Blogmas Day 24 - 2014 Beauty Product Favourites

Good afternoon my lovelies and Happy Christmas Eve! I can't believe that it is the last day of Blogmas, the time has flown by and I have really enjoyed writing a blog post everyday. Although I think that this may be my last post for 2014 and I might treat myself to some time off until the New Year. So I thought what better way to end the blog posts for this year with a 2014 favourites. I found it difficult selecting my favourite products that I have loved from the whole year and writing this now I can already think of extra products that I have also loved but I've got to be sensible otherwise I could go on forever listing more and more products. 2014 has been a special year as I have achieved a few things this year such as finishing my a-levels, passing my driving test and it has also been the year that I started my blog back in August. I have loved developing my blog and watching it grow. It is a hobby for me that has become more and more important and I will be carrying on with it next year. I have noticed as it has grown the more love and time that I have put into it. Sometimes I look back at my earlier posts and I can already see a difference in the quality of my posts. I currently have 10 followers which probably doesn't seem many to most people but to me it seems a lot. I remember when I first started blogging and thinking that nobody is reading these and just hopping that one day I will gain a follower to show that what I'm doing might be good. So I just wanted to say a big thank you to my followers for supporting my blog which has turned into my baby.

Enough waffling for now, a favourite hair care product for me is the Garnier Ultimate Blends Sleek Perfecter range which has been a recent discovery for me. I honestly think that this has helped to save my ends. As I have mentioned before years of straightening my hair has left it a little on the damage side so when it comes to hair care products I am always on the hunt for new products that will restore or revive damaged hair. Since using products from the range my hair has appeared shinier and healthier. I think that it has also grown more since using these probably as the ends are breaking less. After using these products I don't need to worry about styling my hair or applying heat. If you have dry hair or split ends then I would recommend that you try these products. I know that this shouldn't be an important factor but they also smell of coconut of which I have recently developed a love for.

Moving onto make-up and starting with skin care, there will be no surprises in the fact that this one is in my 2014 favourites. It is the Maybelline baby Skin Face primer which I'm pretty sure is mentioned in at least half of my blog posts. This is just a really good affordable primer that reduces the appearance of pores, makes your foundation appear smoother and it also helps to make your make-up last for longer. It's just a really good affordable every day primer. I would say that it has an oily base to it which would usually make me go no as I have very oily skin but I think that it actually helps to reduce my oily skin as they say you counteract the oil with oil. This means I don't tend to worry about applying powder throughout the day anymore which is an added bonus for me. I use this pretty much everyday and it is an essential in my make-up routine.

The second face product in my favourites is by Bourjois and it is the Delice de poudre duo with a bronzer and highlighter. I don't know why but I the chocolate bronzing powder has never appealed to me before, I have read lots of posts of other bloggers raving about it but I also thought that it was a bit gimmicky in the fact it looks and smells like chocolate. Although I hate to miss a new trend so I finally gave in and I was pleasantly surprised. I find it really good to contour with as both products appear very natural on the face. I use this most days as part of my everyday make-up routine to add some definition to my face as I am conscious of the fact I have chubby cheeks. I personally think that it's a really good product and it doesn't need the gimmicky packaging. It is a matte bronzer and the highlighter has a really pretty gold shimmer to it. I will be 100% repurchasing this when it runs out.

Moving onto eyes, again there will be no surprises that I'm mentioning this product - the Barry M Showgirl mascara with extra volume. I have never been one to get excited about mascaras where as lip, nail and eye products I do and I am always buying more to try and test even though I don't need them. With mascaras I previously would stick to Maybelline as they do amazing mascaras and theres that old saying 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. When I picked up two Barry M nail varnishes in the autumn there was an offer on that meant I got this new free mascara of which after testing I have fallen in love with. I just think that it is a really good everyday mascara as it adds volume but also length and definition. It has a really good all-rounder brush. I also love the packaging as I have a bit of a weakness for rose gold. Actually that's how I would describe this product as a really good all-rounder as although it claims to specialise in volume, it also adds other aspects to your eyes. The good thing about Barry M is that they are really affordable products yet at a good quality.

The first eyeshadow in my favourites is by Maybelline in Iced Fudge. First of all, what a cute name. I never usually go for single eyeshadows, I prefer pallets as you have all the colours laid out for you that you can use together to contour with without searching through your collection for other colours but thats just me being lazy. Although I think that it's the fact I'm lazy that I love this product so much. This eyeshadow is a beautiful fudge/taupe colour with a beautiful silver shimmer which I would say almost has blue under tonnes to it. It honestly looks beautiful on your eyes and I recon that it's a really good neutral shade that would look good with any eye colour. I love this as it's really easy to apply and I would wear this on it it's own and blend it over my eye lid and jobs a good'en. The shimmer that it has means that I don't bother to contour as it naturally gives some definition to your eye so it's just a quick and easy eyeshadow to use if I'm in a rush. I need to check out what other colours Maybelline do as the formula is also really nice to blend with.

If you told me at the start of 2014 that I would be mentioning these in my yearly favourites I wouldn't have believed you. It's some more Maybelline eyeshadows but this time with a cream formula as it's the 24 hour colour tattoo shadows in On and On Bronze and Metallic Pomegranate. I have always been scared to try cream eyeshadows, they just haven't appealed to me. I think it's because I wear a mouse foundation and the fact I have oily skin that I always thought they wouldn't sit nicely on my eyelids and that they might slide off my face. I know that these aren't a new product this year but it's taken me several years to pluck up the courage to try these and yes I know how sad that sounds. The formula is much nicer then I was expecting although they're called cream eyeshadows the texture isn't like cream it has a more powder feel. I apply some to my ring finger and dap it onto my eyelid. I then blend this out with a brush and then I either leave it like that or I use them as a base and apply some powder on top if I want to contour. I love the bronze colour for the summer and recently i have loved using the pomegranate one as I think it's really pretty for winter and as I have green eyes, it contrasts with my eyes which makes them stand out more. They have become my new obsession and I will be purchasing more colours in the new year, sorry bank account. Other brands to recommend would be Bourjois and Benefit. In 2015 I think I'm going to pluck up the courage to try cream blushers.

The first lip product is a lip scrub from Lush in Mint which honestly tastes and smells amazing. It's a really good exfoliator for your lips if you have dry skin and it also makes lipstick appear smoother if you use this first. You just rub this over your lips and lick off any excess as it's pretty much just flavoured sugar. I then apply my Carmex lip balm on top and it leaves your lips feeling supper soft. These are really affordable and they do a range of flavours such as Mint. Popcorn and Bubblegum and they will last you a long time. I have read so many other posts with people raving about these.

