Winter Lips

In winter I love wearing deep, warm berry and wine sort of shades on my lips, as shallow as it sounds, the right lipstick really can brighten up a miserable winter day. My favourite lipstick this season is a YSL Rouge Pur Couture lipstick but we will get onto that later, first we need to go back to basics...

During the colder months I get the worlds most unattractive dry chapped lips; there are awful. When I know I want to wear a bolder and richer lip product like the YSL one, I need to make sure my lips are completely smooth and hydrated. To do this I begin with a little DIY lip scrub, I basically copy the recipe of the Lush Lip Scrubs which mainly just consists of olive oil and granulated sugar mixed together to form an exfoliator. I know it sounds disgusting but trust me, it works really well (it actually tastes really nice too).

I use this about 30 minutes before I do my make up to get rid of any dry flaky bits then slap on a bit of Elizabeth Arden 8hr cream to feed my lips a ton of moisture. When I come to do my make up I then blot off the excess Elizabeth Arden cream, put on a really thin layer of the Blistex MedPlus Cherry Berry lip balm, crack on with the lipstick and ta-da! done. 

Now onto the lipstick. Words cannot describe how much I love this lipstick, it is my all time favourite and think it will be for a long time. It is the YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in a beautiful berry shade. I have had a few issues getting the name of the colour as it has completely rubbed off the bottom of mine, my sister wanted it for Christmas so after a lot (I mean a lot) of me and my mum swapping all the YSL lipstick we came to the conclusion it was 40-Rouge Eros.  

The colour of this lipstick is really intense whilst the formula is one of the most hydrating and moisturising I've ever tried. I don't use a lip liner as I feel they tend to dry my lips out and the colour does not bleed at all. You can use this lipstick as just a wash to add a hint of colour in the daytime and really build it up in the evening into a create a more dramatic look. One more point, just look at the packaging... need I say any more?

Best Dressed at the Grammys 2014

On Sunday night it was the 56th annual Grammy award ceremony. Some of the most important people in music turned up including Beyonce and Jay-Z, Madonna, Paul McCartney and many more. Not only was the Grammys a great night for music, it was also a great night for fashion. The stars looked amazing on the Red Carpet and here is my list of people that I think were the Best Dressed of the night:

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys looked amazing in this royal blue plunging Armani Privé dress. I like how she had minimal accessories with this look because the deep plunge and black detailing are quite dramatic. I love her hair here too. 

Katy Perry

Katy Perry wore a very fitting musical note Valentino dress to the Grammys. Although this isn't a traditional dress I think it was perfect for the Grammys and it couldn't be worn better anywhere else. The full flowing sheer skirt looked beautiful on Katy and her hair and accessories made her look almost regal. 

Ciara

Ciara showed how to look beautiful with a baby bump in this sparkly bronze Emilio Pucci dress. Her hair looked amazing too because it looked really laid back and minimal compared to the strong detailing and sparkle on the dress. 

Madonna

Madonna and her son David looked so good in their matching Ralph Lauren suits. I think without David, Madonna wouldn't have made the best dressed list, but with him by her side with his cool attitude they definitely deserve a place for wearing something different and pulling it off so well together. 

Anna Faris

Although some have said Anna Faris' strapless Fitriani gown wasn't bold enough for the Grammys and was perhaps more fitting for a film award ceremony, I personally think she looks fantastic. The navy blue colour looks great on her and is very on trend for next season and the length of the dress and the detailing around her hips makes the dress more interesting compared to a plain navy blue dress. Also who can blame her for wearing a dress more suited for film award ceremonies? She is an actress after all. 

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift also looked great on the Red Carpet in a Gucci Premiere dress. She was another celebrity who pulled out the sparkly trend and it really worked for her. I like the contrasting belt around her waist which looks so flattering and her hair pulled back into a pony tail really pulls the whole look together. 

Beyonce and Jay-Z

And Finally the it couple of the night, Beyonce and Jay-Z. Beyonce looked so gorgeous in her white lace Michael Costello dress that really showed off her amazing figure and Jay Z looked very dapper beside her. I love the bold lip and casual curls that Beyonce went for with this dress.

I also think Beyonce deserves another spot on the Best Dressed List due to her outfit for her performance of Drunk In Love for Jay Z. She looked incredible on stage in her La Perla Cage Collection bustier with crystal Saint Laurent tights, and the look worked so well with the song. Their performance was definitely one of the best moments of the night. 

Who do you think was the Best Dressed at the Grammys?

