New Things: October

So there's many advantages and disadvantages to working full time. But one advantage is spending more money on makeup. I mean, I don't need any more lipsticks, but do I buy them, of course I do. Most of my purchases are usually influenced by bloggers or youtubers and they go onto my little wish list for a while until eventually I give in and they come home with me!

First up is a lipstick (of course!) this is Mac All Fired Up from the Retro Matte range. This is a colour that I've wanted for about 2 years and always pick up and swatch in store. I've held off by thinking I didn't really need it, however when I got chance at a Back to Mac freebie it went straight in my basket. It's a beautiful combination of a bright pink and red, a good bold lip.

Also from Mac, a new brush for my collection. This is the Mac 266 Small Angle Brush. As you may have seen from my New York haul in March. All I've been using for my brows is the Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade and I've been using the same old thick cheap brush since I first started filling in my brows, so this was a sneeky little treat for myself. It has definitely improved the precision in which I apply product so hopefully no scouse brows in sight!

I've never seen so much hype about a concealer like I have for Urban Decay's Naked Skin. I've never really been fussy with my concealers as long as they cover. However, recently I've needed something to help brighten my under eyes. Due to my (desceivingly) pale skin tone, I've never really found anything to do this and help highlight my face. But this has completely done the trick, so much so I'm considering buying it in a slightly darker colour for the rest of my face.

Finally some cheeky Space Nk purchases. I'm not afraid to say going into store intimidates me slightly. The staff to customer ratio is a bit off and I always feel a little judged. So I tend to have an idea of what I want before I go in.

One of which was Emma Hardie's Amazing Face cleanser. I was stuck over this or the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel, but in the end this reigned triumphant for the fact it seemed to have a much creamier consistency for dry skin. This has been in my possession for just over a week and it is most definitely love. This has completely changed my skin for the better, it is no longer as dry and using it as a second cleanse has meant that my skin is much clearer!

The other purchase: one of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes in Dim Infusion. This is a beauty, cue the love heart eyes emoji! The colour is a beautiful coral with a lovely glow to it and no sparkle in sight. Due to it being a combination of a blush with one of the Ambient Lighting powders, it's ridiculously blendable and I love it that much that I may have made a cheeky order for the new Ambient Lighting Edit palette so I can try two more colours and one of the bronzers. What can I say Hourglass have just sucked me in.

Well then, I'm now a bit skint. At least I have lots of pretty things! Until next time..

Libi xx

My First Jo Malone Experience

Let's just start by saying I absolutely love perfume. I love that a memory can spark from a quick whiff of a certain scent and I'm not gonna lie and tell you that I didn't try use this to my advantage at University. Dousing myself in the stuff for revision then hoping I'd sit down in my exam and all the knowledge would flood in.

It's also something quite personal, which is why it surprises me that it's probably one of the most bought gifts ever. Not for myself however, I have a perfume collection comprising of two perfumes. Juicy Couture's original fragrance and this little beauty I picked up the other week.

Myself and Hutch decided to go for a little day out in Liverpool, we wandered around for a while and then I dragged Hutch into the Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar store to have a browse. After I stopped by at MAC, he fancied looking at Jo Malone.

Up until this point I had no idea he liked Jo Malone scents. I could just be very sexist, but I have always just associated the brand with women. It was not until I'd sprayed approximately 30 fragrances on myself, did I realise a lot of them were very unisex and quite musky, especially the Cologne Intense ones.

After taking so long to settle on my favourite, we went to the till armed with two 30ml bottles. Hutch chose Pomegranate Noir - one of Jo Malone's most popular fragrances and I chose Nectarine Blossom and Honey, one I had never heard many people talk about but loved how sweet it was.

The lovely lady serving us told us all about mixing different scents together to find a unique fragrance. For Hutch she suggested Pomegranate Noir combined with Wood Sage and Sea Salt, I can't begin to describe the end result but all I remember is it smelt divine. For myself, Nectarine Blossom and Honey combined with Blackberry and Bay. This was one of the scents I enjoyed anyway and toyed with purchasing. The combination of the two smelt like a Blackberry cocktail of some sort, I was tempted to buy the other on the spot but I resisted. It's now on my payday wish list.

After looking for some cologne samples but to no avail, we settled upon some lovely body wash samples so we could test our combined scents and layer them together for greater lasting power.

Overall, we had such great service in Jo Malone and as always their gift presentation and wrapping was so lovely. I'll definitely be back!

Have you tried Jo Malone before? What is your favourite scent? What would you like to try?

Libi xx