The last products in my 2014 favourites are the new Revlon Colourburst Balms that were brought out at the start of 2014. They brought out two formulas and my favourite from the matte range is Elusive and my favourite from the Lacquer range is Whimsical but in general I have loved the whole range. I love balms and crayons as I think that they are easier to apply to your lips then lipsticks as they are creamier and I find that the shape of the crayon is easier to use. I have a large and growing collection of balms and crayons. The matte formula is as you guest it matte. Although as it's a balm these are easy to wear matte lipsticks as they blend nicely so they won't show up any imperfections in your lips. I think that matte lipsticks look really pretty especially in the spring/summer if you want a more subtle look. You can easily apply a gloss on top is you wanted that something extra. Elusive is a really pretty mauve pink that I loved wearing in the spring as I think that it compliments my green eyes and it is almost a my lips but better colour for me and it just adds that little bit of extra pink to my lips. Whimsical is a more autumn and winter shade. It is a really pretty berry shade that appears purple as the crayon but more redder on the lips. The lacquer balms have shimmer in them which I though that I wouldn't like but your lips don't appear glittery it just gives them an amazing shine. I also love the metallic packaging of the lacquer balms. Both the lacquer and matte balms have a minty scent which I personally love. I'm always tempted to buy more of these as they have a huge range of gorgeous shades each perfect for different seasons and occasions.

So there you have it my 2014 favourites. I hope you enjoyed reading this post my lovelies and let me know in the comments what your favourite products have been from 2014. I hope that you all have an amazing Christmas and I will see you again for 2015!

Blogmas Day 23 - Christmas Nails

Good evening my lovelies, I can't believe that it's Christmas Eve tomorrow it has come around so quickly. It only seems like yesterday that I started my blogmas posts on the 1st of December. Today I have a nail post for you all. Today was my last day at work before Christmas so I thought what better way to relax then do my Christmas nails. Usually at Christmas I paint my nails a nice rich, bright red colour with some silver glitter. Although this year I remember I was Christmas shopping on black Friday and I saw these beauties and I couldn't say no. There was only one packet left and they were in  a small size so I thought that it would be rude not to.

I have never worn fake nails before. I don't know why but they just haven't appealed to me. Seeing as I own way too many nail polishes for a healthy person and that fact that I actually really enjoy painting my nails as I find it quite therapeutic, I just haven't found a need to by them. Although one thing that I'm not good at when it comes to painting my nails is nail art, all I can do is a block colour and maybe some glitter if I'm feeling spontaneous. When I saw these I just fell in love with them. I have read good reviews about Elegant Touch before so I thought why not give it a whirl. These are priced at £7.95 in the shade Snow Globe of which you get a range of different nails of different sizes, tabs and a nail file. When I applied them I used the tabs. You can also buy a glue which is meant to make the nails last longer but I was just being a cheap skate that day.

I first picked the designs I wanted for each nail and found the ones that fitted. What I love about these nails is that they give you loads of nails of different shapes and sizes so that you can find the perfect fit for each nail. You can also file them down to get them the length that you want. To fix the nails you first place one of the tabs on your nail. You then peel off the plastic on top to reveal the sticky side which will attach to the fake nail. Place the fake nail starting at the cuticle end of your finger and press down to stick the fake nails to your real nails and you're done! I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it was to apply the nails. I will leave an update in the comments as to how long these last and how easy it is to remove the nails. So far I am slightly in love with these. I actually quite like the feel of them on my nails and I love the noise my nails make as I'm typing this blog post out on my laptop.

Let me know in the comments if you have tried these or other good brands to recommend. Elegant Touch do loads of different colours and designs which you should definitely check out. Thank you for reading my lovelies and I'll see you tomorrow for Christmas Eve.

Blogmas Day 22 - Red Festive Make-Up

Good evening my lovelies - the Christmas countdown is currently at only 3 days now. I have a little make-up post for you all today. When I think of Christmas I think of quite a few festive colours such as red, gold, silver, white and purple. When it comes to make-up at Christmas and especially this year I love wearing red make-up wether it's a bit of red lippy or red nail varnish so I thought I would share with you a few of my faves. I wouldn't wear these all together as you might look a bit scary but if you wanted to pick up one product for Christmas, here are a few ideas.

Candle - Colony Noel 
This has been the first year that I have been obsessed with candles and I am currently using this one. To me this smells like Christmas in a candle. It is a mixture of fresh Christmas trees and slightly spicy, it just has a very warm feeling to it. This will look amazing lit on Christmas Day.

Nail Varnish - Barry M (Magnetic Red, Chilli and Blood Orange)
I love wearing red nail varnish I could quite happily wear it all year round. If you read my blog posts regularly then you will know how much I love Barry M. They do an amazing range of colours which are also very affordable. They are really glossy and will last a long time before chipping. If you wanted to add that something extra for Christmas day then you could add some glitter - I personally think that a bit of silver or gold glitter would look amazing.

Blusher - Lace by Sleek
I usually think of these blushes to be more for the spring or summer but there are two redder shades in the trio that would give you a naturally warm glow for the festive season. Sleek blushers are really pigmented so it would take you years to work your way through one so you will get your moneys worth. I think that redder blushers are great for winter as they give your cheeks that natural glow that you get when you have been outside in the cold and then go into the warmth.

Eyeshadow - Metallic Pomegranate by Maybelline
When I think of red make-up eyeshadow isn't something that comes to mind in fact I own no red eyeshadows. The closest eye shadow to red is a cream eyeshadow which I featured in my recent post on my everyday winter make-up routine on Blogmas Day 20. I have been converted to cream eyeshadows after using these Maybelline beauties. You can apply a small amount with your finger and blend it out with a fluffy brush. You can either leave it at that or apply powder eyeshadows on top to contour with. I love this very shade especially as I have green eyes so pinks and purples are good for people with green eyes as the colours clash which makes your eyes stand out more.

Lipstick
107, 110 and 111 by Rimmel Kate Moss 
Wild Watermelon and Unapologetic by Revlon 
Hot Date by The Body Shop 
Red Sunrise by Bourjois

I love wearing red lipstick during the festive season and I will be wearing it on Christmas day. I have shown a range of shades as different shades will suit different people. All of these lipsticks are of an amazing quality. The balms and lip butter are a more buttery and sheer consistency and easier to wear if you haven't worn it before of you're a bit nervous. By using these you can layer it up to give you the colour that you're after. The Kate Moss lipsticks are matte although they still are moisturising and you could apply a red or clear lip gloss on top if you wanted to.

I hope you enjoyed this festive make-up blog post my lovelies.

Blogmas Day 21 - OOTD A Work Christmas Party

Good evening my lovelies - only four days to go now! Last night I had my works Christmas party so I thought I would share with you what I wore. I say outfit of the day but it was more of an outfit of the evening but that has less of a ring to it. It was a 1920s Great Gatsby themed party and yes I know that I really don't look 1920s at all but I had a few issues. I wasn't sure if I was able to go and when I found out that I could it was only a week before so I didn't want to risk ordering a dress as I didn't think that it would arrive on time and also the chances are I wouldn't wear it again so this dress was the closest thing that I could find and I also love this dress. I ordered myself a feather headband which did arrive on time but I couldn't get it to sit on my head without either popping off or making my hair stick out so I gave up in the end as I was rushing from having my family pre-Christmas get together before. It was a really fun night, we had a delicious dinner followed by a casino and disco. Let me know in the comments what Christmas parties you're going to or have been to.

