Camden, super pleased to see that I can buy it online because it superb! And of course my mints, I'm not a gum chewer but I'm always popping mints.

Well this was a bit more extensive than I thought it would be but by now you're all aware I tend to ramble, I hope you enjoyed your brief glimpse into the madhouse that is my handbag and I'd love to see what you guys all carry around with you! 

MAC A Fantasy of Flowers - Spring 2014 Collection

Let me just start with saying very seldom do I get stupidly excited about a collection launch but this guy right here had me ALL kinds of excited; as soon as the colours were released I knew I'd be saying a teary farewell to a good chunk of change. The day it launched I had pretty much very single item in my little pile ready to go until I remembered it wasn't too long ago that I got home from Paris where I'd invested a decent amount of money into skin care, so after much contemplation and soul searching I narrowed my pile down to my top 4 products.

Now you can see the whole collection here but for the sake of today's blog post I'll try and keep my rambling primarily on these four products. A quick note on the collection; it's the perfect combination of soft pastely neutrals and bursts of fresh colours to help transition into spring with plenty of shimmer and class. 

Nectarsweet Cremesheen gloss is that perfect pinky nude color that looks perfect on it's own or worn over top of another colour, I personally love to layer it over the new Fleur d'Coral lustre lipstick that also came out with this collection. Fleur d'Coral is a wonderful coral nude color that is perfect for spring; simple and elegant yet fun and playful all at once. I am addicted to layering my lip products so my power trio that I'm loving right now is the MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in In Anticipation with Fleur d' Coral and Nectarsweet piled on top for the ultimate girly lip combo.

Now the last two products you see swatched above are Perfect Topping Mineralize Skinfinish and Petal Power Mineralize Blush, it should be noted that up until about four month ago I had been wearing the same colour of blush every day for probably the last two years. I broke that streak and fell in love with some new blushes (Blushbaby and Warm Soul also by MAC) but Petal Power might have me wearing the same blush again every single day until I finish it and then I'll probably be trying to sell my organs on the black market for a new one. Now why you may ask is it so amazing that I'm willing to part with a kidney over it? Well let me list the ways I love thee! First of all it's a mineralize blush so it goes on pretty light but you can build the colour, that also means it's got a bit of shimmer to it. Second it's the perfect colour of pink for almost any body, and I do mean any body, I've seen it on so many different skin tones and it's looked rockin' on pretty much everyone. Third, the shimmer on your cheeks makes me feel like a fairy princess, need I say more?

Perfect Topping really is the best name for this new Mineralize Skinfinish, when my face is done and I'm about to head out the door I dust a little bit on to the tops of my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose and a wee smidge on my chin and it just adds this instant glow to my face; and remember what I said about shimmer - fairy princess! I was a little hesitant about this guy at first as I've picked up some of the limited skinfinishes in the past and been a little bit disappointed by them; I felt they were a little too metallic and not enough shimmer, they left my skin looking greasy instead of illuminated and enlarged the appearance of my pores which are generally quite well behaved and stay out of sight, but after one try of Perfect Topping it was love at first sight. 

Some other close runners up from the collection that are definitely worth a glance is the Lily White loose pigment and the Flare for Fantasy Cremesheen Gloss, this whole collection is just amazeballs and I foresee it selling out pretty quickly so I recommend running - not walking or jogging, I'm talking a full on sprint - to your nearest MAC location and getting your hot little hands on some of these glorious goodies, you can thank me later when you're all shimmery and wonderful like your own little fairy princess!

Just another quick note: you can now find us on bloglovin', so follow the link and show us some love. It's also a great way to keep up with all things Facepalm! And to continue with pimping myself out on social media check @facepalmbeautyblog on Instagram and head on over to Facebook. When our Facebook page reaches 50 followers I will be holding a giveaway and the more ways you follow Facepalm the more chances you have to win some of my favourite goodies. 

- <3