The January Beauty Selection

Origins Calm to Your Senses stress relieving mask  //  Nars Sheer Glow Foundation  //  Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium  //  Bumble & Bumble Pret-a-Powder  //  Olivia Burton watch

There was a time when I'd do weekly favourites posts, but it isn't something I'll be starting again. These days, I find that I'm far more selective with my beauty purchases, and equally, they tend to remain in my affections for a great deal longer. I've long been one to do my research when it comes to beauty shopping, but at one point I was so eager that I'd buy several cleansers or lipsticks all at once, meaning that none of them received the chance they deserved, and my skin and hair had no opportunity to reap the benefits of the products I was putting on them. So, it's back to monthly round-ups, which personally, I find far more telling. If something has been able to hold my attention for several weeks or more, then it has to be worth some consideration.

Suffice to say, my favourites for January are all very well loved, and I can say with certainty that I won't be casting any of them aside the moment that February shows its face. All of my chosen five for the month have been featured here on the blog quite recently, and I like them so much that they definitely deserve a second outing. If you'd like to read the original reviews, then simply click on the names below.

The new Origins Calm to Your Senses stress relieving facial mask has become a firm bedtime favourite, with relaxing lavender and chamomile to soothe your skin as well as your mind. Although reasonably light in consistency, it's rich enough to pack a real moisturising punch, and a light layer massaged in before turning the lights out is all it takes to send me into an easy, peaceful sleep. In the morning, there's no sign of any residue, and skin is brighter and softer. This certainly isn't as rich as the iconic Intensive Overnight Treatment Mask, so if you find that one too heavy then don't be put off. A perfect multi-tasker for those who want to pamper themselves effortlessly, the Calm to Your Senses mask is a surefire winner.

The Nars Sheer Glow foundation is a repurchase, after I originally fell in love with the dewy yet flawless finish it provided back in October. Sheer Glow is absolutely one of those rare 'wow' foundations, and I can remember literally marvelling at the results in the mirror on the very first application. The only downside with this is that it doesn't come with a pump applicator, so I often find myself pouring too much of it out at once. That said, the medium, buildable coverage it offers is more than worth the hassle, and this is set to stick around my makeup back for years and years to come.

I received Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium for Christmas, and have been keenly spritzing it on ever since. It's been a while since I opted for quite such a sweet fragrance, but the undertones of vanilla and spices make this a sophisticated and mature scent that I just keep finding myself going back to. The packaging is definitely a plus point too, as in its glamorous black bottle with a subtle hint of sparkle, it looks the part as well as smelling it.

I certainly won't be the last person to sing the praises of Bumble & Bumble's Pret-a-Powder. This is one hair product that has achieved cult status for all the right reasons, and has become my trusted secret weapon against flat, oily or lacklustre hair. Perfect for freshening up a lank looking fringe, Pret-a-Powder's real power lies in its root-plumping qualities, and a light sprinkling of product massaged into roots equals instantly volumised hair.

Finally, a non-beauty item, which comes in the shape of my beloved Olivia Burton watch. With a large, rose-gold face and navy leather strap, it has instantly converted me from a non-watch-wearer to a wristwear obsessive, and I adore the way that it adds a simple air of sophistication to even the most casual of looks.

What have your favourite beauty products been for January 2015? 

Do you have any non-beauty picks?

xx

Olivia Burton Rose Gold Watch

Just a short and sweet one today, I'm afraid, as I'm off to London this morning to spend a few days visiting friends and soaking up the sights and sounds, as you do. Judging by the weather forecast, we would have been hard pushed to choose a worse weekend to go, as there are severe weather warnings all over London for the next few days. But hey - we'll make the best of it. I'm really looking forward to some tapas and drinks with some of my best girls, and a couple of nights in a plush hotel (you really can find some great deals if you don't mind spending hours shopping around!), and it's our anniversary over the weekend too, so we will be celebrating that. I'm taking my new camera with me in the hope that I'll manage to get lots of lovely snaps, but I'm still getting to grips with it - take this image, for example, which is not nearly as in focus as it looked on the screen itself before I uploaded it onto the computer. Sigh.

Anyway, getting to the point of this post, which is to introduce you to my favourite new accessory..

I received this beautiful rose gold Olivia Burton watch for Christmas after having pined after the entire collection for longer than I care to remember. The thing about Olivia Burton watches is that every single design is beautiful, so choosing the right one is no easy task. The one thing I was always sure of,however, is that I definitely wanted a large, rose gold face, and in the end I plumped for this one, which has a navy blue leather strap. My thinking was that this one is perfect for the current season, as I do tend to wear darker hues in the Winter. Come summertime, however, I'll probably want to change things up a bit, so it's the ideal excuse for starting a collection! I have already spotted a mint pastel strap that, when paired with the rose gold face, will pretty much make up my perfect warm weather watch, and after that? Who knows.

If you'd like to have a look at the selection of Olivia Burton watches, then ASOS have some great ones. Most are only £95, which I think is a fantastic price for such a good quality, attractive timepiece.

I'm not sure that I'll have the chance to post again before Tuesday, so until then.

Have a great weekend.

xx