A Few of My Favourite Things - January 2015

Hiya! I hope everyone is having a lovely Wednesday. I don't have uni today so I'm using the day to relax a bit, get some coursework out of the way, and try to wrap my head around the foreign language that is calculus. I think the maths explains why I have recently felt the need to reward myself with an obscene amount of retail therapy.

The good thing about all the excess shopping I've been doing is I have gotten to discover new products - many of which are listed below. Keep reading to see what I have fallen in love with this month!

Giorgio Armani Blender Brush: I've been looking for a while for a good foundation brush to compliment the perfect foundation I've found. I searched a bit online and found a list complied by Elle of the best makeup brushes on the market. This brush was on the list and I decided to give it a try despite it's price. I am obsessed. I could hardly contain myself the first time I used it. It blends foundation seamlessly, there are no lines or streaks, and the coverage is flawless. This is, hands down, my favourite makeup brush I own.

Sephora Pro Airbrush Concealer Brush #57: I bought this brush after a sales associate at Sephora used it when showing me different concealers. I love how it feels almost velvety on my skin, doesn't lose fibers, and blends my concealer so well.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment: I use this as a serum after I wash my face in the morning. I could feel a difference in the firmness of my skin after the very first time I used it. I've also noticed that the pesky lines on my forehead from raising my eyebrows for my entire life have visibly reduced. That said, there are two little things I'm not a huge fan of. First, there's a bit of a tingling sensation when you first apply it. It's nothing unbearable and goes away after a few minutes, but I found myself wanting to scratch at my face. Secondly, the directions say use 2 to 3 pumps for your entire face, but I've found that about 1.5 pumps is a perfect amount. For how much it costs it should definitely be used sparingly. However, these tiny drawbacks aren't enough to keep me away from the amazing results I've seen.

YSL Mascara Volume Effect Faux Cils Shocking: When I ran out of my last mascara I was of course faced with the dilemma of whether I should buy something new or stick with an old favourite. I decided to have my cake and eat it too. I've always loved YSL mascara, but hadn't yet tried the Shocking. Turns out it's fantastic. It makes my eyelashes so dark and thick without being too clumpy. You can continue building it up to add fullness, but one coat will definitely get the job done!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: I always have trouble finding concealer. It's similar to my foundation problem (most are too yellow for my skin tone), but it's worse with concealer because there seem to be less shades out there. A sales associate at Sephora helped match me with this particular concealer and it's absolutely fantastic. The name says it all - it has a luminious finish, an amazing creamy consistency, and conceals spots and blemishes like a dream. A little bit goes a long way, which is always nice.

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub: So many people have jumped on the Lush bandwagon and I'm most definitely included in this. Their lip scrubs are perfect for the cold of January when chapped lips are abound. It's incredibly easy to use and this flavour is so refreshing thanks to the peppermint.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil: I received this in a sample size as a birthday gift in the colour Cruella. NARS lip colours are always wonderful and this is no exception. Since it's in a pencil form it's super easy to apply precisely. This particular colour is gorgeous and a truer red than it looks online. However, the best part of this product...I have never, ever used a lipstick that stays on as well as this does. The first time I wore it was to dinner and a movie. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was still nearly flawless after I got home that evening. I really want this in every single shade.

Bumble & Bumble Pret-A-Powder: I can't remember if I've talked about my hair disaster yet, but long story short these days I find myself needing more styling products than I have in the past. I love this powder because not only is it a dry shampoo, but also a volumizer. It doesn't turn your hair white or completely flat matte like some dry shampoos do, but it absorbs excess oil so well. I plan on having this on-hand at all times.

Have you tried any of these products? Or have you been loving something new this month? I'd love to hear your recommendations, comments, and questions!

Sarah xx