July Favourites

I know I say this every month, but how fast did July just go?! Each month seems to pass more quickly this year. July was a great month as it was both mine and Jess' birthdays and we had nice weather for once. It was also my last whole month in England for a while now as I'm going to be living in America for my year abroad in two weeks time! I also got a new camera which I used for this blog. Here are my favourites from the month of July.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

This was a later purchase in July but has still been bumped up to the top of the list. I have been lusting after this bronzer/highlighter duo since Charlotte Tilbury first released her makeup collection. Finally I bought it at her counter in London as a birthday treat for myself. I'm so glad I bought this product, it's beautiful! The shades are really natural yet you can really see a difference when contouring and highlighting. The rose gold luxurious packaging is also gorgeous too, as always with Charlotte Tilbury.

Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush

As well as buying the Filmstar Bronze and Glow, I also purchased the Powder and Sculpt Brush to go with it. Usually I wouldn't spend this much money on a brush (I'm more of a Real Techniques fan), however I thought this brush was so unique to any other brush I own and I've heard great reviews, plus it was the day before my birthday. I love this brush, it is perfect for contouring and highlighting with the Filmstar Bronze and Glow because it is tapered but also could be used for any kind of powder. It's also really soft and I love the colour of the handle too. I can tell I will be getting a lot of use out of this brush.

Jo Malone Peony and Blush Suede Perfume

I bought this perfume a few months ago and fell in love with it. However, because it was so expensive and luxurious I was too scared to use it all the time and only spritzed it on special occasions while sticking to my Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh for everyday. During July I decided I was going to try and use it more frequently because it smells so good, and because I'd barely used any of the product yet. This fragrance is the perfect spring/summer fragrance due to all the floral notes. I also find it lasts for a long amount of time throughout the day. I've found myself grabbing for this in the morning a lot more this month.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Deauville

This is a recent discovery of mine despite being quite popular among the beauty world already. I originally intended to buy this last year but accidentally picked up the Sheer Matte Foundation instead which I grew to love. However I got bored of the Sheer Matte as it was quite difficult to blend and I had a shade that was too dark for me so I tried the Sheer Glow instead. I love this foundation, it has just the right amount of coverage which can be build-able if needed and blends so easily into the skin. This shade is also much better for me and matches my skin so well.

Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm

This is my new favourite cleanser! I have used this nearly every night to remove my makeup in July and I just can't get enough of it. It melts makeup away with just a small amount in the palm of your hand mixed with water and it feels and smells so luxurious. I've noticed such an improvement in my skin since using it. To find out more read my review here.

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G in Bitch Perfect

Another one of my favourites once again is from the great Charlotte Tilbury, I seriously had to limit the amount of her makeup products I used on this post because I've used and loved so much of her products this month. This lipstick is the perfect pink-nude shade. It's so easy to apply and I usually don't use a lip liner with it so it's a great quick go-to lipstick in a morning. I also love the gorgeous rose gold packaging of her lipsticks. The formula smells so incredible too, better than any other makeup product scent!

Gossip Girl

As I'm moving to New York State for a year, and therefore will be spending as much time as possible in NYC, I thought I would re-watch Gossip Girl from the beginning, again. Gossip Girl was one of my favourite Tv shows of my teenage years and throughout high school and I've already watched the series a couple of times before. However this time I've watched it to get inspiration for how to spend my time in NYC as the whole series is based around the elite of New York. Also the fashion is to die for! I've really enjoyed re-watching the series again and cramming in at least 3 episodes a day throughout July.

What were your favourites in July?

Haul #2: Beauty

On Friday the 31st of January me and Jess went on a big day out to celebrate the end of our exams and to have a good catch up. We had such a good day in Nottingham starting off with some essential beauty shopping. Then we went to see The Wolf of Wall Street (which was so good!) and then we did a bit more shopping and then went out for a delicious meal at Piccolino's before going back to my house to watch The Great Gatsby on DVD. On our shopping trip we bought so many beauty products so both me and Jess decided to do a haul each (Click here to read Jess' haul). Here are the things that I bought:

MAC
MAC Eyeshadow in Retrospeck

The first product that I bought was a refill palette eyeshadow from MAC in the colour Retrospeck. I have a 15 eyeshadow palette and I had already filled 12 of the slots and I'm slowly building it up to complete it. Jess already has this shade and she recommended it to me so I thought I'd try it out. I absolutely love this shade, it's so glittery and I love a good neutral eyeshadow colour. It goes well with the other colours I have in my palette too, only 2 to go until it's finished!

