Monthly Favourites: November 2014

 

I can sense that a lot of favourites will be a bit premature this month as it seems that everyone is highly anticipating the new one to begin! I've held on for as long as I could but November is almost over which means its nearly time for my favourite month of the year and it also means its time to talk a brand new bunch of favourites! I'm so excited for December and all the festivities to really kick in. In November I didn't have many makeup favourites as my skin has been playing up lately so I've been toning down the makeup and skincare in a bid to restore it back to a happier state. However I've been really loving lots of bath and body products over the last month as you will see when I get into all of these lovelys.

 

The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter.
If you caught my recent Body Shop haul you may already know that I picked up their new Glazed Apple body butter. I'm a sucker for TBS body butters, there's always one (or two) on the go in my bathroom so I was very excited to learn about their new festive collections hitting the shops with three limited edition body butters being introduced.  I never thought that the Glazed Apple scent would float my boat however I surprised myself and it was the scent I liked most - sharp but sweet - I've written a full review on this here if you want to find out more about it, but basically I've been loving it.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector.
Another item from TBS I have loved during November has been their Hemp hand cream. I received this as part of a gift set for free when I spent over £30 in store recently and I've been using it daily on my hands since. Even though we haven't really experienced harsh winter conditions so far yet in England, my hands are always the first tell-tale sign that my skin is becoming dry and a bit neglected. This Hemp Hand Protector is probably the least greasy feeling yet moisture giving hand cream I've ever tried. I'm not even sure if that makes sense, but basically this isn't at all sloppy and yet it makes my hands so soft and nourished. I've got a full product review coming up with this soon so stay tuned.

Lush Snow Fairy Massage Bar.
Talking of greasy feeling products links me in nicey to my next product, Snow Fairy Massage bar which is the complete opposite of the Hemp hand cream as this is extremely greasy feeling. Generally speaking I'm not really one for excessively oily products, however on saying that I have really noticed the benefits of using a massage bar. I carry quite a lot of weight in my hips/lower body which can quite often lead me to getting back ache and when applying this to my lower back it helps release some of that tension. Its also a really nice treat for when your muscles are a bit sore after working out too. The only down side I would say to this is that it isn't cheap and you don't really get a lot of uses from it - I've already had to stock up on a second one of these. This also has a glittery bit to it too which doesn't bother me too much but might not be for everyone's tastes.

 

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel.

Another product from Lush and hands down my favourite shower product of the month was their Rose Jam shower gel. This is absolutely gorgeous, and for those of you who are familiar with the Snow Fairy shower gel but find it too sweet, Rose Jam is a milder more flowery alternative to enjoy in your showers before Christmas. I really love this rosy yet festive shower treat from Lush.

 

YSL Black Opium.

My final 'smelly' favourite of November is my most recent perfume purchase and this is Yves Saint Laurent's new release Black Opium. I've been absolutely obssessed with the gorgeous smell of Black Opium since getting it and its definitely become my latest winter fragrance, particularly for evening wear - its going to be well used with the upcoming party season. I also think that the bottle is stunning, I love the glittery packaging it looks super chic and quite festive too. Obviously describing scents is a personal thing but I've written a full review on the perfume here if you want to find out my thoughts on it.

 

Nars Luster Blusher.

My only beauty favourite of the month is Nars Luster blush, as I mentioned above my skin is acting up big time so I've been trying to limit the amount of products I'm using while I try and figure out exactly what the problem is. However on days when I think my skin is looking like it needs a bit of a healthy boost this blush has been perfect. Described as a 'sheer golden apricot' Luster gives me a nice wash of colour. I would say Luster is a subtle peach blush without those strong pinky tones that a lot of blush has, instead it does have that gold shimmer to it which looks very beautiful. This is also a really versatile shade, you can pair pretty much any lip/eye combo with it and it goes.

 

 

QOTD: What have you loved in November? Are you excited for the new month to arrive?