What I'm wearing:

Dress - Asos
Shoes - New Look
Earrings - New Look
Black leather jacket - New Look
Black clutch bag - Primark

I failed in the fact that I didn't get a picture with my jacket or bag - bad blogger but I thought that I would still list them for you all.

Thank you for reading my lovelies and I hope that you have a great evening.

Blogmas Day 20 - My Everyday Winter Make-up Routine 2014

Good Morning my lovelies - only 5 days to go now! So I was looking at my blog the other day and I noticed that my most popular post was My Everyday Autumn Make-up routine which you can read by clicking here. So seeing as it's winter i thought that it would be fitting to write another one for you. A few of the products will be the same but if you've read my previous blog posts you know that if I find a good product I will just stick to it. Today all of my Mum's family are coming round to have a pre-Christmas get together that we call present swap where we exchange presents before Christmas. We do this every year and I love it as it's so nice to see everyone all my aunties, uncles, cousins and grandparents and just have a nice catch-up. The make-up look that I have described for you all today is what I'm wearing most days and now currently today. I hope you all enjoy!

After moisturising the first step is to use primer. I'm using my classic Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Face Primer. Now you all know that I'm a high street girl myself and if I can find an amazing product that's affordable then why splash out the cash all the time for more expensive products. Granted if I'm going out then I will use more expensive products as they do have that something extra in the quality but for just an everyday look then I will stick to mainly highstreet products. This primer just makes my skin feel really smooth and soft and it reduces the appearance of pores. What more could you ask for in a primer? This primer has a slightly oily texture and I think that it's good for my skin type as I have oily skin and they say you can counteract the oil by applying oil to oil if that makes sense. After using this product my make-up will last longer and my skin doesn't appear oily.

The next stage is foundation and another product that's the same is my Maybelline Dream Matte Mouse foundation. I don't think I will ever get bored of this foundation. I won't go on and on about it so you can read a full blog post on it by clicking here. To sum it up this is the perfect foundation for me as I'm yet to find a liquid foundation that doesn't make me look sweaty in seconds. This foundation will last a long time and it will make-up my skin appear smoother and more balanced. I can highly recommend this foundation if you have oily skin.

I will then go over any spots/blemishes and my dark circles using my Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer. Unfortunately I am prone to dark circles but this concealer is honestly amazing for my circles. I just apply a small amount under my eye and blend it in using my ring finger. It reduces the darkness and it just brightens my eyes making them appear more awake. It is also really good for reducing the appearance of spots but I personally think that it's best for reducing dark circles.

I will then set my make-up using the Rimmel Stay Matte powder. This is a big favourite amongst the beauty bloggers and I think that it will be something that is raved about for many more years. They have a huge range of shades to suit many skin tonnes. I just apply the powder over my make-up using my Real Techniques powder brush and it just sets my make-up in place so I don't need to worry about touch-ups throughout the day. if anyone would ask me to recommend them a good yet affordable face powder then I would 100% say this one.

I will then start bronzing my face and recently I have loved using my Bourjois Bronzing and Highlighting powder to contour with. Yes it looks like chocolate and yes it smells like chocolate both of which don't really bother me, I love it just because I think that the actual product is really good. I bronze my face using my Body Shop bronzing brush and I just think that this bronzer looks very natural on your skin and it just adds some warmth and shape to my face. It's a matte bronzer which is another plus for me and I think that, that is why it's perfect for a natural everyday look.

Moving onto blusher I love using my Sleek blusher in Pomegranate during the winter. The Sleek blushers are so pigmented and yet very affordable. They have a huge range of colours so you should definitely check them out. Pomegranate is a gorgeous dark berry shade that I think is perfect for winter as it gives your cheeks a natural glowing look as if you've been outside in the cold and just walked into the warm. You can build it up depending on the look you're after but I usually use a small amount for the day time. I apply the blusher to the apples of my cheeks but I don't draw it out to my cheek bones as I feel that I have a round face so by only applying the blusher to your cheeks it will help to make your cheeks appear smaller.

I will then go back to my Bourjois bronzing and highlighter powder to highlight my face. It is a really pretty cool tonne highlighter that has some shimmer in it. I apply the highlighter above my cheek bones, the middle of my forehead, under my eyebrow bone (not sure what that's actually called) and down the bridge of my nose. You basically apply the highlighter to the areas of your face that would naturally catch the light.

Now that I have finished applying powder to my face I will use my eyebrow brush and brush out any powder in my eyebrows to make them stand out more. I naturally have dark eyebrows that are quite filled in so shock horror I don't actually fill in my brows as I just think that if I did they look too harsh and in your face. The brush also helps to shape my eyebrows.

In November I discovered cream eyeshadows and I have fallen in love with them ever since. I don't know why but I just thought that they wouldn't sit well on my oily skin but I just love how quick and easy they are to use. They aren't slimy and they're more of a powder texture then I was expecting. After my discovery next year I might pluck up the courage to try cream blushers but I'm still a bit nervous although I've swatched the Benefit Majorette blusher which is just gorgeous so I definitely have my eye on that for the spring. For winter I have been wearing more berry shades on my eyes as I naturally have green eyes so purples/plums/pinks are meant to contrast from the green and make your eyes stand out more. Most days I have been wearing the Maybelline 24 hour Colour Tattoo in the shade Metallic Pomegranate. This is a gorgeous dark berry shade with brown under tonnes which makes it easy to apply to your eyelids without looking scary. I use this as the main shade of my eye make-up so I apply this as a base all over my eyelids. I then turn to my Soap And Glory palette in What's Nude. I love these eyeshadows as they are really creamy which makes them easy to blend. I use the shade Pink T in the inner corner of my eyelids as a highlighter. This is a pale pink shade which is perfect for brightening your eyes. I then use that matte brown shade in the outer corner of my eyes and the crease to contour with.

I finish my eye make-up by applying the Barry M Showgirl Mascara with extra volume. To be honest with you I'm bored about talking about this on my blog as I've mentioned this so much recently. It's just a great everyday mascara which adds length and definition but especially volume. I think it looks very natural on your lashes and it just makes your eyes look all fluttery.

To finish my make-up look I will apply my Maybelline lipstick in the shade Stellar Pink. Before applying lipstick I always apply lip balm. It helps to help protect my lips from looking dry and it also makes the lipstick apply smoother without creasing. Don't get me wrong in the winter I'm all for my berry shades but for an everyday look I think rosy pink shades look very pretty and natural for the cooler season. I would prefer to wear darker shades for an evening look.

There you go my current everyday winter make-up routine. I hope you enjoyed reading this and let me know in the comments what products you enjoy using in your winter make-up routine.

Blogmas Day 19 - Feeling Festive

Good evening my lovelies, so it's blogmas day 19 and there are only 6 sleeps to go. I have a nice festive post for you all today not a beauty one but don't worry I have a beauty one lined up for you all tomorrow which I hope you will all love. I personally love Christmas I'm just like a little kid so I just wanted to share with you all what I've been up to today getting ready for Christmas as let me tell you I have been super busy but I love it as I just feel all festive and warm inside.