John Lewis
YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in Rose in Tension

After MAC we went to John Lewis which has one of the best beauty departments in Nottingham, in my opinion. I had been wanting a new lipstick for a while so I thought I'd treat myself to a luxury brand lipstick. I decided on a YSL one because I love the gorgeous packaging and the texture of the Volupte Shine Lipsticks. I also really love the colour Rose in Tension. It's a really unique pink colour that can be worn both in the daytime and at night. I haven't stopped wearing it since I bought it!

Boots and Superdrug
Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Celeste

I bought the Apocalips Lip Lacquer because I had heard so much about these lip glosses and I've heard a few good reviews about them so I thought why not try one of them out? (I think they were on offer too which helped me to decide to get one). There were so many colours to choose from but I thought I'd go for a more natural colour and ended up choosing Celeste. I love the pink colour and the wand is such a good shape for application too. The Apocalips Lip Lacquers have some gorgeous shades but the smell of them is quite distinct so if you don't like strong smelling products I wouldn't recommend these.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

When we were in Boots I picked up the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent because my current one has smashed and the lid had broken too so it was impossible to carry it around with me on the move. I decided to get transparent because I use the powder to set my foundation and minimize shine rather than using it for coverage. I love this powder because it looks light and natural on the skin and works so well for the amazing price of £3.99!

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

I am such a mascara lover, so love experimenting and trying new ones out all the time. I love trying both high end and drugstore mascaras and I've had many favourites over the years including the YSL Babydoll mascara, Diorshow mascara and Lancome Drama Hypnose mascara. I have to say that the Maybelline The Falsies Mascara is among those favourites. It really elongates and separates my lashes but also thickens and volumizes them at the same time and it is relatively cheap at only £7.99. If you are looking for a new mascara then definitely try this one out!

Essie Nail Varnish in Shearling Darling

I have blogged before about how much I love Essie Nail Varnishes from how long they last to the colours, I can't get enough of them. I also love the limited edition shades that Essie releases on a regular basis. The most recent limited edition collection was the Winter 2013 collection. I loved all the colours from a sparkly pink to a lilac colour but I decided on a dark purple called Shearling Darling (I also love the names of Essie Nail Varnish). This nail varnish is so pretty and it dries really quickly too.

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser

I bought this moisturiser from Boots because I love the idea of a moisturiser you can use in the shower and wash off without having to apply moisturiser once you've gotten out of the shower. Although I love some normal moisturisers like various Soap and Glory and Laura Mercier ones, I hate having heavy moisturiser on my skin that I have to wait for ages to dry meaning sometimes I have to not bother at all when I'm in a rush, however this Nivea moisturiser is the perfect solution! I got the one for normal skin and when I got out of the shower my skin felt so smooth and silky after just one use. It was also on offer in Boots with a third off the original price for the 400ml bottle. The scent is sea minerals and isn't very strong or distinct but it is a lovely fresh smelling moisturiser. Overall I would definitely recommend this product for those who are always running out of time in the mornings like me!

Soap and Glory No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask

Recently I have been having problems with my skin and even though it has been clearing up I've been trying to discover new products to help clear my skin and keep spots away without spending too much money, as I already use a few Dermalogica products that can add up to quite a bit of money. After watching Youtuber Fleur De Force, I came across the No Clogs Allowed Deep Pore Detox Mask which intrigued me. The formula heats up when applied and turns blue when you apply it to the skin. You can feel it working as soon as you apply it and my skin felt clean and refreshed after one use. Also Soap and Glory was also a 1/3 off in Boots which encouraged me to try it out.

House of Fraser
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

I didn't buy the products from House of Fraser on our shopping trip but I thought I'd include them in my haul anyway because I ordered them online around the same time. I bought these eyelash curlers because I'd lost my previous ones and I've heard so many good things about the Shu Uemura ones. Although they are a little pricey at £20 they are supposed to be THE eyelash curlers to have and my first impression of them is that they are amazing! I can't wait to carry on using them and trying them out, especially with my new The Falsies Mascara.

Jo Malone Perfume in Peony and Blush Suede

This has to be my favourite purchase from the entire haul. I have wanted this perfume ever since I first smelled it in Selfridges over Christmas and I haven't stopped thinking about it since! Finally I decided to stop obsessing over it and I actually bought it, and I'm so happy that I did. The fragrance is floral with notes of Peony, Suede, Apple and Rose and it is the perfect spring fragrance. It is one of the most recent fragrances from Jo Malone and has had some raving reviews since its arrival. It came in such a cute box with a nice bow and black tissue paper inside too. I will proudly display this bottle on my vanity table!