My 2012 Favourites!

Hello my loves!

Here is my 2012 favourites! I do apologize in it being so late but I was originally going to post a video on my channel with me talking about the products but I fell ill with the flu and have only just recovered!

A lot of the products featured here are 'hype' products from blogs which I follow so I do apologize for that as well if it sounds like I'm repeating myself.

That's what I really love about blogging. I think you can get so overwhelmed with products in shops and if your like me, have no clue what you're buying and end up buying so much you don't know what is really working for you and in the end wasting a ton of money. It's great that there's a community that you can go and research and ask around about a product your interested in then finding out if it really IS for you. I have learnt so much about my skin throughout the year of 2012 through the blogging world and I'm so glad that I've started doing it. Anyway, onto the products!

Johnson Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Lotion

This is just a very basic, cheap and cheerful facial lotion. I use this in the mornings before I apply my makeup. I find it really gentle for my acne prone/oily skin and its not too stripping as with some cleansers/lotions I tend to get that 'tight' feeling after washing my face but this certainly doesn't do that. It's been a very staple product throughout 2012 in my daily skincare routine.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel Cleanser

I'd been debating about purchasing this and purchased it a few months ago on a deal off Escentual.com I love the smell of this and I use this more at night time. It's perfect for taking off my makeup and daily grime and really works into my skin to remove excess oil. My skin feels a lot softer and fresh after using this and it's really help reduce the amount of breakouts I have.

Bioderma Micellaire Solution

This has been such a 'hype' product throughout 2012 within the beauty community and I couldn't help but fall for it after hearing so many good things about it and I was not disappointed! I was so surprised at the difference in my skin when I first used it, it really works deep into your skin to clear it of any impurities and leaves you with a clean, fresh base to work on. Its great for removing makeup and just melts it off your face (sounds gross but it's the only way I can describe it!) If I'm feeling lazy I will just use this in the morning on a cotton pad all over my face and apply my home made tea tree toner.

Schwarzkopf Gliss Leave In Conditioner
I bought this off on a whim, not reading any reviews of it at all and I'd never heard of it within the blogging community, so I thought I'd give it a bash.
When I first used it my hair was the softest it's ever been and from then on I couldn't stop using it! My hair is so unbelievably soft, more manageable and has less tugs & knots in it and looks sleek and in great condition. I mainly use this when my hair is feeling a bit limp, lifeless and dry and when I'm not using any heat products.

Cutex Nail Polish Remover
I'm very impatient when it comes to painting my nails and removing polish and this is probably the best nail polish remover I have ever tried! I don't find myself constantly rubbing my nails with remover to get it off, just a few swipes and it's gone. It makes the process of things so much easier and more enjoyable.

Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream
I hadn't used this for 6 months of the year and left it sitting collecting dust until my skin was going through a really bad dry patch at the start of winter. My skin suddenly became very dry and itchy, not even E45 worked which was when I decided to give this another go, no joke, it literally saved my skin! My skin was no longer red/itchy and irritated. I use this under makeup and it sinks into my skin really quick and gives me a nice, smooth base for my foundation. I would probably use this more in winter as it's quite a thick/oily product and use a lighter one during summer.

Homemade Tea Tree Toner
I suffered from really bad acne since I was 15 and I always knew that tea tree was good for your skin if you suffered from oily/acne prone skin. I randomly bought some tea tree online and diluted it in a little water and put it in a spray bottle and I spray it on my face daily. I find that the tea tree really soaks up the oil in my skin and keeps it balanced and healthy looking, plus I love the smell!

Real Techniques Blush Brush
After hearing the hype about the Real Techniques brushes I couldn't resist. I was needing to stock up on some new makeup brushes and these are more readily available than MAC and Sigma and so much more purse friendly! The quality is just amazing, so soft and picks up product so well. They are super easy to clean as well. Defiantly need to buy more of this brand in the new year.

Sigma Flat Top Kabuki Brush
I purchased this after hearing a lot of guru's on Youtube talking about it in there makeup collections. It is the perfect density and makes your foundation look flawless and airbrushed. It blends foundation really well and it's nice and sturdy.

Bourjois Volumizer Mascara
This has been my favourite everyday mascara throughout 2012. It comes with two mascaras in one, one for length, two for volume. It is not clumpy and really makes me lashes stand out. The price tag however is a bit hefty at £11 but if your using it day to day then you defiantly get your money's worth.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer
This is the best concealer I've ever used and will probably be the last. The colour matches me perfectly which is quite rare for me to find in a high street brand as I'm very pale and most 'fair' products are quite yellow toned. It's a full coverage concealer and hides my dark circles well and lasts all day with a nice creamy, blend able consistency. The only thing I will say about this product is the packaging which is rubbish! It's so tacky and the writing rubs off after so long.

NYX Powder Blush
I'd been looking to try some NYX products for a while and hearing of various NYX products on blogs and they always got good reviews. The first blush I purchased was Mauve and I was so impressed with the colour pay off and how soft and pigmented it was. They do such a nice range of colour to suit everyone and I have purchased more since then but I love all the blushes as a whole.

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub
I absolutely love Lush but I get so overwhelmed with all there stock I have no idea what to buy when I go in. One thing I did have in mind was this shower scrub as it's a very gentle scrub and it's not too abrasive for my skin. It is a really nice refreshing smell (just like blossom flowers) and just makes you feel so clean and fresh afterwards. It makes my skin really soft and I use this probably twice a week or before I'm heading for a night out.

Benefit Brow Kit in Medium & ELF Eyebrow Treat & Tame in Ash
I bought the brow kit maybe a year and a half ago but when I purchased it I realized I'd bought a shade too dark so I tended not to use it and when I did it made my eyebrows look ginger! I already had the Treat & Tame stick and mainly just used that on it's own but it was still quite faint. I really wanted to make the eyebrow kit work as it was quite expensive (I think in the region of £20) and I didn't want it to go to waste so I started playing about with it. All I do is outline my eyebrows with the shadow lightly, blend out the lines then use the Treat & Tame to blend and tone the colour and make it look more natural.

I hope you all had an amazing New Year! I'm currently in the middle of writing my New Years Resolutions, do you have any? I'd love to know what they are :)


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