This year me and my Mum are staying at my Gran and Granddads this Christmas so I have been helping them both get ready for Christmas. My Granddad brought the tree and we decorated it on Monday. At home me and my Mum go for a gold and red colour scheme so it's nice to have a change this year. I'm not really sure if there is a colour scheme going on it just looks like a load of festive colours but I still think it looks really cute. At home we put the tree in our living room but every year my Gran and Granddad put theirs in their conservatory. I think I prefer it in the sitting room as thats where we open our presents and I think it looks more festive there. Although saying that I love it in the conservatory as at night when it's all lit up it lights up the whole conservatory so it looks as if theres about five Christmas trees in there and it just looks magical. I have spent the majority of today and yesterday wrapping presents and I still have a few more to do. On Thursday I helped my Gran wrap all of her presents which seemed to take forever as she buys so many nice presents for her massive family, she goes to so much trouble bless her. Today I did my wrapping and I think I might help Mum with hers later on tonight. We're having a big family pre-Christmas get together tomorrow so we've been getting all the presents wrapped ready for tomorrow. When wrapping up presents I like to have my Christmas cd playing in the background and light a candle, I'm currently using my Colony one in Noel which is very festive. I love wrapping presents so, so much it's my favourite thing to do before Christmas, it might actually be my favourite part of Christmas.

We have also decorated the house today. We put greenery and holy around all of the pictures which i think just looks really festive. We have also hung decorations from the windows. My Granddad attached some nails to a piece of wood that sits above the windows so you can easily hang the decorations. I love all these homily touches, me and my Mum do this every year so it's nice to carry on the tradition.

Back to my festive baking I made some mince pies today. Now I personally don't like mince pies but my family love them and I actually quite enjoy making them. I love the smell of them baking but I just don't like dried fruits such as raisins and currents and I won't lie but the suet has always put me off them. Although the smell of them baking is just Christmas summed up for me. Seeing as I think my previous baking blog posts have gone down well I thought I would share with you all the recipe that I used if you fancy giving them a go:

Ingredients (makes 20)
Pastry:
350g plain flour
225g butter (cubed)
100g icing sugar
Grated zest of a small orange
1 tbsp double cream
pinch of salt

Filling:
300g mincemeat
50g of a cooking apple finely grated
1 tbsp brandy
1 egg white
Caster sugar for dusting

Method

1) Mix the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor to form breadcrumbs. You could do this by hand but if your pushed for time then a food processor is quicker

2) Add the icing sugar, orange zest and cream, and then mix until the pastry forms a ball

3) Chill for an hour in the fridge. I made the pastry the night before for maximum chilling time but an hour should do the trick if you don't have much time.

4) Grate about 50g of a cooking apple into a bowl- it doesn't need to be accurate just use as much as you want I think I used about half an apple which isn't that much once you've removed the skin.

6) Stir the apple into the mincemeat and then add the brandy

7) Weigh the pastry, you want two thirds for the cases and then the final third for the stars

8) Roll out the two thirds section of the pastry and use a round cutter to make the bases. We were able to make 20 - although theres now 19 in the picture after my Gran finished testing them.

9) Grease the muffin tin with butter before placing the pastry discs into the tray and moulding to form pie cases.

10) Fill the pastry cases so they are 3/4 full and then chill in the fridge for half an hour

11) Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/ gas mark 6

12) Roll out the smaller section of pastry and use a star cutter to cut out the stars out which will form the tops of the pies.

13) Brush the stars with the egg white and then sprinkle a small amount of caster sugar over the stars. Once in the oven the stars will then crisp up and go golden brown

14) Chill the stars and whilst they are chilling you can start baking the bases for 20 minutes. 8-10 minutes before the end of the bake add the stars into the oven which will only need 8-10 minutes until they appear golden brown

15) Remove the pies from the oven and leave them in their tins for about 5 minutes before removing them and allowing them to cool

You could then serve the mince pies with brandy butter and cream, I think that's how my family usually eat them.

Like I said we're having a family get together tomorrow so the house currently smells amazing as my Grans been busy cooking she's roasted a ham and a piece of beef. She's also making a quiche tomorrow. We're just about to start making puddings for tomorrow which I'm dead excited about. I love seeing the family at Christmas, as we have quite a large family it's difficult to get us all in the same place at the same time so I can't wait for tomorrow.

I hope you enjoyed reading this festive blog post. I haven't really blogged about what I'm doing in my day before so let me know if you would like to read more posts like this one. Also, let me know in the comments what Christmassy things you have been getting up to recently. Thank you for reading my lovelies.

Blogmas Day 18 - The Body Shop Christmas Collection 2014

Good afternoon my lovelies and welcome to Blogmas Day 18 - only a week till Christmas now, eek! Today I thought that I would talk about the Christmas Range from one of my favourite shops. People who know me well will know that I have always loved and been obsessed with The Body Shop since I was about 10. I would always spend all my money in there and buy way too many products. I could't help it though I just love all their products: the body butters, lip balms, soaps, shower gels etc. and don't even get me started on their make-up thats at a whole new level for me. Seeing as it's almost Christmas I thought I would write this post as if your stuck for a present then The Body Shop does some amazing presents and I know I've brought quite a bit from there this year for gifts. Last year they brought out their Cranberry scent - which I think is pretty much a tradition and is brought out every year. The other scent they brought out was a gingerbread one which I was in love with and I still haven't got over the fact that they haven't brought it back this year. I loved it so much it was a really gentle sweet ginger smell and it had the cutest packaging. I remember my Mum brought me a tin which was in the shape of a gingerbread man with all the ginger products inside. This year there are three Christmas scents: Frosted Cranberry, Vanilla Brûlée and Glazed Apple. When I was last in the Body Shop I was lucky enough to be given six samples, two of each type so I thought I would review each scent which might help you with your lats minute Christmas Shopping.

Frosted Cranberry
Like I said previously, Cranberry is a traditional Christmas scent to be brought out by The Body Shop, I get given this scent most years. I think the only different thing about it this year is that it's being called 'Frosted' Cranberry instead of just Cranberry. No surprises but to me it smells like Cranberries but I would say that it is less sweet then the Strawberry scent for example which is very sweet. So if you're a fan of fruity but not too sweet scents then this is one for you. I would say that it's the less sweet out of the three. I love this one as it's very gentle and not overpowering. This one is a pretty pale pink/reddish colour. The Christmas ranges include bath and body products such as soaps and shower gels as well as home fragrance such as reed diffusers. I think that this scent would make the nicest reed diffuser out of the three as it isn't too over powering. If you wanted to by someone a Cranberry gift set then I would recommend The Frosted Cranberry Tubes of Treasure.

