January Beauty Haul

Today I’m doing a little haul on some of the beauty products I received for Christmas, and also just picked up myself. I love trying out new products, and am always on the search for my holy grail makeup and beauty items! There are still SO many products I want to try, and get my hands on, but for now I hope you all enjoy this little haul. Let me know if you have tried any of these products, and make sure to give me some recommendations for my next purchase!

1. The Body Shop

I don’t usually shop at ‘The Body Shop’, simply because I’m not really into bath and body products that much. Plus I’ve always thought they were a bit overpriced. However, I received these gifts for Christmas and absolutely love them! I’ve always thought the Body Shop makes great gifts, and love the fact that most of their products include fair trade ingredients. I received the Coconut Body Milk Lotion, which is a really light spray-on moisturiser. It smells absolutely delicious, and exactly like summer! I also received this Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion … And this is so incredible. I REALLY love this product. If you have blemish prone skin like myself, then you need this in your life. The lotion sinks into the skin to help improve the appearance of blemish damaged skin, and leaves your face feeling so soft and smooth.

2. Essence Mascara

I bought this mascara after a recommendation by beauty YouTuber Dani Mansutti, claiming it was the best mascara she had ever used. Let me just start by saying this mascara is SOOO cheap! I bought mine from Priceline for under $5.00, such a bargain. The best thing is that it actually is an amazing mascara; it makes my lashes really full and thick, without being clumpy. I can’t stand clumpy mascara’s, so this one is perfect for me. There are a few others in the range as well, so I would definitely recommend trying these out.

3. Boe Beauty

Another absolute bargain! Boe Beauty is sold in Big W stores here in Australia, and has recently reinvented itself. It used to be a really low-end beauty brand, but in the past few months it has come out with some ‘higher’ end products as part of their new line, though everything is still really affordable. This primer is really great, and does the job perfectly (and it’s only about $10!). I also really love this bronzer, it has just the slightest amount of shimmer and isn’t crazy pigmented so it’s really easy to work with and build up.

4. Lorac Pro Palette

If you know anything about makeup, you would know how much this palette by Lorac has been raved about. I put this on my Christmas wish list, and was lucky enough to receive it off my parents. It really is an amazing palette, and I think the best thing about it is the variety in shimmer and mattes, and that all of the colours are really wearable for day or night. Even though the eye shadows are all great, I still think it is overpriced for what it is. I could probably find a cheaper palette (such as the Chi Chi ones), which would all do a similar job. In saying that, I am still very much in love with my Lorac palette!

November Beauty Faves

Can anyone else believe it is already nearing the end of November? It’s actually scaring me how fast this year has gone! I feels like yesterday it was January and today it is suddenly November. Just to scare you even more, there are only 5 weeks until Christmas! Anyway, I haven’t talked about my favourite beauty products in a while, so I thought it was about time I shared with you all what I have been loving lately. I’ve got four products to show you this month – Hopfully you love them just as much as I do!

1. Urban Decay Setting Spray

I’ve been on the lookout for a good makeup setting spray for such a long time! I’ve bought a few cheap ones here and there, but couldn’t really tell they were doing anything, and didn’t love the pump. I thought I would invest in more of an expensive one, and I had heard so many good things about the Urban Decay line of setting sprays! It’s a bit tricky to find this here in Aus, so I ordered mine from Beauty Bay. I ABSOLUTELY love this! The mist is so fine that it doesn’t affect your makeup, and I really can see a difference when I have applied this. Definitely recommend this! P.S – has anyone tried the Urban Decay De Slick Oil? And, is it good?!

2. Australis Concealer Corrector Palette

Another product I have always wanted to give a go: A colour correcting wheel. This one from Australis is pretty cheap, but still does the job really well. Basically it comes with four different coloured concealers – green (for eliminating redness), lavender/purple (for brightening dark circles), and two shades of skin colour (to cover blemishes). I like to apply this product after primer, and before foundation. I will admit, it’s a little bit time consuming if you want to cover every blemish, but it’s worth it if you want a flawless base. I tend to only use this when I have a special occasion and want to really perfect my makeup.

3. NYX Butter Gloss

Okay, so I feel like I’m the last person ever to jump on board the Butter Gloss fan group. It’s one of those products that I don’t know how I have survived this long in life without, haha. The smell of them alone makes me their number one fan, but their consistency and formula is so buttery and smooth it feels like heaven on your lips! The tints are also really good, they aren’t too pigmented and opaque for a gloss, but add just enough colour to be noticeable. So far I only have two shades (eclair and creme brûlée), which are both nude pinks. They look PERFECT over the top of any nude lipstick. I need to get more shades ASAP, any recommendations?

4. Victoria’s Secret Body Mist

These body mists are actually to die for. No exaggeration. They are perfect for everyday wear, because it’s such a fine mist that isn’t too over-powering. They are just so easy and quick to spray on, and have such beautiful scents that seem to linger for ages. I only have the flavours Midnight Exotics (Vanilla), Strawberries and Champagne, and Luscious Kisses (Coconut and Mango), and all three are amazing! They come at a reasonable price too, around $20-$25 depending where you get them. Again, it’s a little bit hard to find these in Aus, so I think you’re best bet is to search Ebay, where you can find every single flavour. Have you tried any?

Let me know what you have been loving this month in the comments below! x