December seems to have been, and gone in a heartbeat this year; I really can't believe Christmas is over and tomorrow is the first day of 2014. Despite being a quiet month on the blog (I apologise, again, though things should be a bit more productive in 2014, watch this space!), I've actually found quite a few new products to rave about...

1. Mavala Mavadry Top Coat
I'll keep this one quite brief as I actually have a whole post coming up dedicated to this stuff. Basically, it's pretty amazing stuff! A quick swipe of this over freshly painted nails reduces the drying time and increases the wear time.

2. Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot
This translucent mattifying powder has quickly become one of my daily staples this month. The ulta-fine powder sets foundation and eliminates shine without looking at all 'cakey' or 'powdery'. I tend to finish my foundation with a light dusting in the morning then keep it in my bag for a quick midday touch up.

3. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
As December is party season, this spray has been getting a lot of use this month. a couple of spritzes of this ensures my makeup stays put pretty much all day rather than mostly fading away by lunch! I'd definitely recommend it if you need your makeup to stay perfect for just that little bit longer.

4. Essie Shearling Daring and Toggle to the Top
I've been sporting these festive hues and glitter on my nails virtually all month. Not only is the deep burgundy gorgeous, especially with the glitter layered over the top, but they last a pretty long time too. I've found that I can go at least 4-5 days with just minor chipping. I'm sure i'll still be reaching for this pair even when Christmas is long gone!

5. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Complex II
Recently, the cold weather and central heating has left my skin quite dehydrated. I've been using this for around a month and a half now and i'm shocked at how much it's helped my skin. Just one-two drops of this patted into skin before night cream leaves my skin looking and feeling healthier. It's really helped to eliminated the uncomfortable 'tight' feeling you associate with dryness and appears to have evened out my skin tone slightly by reducing redness.

Have you found any great products this month?
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and is looking forward to 2014.

♡

As much as I love nail polish, I've never really been into dark or colorful tips, but tend to stick to nudes and pastels all year round. Though this winter, all that has changed. After spotting Essie's mini winter collection in Boots, I just couldn't get the deep burgundy shade (Shearling Darling) and the accompanying glitter (Toggle to the Top) out of my head. After a lot of humming and haring, I decided to face my fears and give the festive deep red nail a go. The verdict? I'm in love. 'Shearling Darling' is a gorgeous sophisticated wine red that looks great with my winter wardrobe, whilst a swipe of 'Toggle to the Top' layered over the top adds the perfect festive finish. This little combination has definitely sparked a love affair for dark nails that i'm pretty sure will lead to further (necessary) purchases of similar hued polish.

The shade 'Parka Perfect' is also a gorgeous shade for winter, and as it's quite neutral, it's pretty easy to wear too. I'm sure that this blue/grey pastel will also be getting a lot of use come spring and summer.

For just £12.99, Essie's mini collection's are a great way to try out new shades and would also make a great gift or stocking filler. If there are any left on shelves, I would definitely recommend giving their winter collection a whirl...if you haven't done already!

♡

November was one of those months where time seemed to fly away from me at dangerous speeds. Starting a new job at the beginning of the month has left me quite behind with blogging (not to mention Christmas shopping...), though hopefully I can be forgiven?!

1. Mac Lipstick in Patisserie

By far my favourite Mac lipstick and quite possibly my favourite lipstick ever. It's the perfect 'my lips but better' shade that's so easy to wear, you don't even need a mirror.

2. Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Aid

I've been carting this around with me on a daily bases to keep chapped lips in check. It delivers on smell, taste and long lasting hydration. I also love the cute packaging and the tube dispenser means that it's a great hygienic option for when your out and about. 

3. Essie Set In Stones

Whilst strolling the isles of boots yet again (somebody really needs to keep me away from that place), I couldn't resist picking up this beautiful sparkly topcoat from Essie. A layer of this over the top of your manicure creates a festive, yet still quite sophisticated edge.

4. Ren Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk

I've been using this cleaner morning and night to thoroughly remove dirt and makeup without irritating or stripping my skin. I still need to use it for a few more weeks before I'm confident enough to write a full review, but so far so good. 

5. Origins Make a Difference Plus Rejuvenating Treatment

I've been using this nightly after serum and it's been doing a fantastic job at keeping my skin hydrated and dry patches at bay, despite the cold weather. I'm a huge fan of Origins moisturisers in general but I think this one might be my favourite so far. And, just like the entire Make a Difference Plus range, it smells AHmazing.

What products have you fallen in love with recently?

♡