Vanilla Brûlée
Vanilla is a Christmas scent that wasn't brought back last year but I know that it has been brought out before as I remember having a Body Butter called Spiced Vanilla which smelt the same as this one. This is the sweetest scent out of the three and the only non-fruity one. This one is a creamy colour with the same variations of products available although there are less products available then the Cranberry one as I think they may have sold out of more. For example the gift sets in Vanilla have sold out but other products that I think would make good gifts are the bath sprinkles, bath jelly and the body sparkler. I think the packaging of these is adorable and they would make lovely gifts.

Glazed Apple
The last scent is my absolute favourite and hold onto your socks kids but I think it may be my favourite scent that The Body Shop have brought out - it's up there along with the Ginger Bread and the Peach one. When ever people ask me what I would like for Christmas I just mention this scent and I'm pretty sure that my Mum will get me a few bits in this scent as she always gets me stuff from The Body Shop for Christmas and I haven't stopped banging on about this one. I love it so much instead of waiting for Christmas I have already brought myself a few bits. From what I've read on blogs and seeing that this is nearly pretty much sold out online I think that this may be the most popular scent and they better bring it back next year. I've always said that The Body Shop should bring out an Apple range and the fact that they finally have makes me so, so happy. It's a pretty pale green which is also very festive. No surprises in the fact that it smells of Apples but I would say it's like a sherbet apple scent rather then fresh apples. It reminds me of a type of sweet I use to have when I was younger but I can't remember what it was. Again when the Christmas range first came out there were all the same variations as the others but I think the majority have gone so if you want to buy some of this then hurry. In the shops they might still have the gift set for this which looked adorable and it was in the shape of an apple.

I hope this post gives you some last minute gift inspiration. Let me know in the comments what your favourite are from the new range. I don't know about you but I really want to try the bath sprinkles and jellies.

Blogmas Day 17 - Top Tips For Healthy Nails

Good afternoon my lovelies, how are you all? I probably don't have the most exciting blog post for you all today but it seems quite fitting after yesterdays. My post on hair care products seemed to go down well so I thought I would share some tips on keeping your nails healthy over the festive season. Although I wear nail varnish all year round, I probably wear it the most in the winter and especially with the build up to Christmas. Similar to hair, my nails are possibly most damaged in the winter with all the glitter nail polishes and the cold weather. Glitter nail polishes always look so pretty over Christmas yet they are a pain to get off your nails. After wearing nail varnish on a daily basis over the years it has started to take it's toll on my nails. Last year I discovered these nail treatment products from Sally Hansen and I've stuck to them ever since. Last years my nails were in a pretty bad way, they looked split and brittle. Sections of my actual nails would peal off and yes I know that sounds disgusting. Although since including these products in my nail routine they seem to be recovering.

The first product is a nail varnish remover by Sally Hansen. I don't know for sure but I think it might be the nail varnish remover rather then the actual nail varnish that does the main damage to your nails. I found that my nails were in a worse condition just after taking my nail polish off as supposed to when wearing my nails varnish. Sally Hansen do a large range of nail polish removers but I think this one is the best one for my nails. I know that this shouldn't be a factor but I also love the packaging of the lid and the colour of the product, I just think that it looks really cute. Yes I know how weird that sounds calling a nail polish remover bottle cute. The remover is meant to strengthen your nails which I think it does. Since using this product my nails don't feel brittle. Instead they feel stronger, firmer and just generally healthier. If you have to coat your nails in chemicals then you might as well use a product that will do some good and protect them.

The other product that I have discovered and love is the Maximum Strength polish. I use this as base coat, similar to the remover you might as well use something that will do some good for your nails rather then just an average base coat. This product is also meant to make your nails feel stronger and it will also help them to grow faster if they are healthier. This product claims to make your nails stronger after just one week - whether it does or not I don't know but what I do know is that I have used this product for years and ever since my nails have been stronger and healthier. Before using these products I would sometimes leave my nails for a month without polish to try and help them recover although as soon as I wore any polish they would break again. Now that I use this I can paint my nails every week without fear of damaging them. If occasionally my nail does tear then it will grow back really fast and it's just a blip. I have used this for over a year now and I'm not even half way through the bottle. That's pretty good considering I use this at least once a week so you will definitely get your moneys worth out of this one.

I would highly recommend both of these products if you're worried about the health and quality of your nails. As long as you look after your nails then you're good to go and you can paint them however you like without fearing the outcome. Just by swapping these for other products your nails will be healthier without needing any extra time.

I hope that you enjoyed reading this my lovelies. Let me know in the comments if you have any nail care products that you would recommend using. I spent all morning wrapping up presents and I'm only just half way. Also, let me know how what you're doing to get ready for Christmas. I think that wrapping up presents is my favourite part of Christmas.

Blogmas Day 16 - Hair Care Treatment Products

Hello my lovelies, less than 10 days till Christmas now. Today we have a post on hair care. I think people including myself usually think of the Summer as when your hair will be most damaged from the heat. Although I think winter is often forgotten about as a bad month for hair with the cold weather and the extra styling for Christmas parties and get togethers. Now I am totally aware that my hair isn't in the best quality or condition right now. I won't lie but years of straightening my hair and trying to grow it at the same time has affected my hair - especially the ends. I have then developed an issue with hairdressers as my previous hairdressers either took too much off my ends or didn't do anything so I haven't had my hair cut for about two years now. This isn't great advice as your hair will be a lot healthier if you get it cut on a regular basis but seeing as I'm trying to grow mine that hasn't been the case for me. This means I am always seeking new products to help save my hair and I thought I would share a few tips and tricks that I have discovered over the years with you all.

Whenever I buy new shampoo I always pick ones up that will say something like 'full restore', 'moisture restore' or 'for dry and damaged hair'. Recently I discovered the Garnier Ultimate Blends Sleek Restorer, which has honestly helped save and restore my hair. I had previously read blog posts on the Serum where bloggers have been claiming that it's amazing. I apply the serum to wet and dry hair and it basically acts as a heat protector as well as reducing frizz and split ends. I also find that it makes my hair look a lot healthier by making it appear smoother and more sleek. So after being pleasantly surprised by the serum I thought why not just try the shampoo and conditioner as well. Since using these products the only way that I can think to describe my hair is healthier. The texture of my hair feels different. It feels less brittle and rough, and it now feels softer and smoother. I also love the smell of the products which smell of coconut - not a sweet coconut but more of a nutty coconut if you know what I mean. I never used to be a fan of the smell of coconut but recently it has just grown on me and I'm quite a big fan of it now. I don't know why but I have never used Garnier products before. For some reason I had it in my head that they were only for coloured or dyed hair but I have been chuffed to bits after discovering these little beauties.

After washing my hair and applying the Garnier serum, I will then apply the Tresemme Platinum Strength hair serum. You may have read from previous blog posts how much I have loved the platinum strength brand and I have lost counts of how many bottles I have got through of the shampoo and conditioner. I always tend to mix my shampoo up after a while as after a while if your hair gets used to the shampoo it doesn't clean as well. I don't know if that's true but I have noticed from my own hair that it does so I'm assuming that it is true. That's another reason for me discovering the Garnier shampoo but when my hair needs a change I will probably go back to the Platinum Strength one. I will still continue to use the serum annually though as I have noticed that when I stop using this serum my hair tends to go brittle and damaged again. I love this product as it's creamy so I feel as if I'm restoring moisture and nourishment to my hair again. A bottle will last you a long time so you also defiantly get your moneys worth out of this one. Thinking about it, Tresemme do a lot of products that I have loved using previously, other good ones to check out are there blue and green ones. I think the blue one restores or maintains moisture and the green one is to help reduce split ends.

