January Beauty Favourites 2012

It's that time of the month where I share my monthly favourites.  These are products that I have repeatedly loved using throughout the course of the month and are either new discoveries or items that I have re-discovered.  Some products, for example those mentioned in my skin care routine etc will not be shown as they are products that I have loved and used for a long time and would therefore be present in every months favourites, not just in this months (see below for the list - perhaps I will do a separate post about these).  The items below are in no particular order.

Long Standing Favourites (these are products that have not changed for a long time):

Skincare: Liz Earle (see skincare favourites)
Powder: Mac Mineralised Skinfinish Natural
Foundation: Estee Lauder Sheer Tint Release
Bronzer: Nars Laguna
Concealer: Bobbi Brown Corrector, Mac Select Moisture Cover Concealer and Bare Minerals Eye Brightener in Well Rested.
Eye Liner: L'Oreal Liner Intense in Carbon Gloss
Mascara: Benefit They're Real
Brows: HD Brow Set

This months favourites are:


Organix Brazillian Keratin Therapy Shampoo & Conditioner £6.99 each from Boots

I have discovered a new shampoo and conditioner that works wonders on my hair.  Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Shampoo 385ml is described as being an exclusive blend of antioxidant rich cocoa nut oil along with lush keratin proteins to help strengthen and soften the hair, while organic avocado oil and cocoa butter smooth the cuticle for straight, strong tresses, adding a brilliant glow and luminescent shine.  I have straight hair (with a slight kink to it if left to dry naturally) so you may wonder why I even bothered to try a Keratin shampoo as they are designed for people with curly hair who want to straighten it.  I chose this product because of the ingredients and to help create silky smooth locks that are really conditioned from within.  Along with using the Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Conditioner 385ml I really feel that I have finally achieved the hair that I wanted which is in good condition, shiny and full of body.  It is also sodium and sulphate free which is also good for your hair - for more information about this click here.  I will probably do a separate review on this product as I have really enjoyed using it so far, so I will save some of my thoughts and feelings about this product until then.

Amazon Kindle £89

This was one of my favourite Christmas presents that I received this year (so excited to finally have one) and has been used continuously throughout January.  I love reading, but I was finding it increasingly difficult to read a book (especially if I was holding Olivia and she fell asleep) as I couldn't turn the pages.  The Kindle solved this problem completely as it is light to hold and easy to turn the pages with one click of a button.  I also like to carry a book with me (as you never know when you might get the chance to read) and with all of the things that I need to carry with me for Olivia there is not much room for a book in my bag.  The new Kindle is so practical for this as it is smaller and lighter than traditions books as well as the original Kindle.  Some people may not like that there isn't a key pad available (the new one you have to scroll through an on-screen keypad using the cursor) but this doesn't bother me as it is not as though you need to use the key pad all the time.  The page size is exactly the same as the original but the new Kindle only holds 1000 books, which is more than plenty for me (the original holds 3,500).  One thing I will add is that it does not come with a charger.  It has the cable required, so if you have an Apple charger with a USB port you can use this or you can charge it directly from a computer using the USB cable.  It was not a problem for me as I had an Apple charger that I could use but if you don't then it might be worth purchasing one for ease (although the Kindle does stay charged for a very long time).

Laura Mercier Hand Cream in Creme Brulee £13 for 50g

This month I have found that I am reaching for hand cream more than ever as I am forever washing my hands or washing-up bottles etc and due to the cold weather they have been a lot dryer than normal.  My favourite hand cream is from the Creme Brulee range by Laura Mercier.  It is a rich creme that nourishes the skin without leaving a greasy film. It contains grape and olive oils which help to soften and moisturise, while soy proteins rich in amino acids help in the repair process. The fragrance is a deep rich caramel with nuances of sugar, vanilla and musk and as Creme Brulee is my favourite dessert to eat, how could I possibly resist this.

Miss Dior Cherie Eau de Parfum

As you can see from the bottle (which is 100ml) I do not have a lot of this product left.  I was trying to save this until I bought another bottle and recently I received one as a gift, so throughout January I have been using this product like mad as it is one of my all time favourites.  The perfume is describe as being a fragrance created for an elegant and spirited young woman in love. Romantic by nature, Miss Dior Chérie inspires an intense and playful love, for which she is also searching. She personifies the spontaneous joie de vivre of today's young women, representing a particular type of freedom and seduction. The fragrance is characterised by an instant and captivating charm. Whether or not you agree with their statement is up to you but whenever I wear this perfume I always feel elegant and girly and I love the combination of citrus fruits and floral notes.

Mac Tinted Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink £11 for 15ml

Due to the weather being a lot colder and the fact that I can't stop kissing Olivia (her cheeks are so cute I can't help myself) I've been avoiding wearing as much lipstick/lipgloss.  This month I wanted my lips to be conditioned but still have a slight tint of colour to them.  I raided through my make-up collection and re-discovered my lip conditioner from Mac in the shade Petting Pink.  It is a protective emollient balm formulated with SPF 15, and gives a sheer wash of colour and an all-natural sheen. It helps to condition the lips, and locks in moisture, and contains Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Avocado Extract, Wheat Germ Oil, Vitamins A and E.  It gives my lips a pretty pink tint to them with a lovely sheen and goes with anything that you might put on your eyes or cheeks.  The best thing of all - it doesn't transfer when I give Olivia a kiss, or get stuck to my hair (which is something I really hate about Lipgloss).

Palmer's Cocoa Butter £3 - £4 for 250ml

This was my favourite moisturiser when I was pregnant and throughout January when the weather is cold and leaves my skin on the dry side.  Palmer's Cocoa Butter is a rich creamy lotion made from pure Cocoa Butter enriched with Vitamin E, and is an advanced moisturiser that softens, smoothes and relieves dry skin. It is also designed to help smooth and blend marks and scars so is helpful in preventing those dreaded stretch marks which so many women fear when pregnant.  I didn't get any stretch marks during my pregnancy and this was the only product that I used on my skin.  The scent is quite strong and it not to everyones taste but I really adore the chocolate smell that it leaves on my skin.  However if you don't like the scent you can purchase a fragrance free version and still enjoy the benefits.

I will post my favourites around the same time each month and if you would like any of these products reviewed in more depth then please leave a comment below.  Also you can subscribe for future updates on my monthly favourites.