...better late than never!
I actually did a YouTube video on my favourites, but I thought I'd do a blog post too, with the inclusion of 2 other items that I forgot to put in my video!
So, in no particular order, here's what i've been rating this month...
1. Natural Unrefined Shea Butter from The Aromatherapy Shop, around £5- I had originally bought this (humongous!) 400g tub of shea butter with the idea of using it as a facial moisturiser, but it is INCREDIBLY thick, and so i've started using it as an amazing overnight foot treat. Just smother over feet, pop on cotton socks, leave overnight et voila! Fabulously soft feet! All for about a fiver a tub.
2. Clinique Super City Block SPF 40, RRP £15 - I picked this up whilst at the duty free at the airport, and it was a choice between the SPF 25 or 40. Now i'm approaching the grand old age of 23, i feel the need to start protecting my skin, and I figured this was a good place to start. Lightweight, non-greasy and gives a slight glow whilst acting as a primer, i'm already a fan.
3. Sleek Face and Body Highlighter in Peach Shimmer, RRP £6 (approx) - This has been languishing in my make-up bag ever since I grabbed it as part of a 3 for 2 offer in Superdrug a while ago, but honestly I don't know why! I've been applying it with the E.L.F. blush brush and it's amazing at contouring whilst adding a lovely slightly shimmery golden glow to your cheekbones. Fantastic alternative to the Bobby Brown Shimmer Brick!
4.Avon Supershock Mascara in Black, RRP £8.99 (although I purchased off an Ebay seller for around £4) -for those of you who love Maxfactor Great Lash mascara or Covergirl Lash Blast, i'd say this is a good competitor, as it has a similar fine-combed plastic brush but (in my opinion) a better formular. It's quite buildable, but i've been wearing it during the day for a wide-eyed look.
5. Avon Supershock gel eyeliner in black, RRP £6 approx (although again mine was an Ebay purchase for £2!) - This is a FANTASTIC contender for the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner. it's similar to the latter in that you have a couple of seconds to apply and work with it before it sets, and it does have good staying power, although admittedly more so on the top lid than the waterline (however I think you'd need to get your waterline tattooed for any liner to stay put here!)
6. E.L.F. 2 in 1 Conditioning Gloss in golden, £3.50 - this gloss is part of the studio line from E.L.F, and for anyone who hasn't yet checked out E.L.F. I thoroughly recommend that you do, as there are some fantastic products avaulable, all at equally amazing prices. This 2 in 1 gloss is one of my favourites, as it combines a sort of lipbalm treatment with incredibly high shine gloss. It's very thick but not stringy (ugh) or gloopy, and my lips do feel quite smooth once it wears off.
7. E.L.F. Studio lipstick in Runway Pink, £3.50 - yet another fabby product from E.L.F., this time in the shape of their mineral lipstick.
I love the sleek and simple packaging, and there is a good variety of colours available. This particular colour, Runway Pink, is a beautiful nude-pink colour, and matches my own lipcolour perfectly, serving to enhance them perfectly and goes fantastically with the above 2 in 1 gloss. It doesn't have particularly amazing staying power, but it is not at all drying, and at £3.50 you can afford to buy another one should it run out!
8. Seche Vite top coat, £8.95 (approx) from Salon Services/Sallys etc - considered the Holy Grail of top coats, I jumped at the chance of buying some of this when the girl who does my nails said she could get me it for about £4 with her trade card at Sally's. I'm so glad I took up the offer as it really is fantastic in setting nails to a beautiful shiny finish in literally seconds - perfect for those times when you decide to change your nail polish just as you get in bed!
9. Dove Supreme Body Silk moisturiser, RRP around £4 - i've always been a Palmer's Cocoa Butter girl, but as I received so many moisturisers at xmas time, I decided to work my way through my stash, and this is my favourite moisturiser of the moment. It's got that beautiful light Dove smell, is lovely and thick without being "cloggy" and yet sinks in super fast. A classic!
10. Veet In-shower hair removal creme, RRP £5.99 (approx) - I think the idea of an in-shower hair removal cream is an excellent idea, and whilst it doesn't always necessarily work in practise (especially if you're in the direct stream of shower water!), it is a good alternative to hanging about waiting for conventional creams to work! I've actually been using this on my bikini line as an alternative to waxing. I find that the regrowth is actually fairly slow and comes through more easily and with less hassle (e.g. no ingrown hairs!) than with waxing. I just pop it on before getting in the shower, wait a couple of minutes, then let it get to work whilst I wash my hair. Ta-dah!
What were your February favcs?
Melanie x