I naturally have wavy hair and it was only this Autumn that I have started to embrace my natural waves as previously I would pretty much straighten my hair everyday. Although I'm applying less heat to my hair it's still important to protect it so before applying heat I will spray my hair generously with the John Frieda Frizz Ease Heat Defeat spray. Even if you don't style your hair often it's so important to try and protect it as much as possible. I'll be honest with you here that I don't know if this is the best heat defence spray out there but I've noticed my hair will look more damaged after using other heat defence sprays so I have no complaints with this one, it seems to do the job and as long as it's doing something useful then it's fine by me.

Finally, the last hair care product that I couldn't live without would be the Schwarzkopf Gliss Hair Repair Shine Tonic spray. You apply this product to dry hair once you've finished styling it and I use it as an alternative to hair spray. This has two uses: one - it is meant to help repair damaged hair which is always a plus for me and two - it adds shine to your hair to make it look healthier. I will also use this on days that I don't have time to wash my hair or if it's looking dull as I find it just adds a bit of shine to it to make it appear fresher and cleaner. You leave this spray in and you don't need to wash or brush it out. I just prefer this to hairspray as you might as well treat your hair and do something useful for it rather then just holding it in place.

I hope you enjoyed this post my lovelies and let me know in the comments which hair care products you couldn't live without.

Blogmas Day 15 - My Pamper Evening Routine

Hello my lovelies and welcome to blogmas day 15! Todays post is quite fitting as it is something that I will be doing tonight and most nights in winter. When it's cold, windy and raining outside and pretty much disgusting there is nothing better then getting back from work and having a pamper evening. So today's post is on my pamper routine, let me know in the comments what you like to do on your pamper evenings.

Hot Chocolate
As soon as I'm back home and through the door the first thing I will do is stick the kettle on and make myself a nice hot chocolate. Current favourites are Galaxy (classic), Maltesers and Whispa although as long as it's chocolaty then I'm good to go. I will then enjoy this whilst flicking through social media on my laptop or reading a magazine. There is a pretty high chance that I will also be eating a biscuit or some chocolate at the time.

Make-up
Afterwards I then grab a face wipe and take off any make-up. I use the Simple Kind to Skin face wipes to do this. I can't express how good that feeling is once you've taken off your make-up and you can just relax.

Bath
I will then run myself a nice warm bath, it has to be warm so that it will stay hot for at least half an hour. You may have noticed from previous blog posts in November that I may have gone a little crazy on bath bombs and bath products. I now have a basket of products from Lush and Trinite Village that I am now using up. I can't express how happy I am when I go to my basket to chose a product, it's just like Christmas every day. Today I used the remaining section of my Lush Christmas Hedgehog - I got four baths out of that one so you definitely get your moneys worth out of the bubble bars. I will also light some candles just to make it feel super relaxing. I just find candles so therapeutic and a great way to switch off and relax. I think people think I have a problem when it comes to buying candles. I love lying in the bath when you can here the wind and rain outside, it's so relaxing just to know that you're all warm and cosy inside.

Pyjamas 
After my bath I will change into my pyjamas. I could honestly quite happily live in my pyjamas. I don't know why but I have always loved them and if people ask me if there is anything that I would like for Christmas then I will always say pyjamas. I love warm, cozy joggers with cute Christmas pattens on.

Face time
I will then use a cleansing face pack. I have currently been enjoying the Angels On Bare Skin one from Lush as it removes any impurities in your skin and it leaves your skin feeling super soft. I love the Lush skin products as they are full of natural products so you don't need to worry about coming out all red and blotchy. I will then cleanse and tonne my face using my Simple products. You can click here to read my Simple Skin Care Routine from a previous post. The best part of my Skin routine is finishing up with the moisturiser. I love this part as I just feel that I'm doing my skin some good and restoring any moisture. I am currently and will probably continue to forever use the Simple Light moisturiser. I love this moisturiser as it's really gentle and moisturising yet it soaks into your skin quickly so it doesn't feel heavy or sticky on your face.

Screen time
After dinner I will then either watch a film - currently I am working my way through my Christmas films collection. My favourite has to be Love Actually, it's just a classic light comedy and feel good festive film. If I'm not watching a film then theres a high chance I'm blogging seeing as it's Blogmas. I will curl up in my duvet with my laptop and some chocolate to write my blog post. I love blogging it's just a way to relax and get your thoughts written down.

Thats about it for my winter pamper routine. Let me know in the comments what you like to do for yours. Thank you for reading my lovelies.

Blogmas Day 14 - Winter Nails

Top to bottom: Koala Bear -y, Blood Orange, Diamond Glitter, Undress To Impress, Mini Marshmallows

Hello my lovelies, I hope that you have all had a good day today. I want to take a moment to ask what you're up to and how you're getting ready for Christmas, let me know in the comments. I personally love the build up to Christmas: the Christmas shopping, wrapping presents, the tree, decorating the house and the Christmas music. Today we're back on one of my favourite topic to blog about - nails. You all know that I have a little obsession for nail varnish so I thought that I would treat you all to my favourite winter nail polishes. Now do you say nail polish or nail varnish, I think I say varnish but I don't know which is right.

Koala Bear-y, OPI - £11.95 on Feel Unique
Now this has to be my all time favourite nail polish, what a statement to make on a Sunday. I love my hot pinks, fuchsias and berries on my nails and this is just the perfect shade for me. I tend to wear berry shades on my lips especially at this time of year and I just find that this matches perfectly. I also wear a lot of darker natural shades and having a pop of colour on your nails really adds something to your outfit. I think this shade is perfect for the day and the evening. I really love the formula of the OPI polishes. They are really smooth and thin yet they are very pigmented and glossy and they aren't watery either. I love the shape of the brush, it's really easy to hold which you wouldn't think makes a difference but I just find my nails look neater when I use OPI polishes. The only down side for me is the price. These are a lot expensive compared to other brands but I think if they have a shade that is gorgeous and you love to bits then there is no harm in buying a few as you are paying for the quality. If you can get this on Amazon or Ebay then you can get some of the OPI polishes for a cheaper price. If you can't stretch to this one, a good dupe for it is Pomegranate by Barry M which is £3.99. They are practically identical except Pomegranate is slightly darker. I always save this one for my birthday and special occasions I think it was the first OPI polish that i brought. OPI have so many amazing colours and collections with adorable names, they are definitely a brand to check out.