Best Dressed at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards 2014

Last Saturday was the SAG or Screen Actor's Guild Awards and the red carpet looks were all gorgeous. After a disappointing Golden Globes Red Carpet, I was so happy to see some beautiful dresses for the SAG Awards. Here is my Best Dressed from the Red Carpet:

Lupita Nyong'o

The 12 Years A Slave actress stunned once again in this turquoise Gucci dress. Being a newcomer to red carpets she really has impressed both here and at the Golden Globes. I can't wait to see what she wears next on the red carpet. 

Isla Fisher

Isla Fisher pulled off a beautiful Old Hollywood glamour look with her long red locks and silky Oscar de la Renta dress. Isla's makeup and accessories were gorgeous too and worked so well with her bombshell dress and hair. 

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence looked so much better than she did at the Golden Globes. This sequined Christian Dior dress was much more flattering and stylish than her white Dior dress. 

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Vergara stunned once again in this gorgeous sparkly Donna Karan dress. This was very similar to her Golden Globe after party dress but this look works so well for her famous curves. Her hair and makeup looked great too. 

Anna Gunn

Breaking Bad's Anna Gunn looked amazing in this blue halter Monique Lhuillier gown. I especially loved her Edie Parker Breaking Bad themed clutch bag to match. 

Hannah Simone

New Girl's Hannah Simone also impressed in this flowing Marchesa dress. I love her hair up with this dress too because of the detail in the collar and the colour looks great on her.

 Sandra Bullock

I was so happy with the split Lanvin dress that Sandra Bullock chose for these awards as I was so disappointed with her baby pink, blue and black dress at the Golden Globes. However this dress is so much more stylish and works wonders for her and I'm glad she really stepped up her look for this red carpet.

Who do you think was the best dressed at the SAG awards?

Favourite Birchbox Products

I have been subscribed to Birchbox now for 4 months and I absolutely love it! It's a great way to try out new products and brands which you wouldn't necessarily use or know about - it's also great getting a little treat through the front door every month too! I have loved pretty much everything I've got from Birchbox so far so I am going to try and narrow it down to my favourite few...

Laura Mercier Long Lash Mascara

I love to wear this mascara in the daytime as it looks so natural, much more so than my Le Volume De Chanel one which I reviewed a few weeks ago . It really separates the lashes and coats every single one without ever clumping. The small thin wand is not what I usually like with a mascara however, this one is an exception - it is especially good for bottom lashes too. It has the usual sleek Laura Mercier packaging and I will definitely be buying a full sized one when I get round to it. 

Philip Kingsley Hair Elasticizer

I only got this in this months box so have only tried it out once but on first impressions I really like it. It is a pre-shampoo treatment and I worked it into the ends of wet hair and left for 15 minutes before shampooing and conditioning as usual. I found it made my hair look and feel much nicer as well as leaving it tangle-free. I'm not sure if I will buy the full sized product as it is £28 which is a little on the pricey side, I'll see if I think its worth after using for about a month then decide. 

Korres Citrus Showergel

I keep hearing about the brand Korres so I was really excited when I got a (very large) sample of this shower gel last month. I have used it a couple of times but I have decided to save the rest for when I go on holiday as it is the perfect size and it has a really fresh, holiday scent. It lathers up into a really creamy texture and leaves my skin feeling very clean, refreshed and moisturised. I am definitely going to try some other Korres products- can anybody suggest any good stockists?

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser in Nude

I am a massive fan of Laura Mercier and have been using her Silk Crème foundation for a while now and I have had my eye on this tinted moisturiser for a while. It is a really lightweight tinted moisturiser and the coverage can be built up really easily. It is perfect if you are having 'a good face day' and you just want something to even out your skin tone and add a little radiance. It also has SPF20 which is another plus. I will certainly buying a full sized one in the summer.  

Chella Ivory Lace Highlighter

I have never heard of this brand before but I really like this highlighter pencil/crayon. I use it on my bottom waterline of my eyes to brighten and make them look wider but it is really multi-functional; it can be used on the brow bone, cheek bone, in the eye inner corner - basically anywhere you might want to highlight. The pencil is really soft so it doesn't scratch and it stays put for a really long time. It has definitely become a staple in my make up bag. 

Are you subscribed to any beauty boxes, if so, what have been your favourite products?

p.s. thinking of subscribing to beauty boxes? Click here to see Sophie's review of Birchbox and Glossybox.

2014!

Happy 2014! First of all I need to apologize for the complete Blogmas fail! As it got closer and closer to Christmas I was so busy I just didn't have the time to keep it up. 

2013 has flown by, its had its ups and downs, visited some amazing places and I am looking forward to making 2014 even better. Here are some of 2013's biggest highlights for me:

I went to Dubai for the first time at Easter

In June I got to go to the races for the first time

I visited the Greek island of Santorini

I've had a couple of fun trips to London with my family

And I've had some the best times with my amazing friends 

What have been your highlights of 2013, and what are you most looking forward to in 2014?