Blood Orange, Barry M - £3.99
There will be no surprises that this one is on my list. I have talked about this one so much on my blog recently that I'm almost getting bored of repeating myself. This is just a classic pillar box red that is perfect for the festive season. The formula of the gelly nail polishes is incredible so that they set and appear like gel nails and they are super glossy. Barry M do a massive range of colours and they are of an amazing quality yet very affordable. I will probably be wearing this to my work Christmas parties and my family Christmas party that is like a tradition that we have every year to exchange presents before Christmas. If you're looking for a red nail polish then I would 100% recommend this one.

Diamond Glitter, Barry M - £2.99
Now when it comes to Christmas I love wearing glitter on my nails, I just think that it adds that something extra. It leaves your nails all glittery and sparkling for the festive season. The only problem with glitter nail polishes is that they are a pain to get off but I recon that it's worth it for Christmas. I love silver as it's a very neutral shade and it will go with pretty much any nail plush. I especially like wearing this one over darker shades, in particular Blood Orange as the silver and red together look very festive. Another good thing about glitter nail polishes is that a bottle will last you a long time so you will definitely get your moneys worth which is something I like to hear.

Undress To Impress, Maybelline - £3.99
Another glitter of you all and another festive colour. I recon that silver and gold glitters are essential in your nail polish collection. I love the size of the glitter in this one as they are slightly larger and stand out more on your nails. I also think that the packaging is really cute on this one. Again this would look good on darker colours especially reds for the festive season. I also enjoy wearing this one with nude nail varnish. Before I have applied a nude nail polish and I have applied this to the end of my nails similar to the French manicure style. I uploaded a picture of this to Instagram @inherownlittleworld that I will insert below. I think that this looks good for a more subtle and less in your face look yet with that added sparkle for Christmas.

Mini Marshmallows, Tanya Burr - £5.99
As much as I love wearing my darker berry shades in the winter, I also think that a pale baby pink can also look really pretty. I wear this shade for a more natural look and it goes with everything so it won't clash. I'm the same with lip colours in winter, I love my darker shades but for an everyday look I also love wearing a nude pink colour. I love this shade as it's not so pale that it's a pastel pink as it has some warmth to it. Don't get me wrong I love wearing pastel pinks in the Summer, my favourite is Fiji by Essie which is a classic, but in the winter I think a warm toned pink is more flattering. It also has a really adorable name which I love, I would definitely recommend this range of nail polishes.

I hope that you enjoyed this blog post my lovelies and let me know in the comments which nail polishes you love wearing in the winter.

Blogmas Day 13 - Top 5 Winter Perfumes

L - R: French Connection, Dot, Nina, Love ETC, Define 

Hello my lovelies and welcome to Blogmas Day 13, we're now officially over half way to Christmas! I thought I would write a post today on my favourite perfumes for the festive season. Over Winter I tend to go for more musky perfumes where as in the spring/summer I go for lighter and more floral scents. Perfumes make great gifts so it might also give you some inspiration for some Christmas gifts.

French Connection
This isn't really a perfume it's more of a body spray but is there really a difference? This came in a gift set that one of my friends got me for my birthday last year and it came with some nice bath and body products. I love the scent of this to me it smells of vanilla and kind of woody. I don't think that you can buy it individually and I don't think it has a name. Although French Connection do some really nice gift sets that you could check out that would make really nice Christmas presents. Sorry that wasn't much help I'm afraid.

Dot by Marc Jacobs
This was the first perfume that I got from Marc Jacobs and first of all can we just take a minute to appreciate how cute the packaging is. Actually all of the packaging for Marc Jacobs perfumes is just too cute. I am rubbish at describing scents so this probably wasn't the best blog post for me to write today but I personally love perfumes I love it as a gift so I wanted to share some of my winter favourites. Bare with me, but to me this smells musky and fresh at the same time. It doesn't smell floral or spicy though. I would say it smells fruity though it reminds me of berries. This is one of my all time favourites and I would highly recommend it.

Nina by Nina Ricci
This is my all time favourite perfume - there I've said it. I have always lord this perfume, the packaging and the scent - just everything. The packaging is adorable it's so small and dinky, and I love the red bottle. It has a really feminine scent, it doesn't smell of apples despite the shape of the bottle. It's very fresh, light and slightly floral but I just can't express how much I love this perfume. I always save it for special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas. As soon as I get near to finishing the bottle it will be going straight onto my Christmas list. I think I first got this for Christmas many years ago and I have loved it ever since.

Love ETC by The Body Shop
Now I'm afraid that this perfume has been discontinued which saddens me deeply. I remember the craze when this first came out. This is a powerful strong scent that is musky and floral. I think that it is great for the part season although I wouldn't wear it on an everyday basis as it is quite strong it might be a bit too over powering. I wasn't a massive fan of this one when it first came out but over the years I have grown to end up loving it.

Define by Next
This is another winter classic for me. I remember one year when I worse this everyday for months. What I love about this perfume is that it is more wearable then some of the others as it isn't too overpowering so for me it is more of an everyday perfume. Although the packaging is slightly different, Next still stock this which is dead exciting as it was about four years ago when I first discovered this. Again I would describe this one as musky and floral. I know that I've pretty much described them all the same but I did warn you that I am rubbish at describing scents. I like the packaging of this one it's really sleek. This more affordable compared to some of the others if you want a nice fit but you're conscious of your budget. This is a classic for me and I will always bring it out for the winter.

I hope that you enjoyed this post and can I just say I am sorry for how rubbish I am at describing scents - bad blogger. Let me know in the comments what your favourite winter perfumes are. Thank you for reading my lovelies.

Blogmas Day 12 - My Winter Essentials

Hello my lovelies, who has got that Friday feeling? Today I'm back to my roots and writing another winter beauty post on things that I love during this festive time of year. It's a bit of a random mix form skin care, clothing and make-up but I hope you enjoy reading it.

1) Moisturiser

During the winter months I find it more and more important to moisturise my skin to avoid dry skin. I love the body butters from The Body Shop as they are super moisturising and easy to apply. The butters soak into your skin quickly so your not left there stuck for hours not being able to move otherwise everything you touch will be left sticky and gunky. For my face it will be no surprise to you all that I love the Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser. You can read my blog post on my simple skin care routine by clicking here. I have sensitive skin so I'm always cautious of trying new face products in the fear of turning out red, blotchy and spotty. This moisturiser is nice and light and it sinks into your skin quickly so perfect for the mornings when you're rushing to get ready before leaving for school, work or whatever you're up to. Simple is perfect for people with sensitive skin and I would highly, highly recommend them. When I find a product that I like I will stick to it like clockwork for as long as I can and then have a meltdown if they stop making that product.  Although saying that I have a sample of the Benefit Total Moisture Facial Cream that I'm excited to read as I've read great reviews on it.

2) Hand Cream

Similar to body moisturiser, during the winter I find it essential to keep a hand cream in my bag. I am currently obsessed with this hand cream in Glazed Apple from The Body Shop. It is a perfect hand cream size and it smells incredible. I love the smell, it reminds me of fresh apples mixed with sherbet . It saddens me that this range is only around for Christmas I still haven't got over the fact that they didm't bring back the Ginger range from last Christmas I was obsessed with it. This hand cream sinks into your skin so quickly, even faster than the body butters. I'm lucky in the fact I don't seem to suffer from dry skin but that might be because I soak my hands in hand cream, I don't know.

3) Lip balm

I can't stand having dry lips, I just find it painful and I'm always conscious of it which seems to make it worse. I am currently using the Carmex lip balm in cherry just because it tastes nice and it is super moisturising. It doesn't make your lips drier which some lip balms can as they have something in them which causes your lips to split, I don't know the science behind it I just know that Carmex is cheap and it does the job. Another common lip balm that I have seen beauty bloggers rave about is the Burts Been lip balms. I've never tried them but I think I might treat myself to one after I've finished with my Carmex one. Another useful lip product that I tend to use more in winter is my Lush lip scrub in mint. If I have dry lips then I use this to remove any dry skin and then I use my carmex lip balm afterwards leaving my lips soft. This is anther good routine to do before applying lipstick to make your lipstick appear smoother.

4) Red lipstick

I personally enjoy wearing red lipstick the most around Christmas. I think it's perfect for the party season and that it's very festive. My favourite one to wear in winter is one that I have gone on about loads on my blog recently, it's the Kiss Of Life by Kate Moss for Rimmel. It's a matte lipstick but you could apply a clear or red lip gloss over it if you're not a fan of matte lipstick or you just want something that bit extra for Christmas. As long as my lips aren't dry I'm a big fan of matte lipstick as I think it can look more subtle and flattering. I would highly recommend this formula of lipsticks and there is a whole range of red shades, I also love the cherry taste of the lipsticks - not something you should really look for in a lipstick but y'know. I want to check out the new L'Oreal Red lipstick collection this week which also look really nice.

5) Red Nail Polish

To go with red lipstick, I also think that red nail polish is perfect for the festive season. My favourite red nail polish is by Barry M in the shade Blood Orange. It's just that classic pillar box red, bright red shade. I think I will wear this on Christmas day with a silver glitter. Just writing this makes me want to go and re-paint my nails now. I love the formula of the gelly nail polishes, you don't need many coats and it dries super, super glossy. Barry M are really affordable and they have an amazing range of colours to chose from. I own way too many Barry M nail varnishes, not a healthy amount but they are an amazing quality and a good price. These also make great gifts for the festive season.

6) Candles

Moving onto bath products now, who can say that they don't like candles. They are so therapeutic and relaxing, every winter I get way too excited about lighting candles it's all I seem to talk about. My two current favourites at the moment are by Colony in Noel and Gold, Frankincense and Myrth. I have already got through a few of these bad boys but these are the last two which saddens me deeply. They just smell so festive like the smell of Christmas. They're not too sweet or spicy they're very gentle and perfect for me. I'm not a fan of overpowering candles so these are perfect for me.

7) Bath bombs

Nothing goes with a candle better then a bath bomb. When the weather is disgusting outside, all windy, rainy and cold theres nothing I like better than having a bath bomb with some candles. This year I have been loving bath bombs from Lush and Trinite Village. You can see my Lush Christmas haul by clicking here and my Trinite Village haul by clicking here. My over the top and massive collection will keep me going for months, probably until easter but I'm so chuffed with all my little gems. Both companies are very natural and affordable and goof for those of you with sensitive skin.

Moving onto clothing

8) Cosy pyjamas

I could quite happily live in my pyjamas all year round and in winter I pretty much do. I'm not a fan of being cold so in winter I'm all for my comfy clothes and warm layers I'm not that fussed really. I love warm cosy pyjamas and my current favourites are these bottoms from Next. They are super soft and cosy and I love the little robins. When it comes to pyjamas in winter, I love all those crazy festive prints.

9) Warm coats, leggings, jumpers and scarfs

When it comes to winter I am extremely fussy with coats, two years ago I wouldn't wear or buy one because I couldn't find one I liked, stupid I know. Although for the first time ever I have become obsessed with coats this year, I have quite a few in my collection now. One of my favourites is the green one in the picture above which was from New Look and my other one I brought at the end of last year which is a dark navy one similar design to the one above from Miss Selfridge. If I knew the names of them I would tell you but I don't think they still make those designs anymore - bad blogger.

During the day if I've persuaded myself to get dressed I will be wearing leggings and a jumper - guaranteed. I just find them so comfy to wear and during winter I'm a creature of habits and I like to be comfy, warm and cosy.

Now for those of you who know me well you will know that I have a small obsession with scarfs. I will even wear scarfs in the summer even if I'm boiling. At least in winter my scarf is actually having a purpose. My current favourite and latest edition to the family is a pink and cream tartan scarf from River Island which you can see by clicking here. Previously I haven't been one for tartan but I have been a bit obsessed with it this past Autumn/Winter I pretty much have something tartan for every type of clothing. This scarf is really soft and it keeps you nice and cosy.

I hope you enjoyed this post my lovelies. Let me know in the comments what your winter essentials are, thank you for reading!

Blogmas Day 11 - Baking Festive Jammie Dodgers

Hello my lovelies, so it's Blogmas Day 11, it's only two weeks until Christmas and I have been baking again. Now I know that on my blog I like to stick to talking about beauty and fashion but seeing as it's blogmas I thought I would make another small exception this week and write another baking post. I personally love baking it's another one of my hobbies and I think my previous baking post seemed to go down well so I thought why not write another. These festive jammie dodgers would make a great gift and I recon people of all ages would enjoy them. These would be great for Christmas parties or an alternative to mince pies for Christmas if they're not your thing. 

Ingredients: (makes 26)

225 butter

100g caster sugar

200g plain flour plus extra for dusting when rolling out the dough

100g ground almonds

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

approximately 100g of strawberry jam

Method:

1) Add the butter, sugar, flour, almonds and cinnamon to a food processor and mix until the mixture forms a ball of dough

2) Chill the dough in the fridge for 1 hour

3) Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan

4) Divide the dough into two even sized portions

5) Roll out the dough to about 5mm thick, you will need extra flour to dust the work surface and rolling pin first

6) Use a star cutter to cut out the biscuits and place these onto a baking tray

7) Roll out the second batch of dough and repeat the process with the star cutter

8) Once the second batch of stars are on the baking tray, cut out a small circle in the centre of each biscuit. I did this by using the smaller end of a large piping nozzle

9) Bake the biscuits in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool. 

10) Place a small teaspoon of jam onto the centre of each whole star which didn't have the middle cut out. Then spread the jam to cover that biscuit using a knife

11) Place the stars with the centre cut out on top of these and gently push together

And there you go, easy!

If strawberry and cinnamon isn't your thing there are a whole range of combinations you could do such as:

- Raspberry jam and adding almond extract instead of the cinnamon

- Cherry jam and cocoa powder instead of the cinnamon

- Apricot jam and you could add dried fruits for a festive feel

I hope you enjoyed this baking blog post and if baking isn't your thing then don't worry as I have a beauty post for you all tomorrow. Let me know in the comments if you have tried these or if you have any good ideas of festive things to bake this time of year. Thank you for reading my lovelies.