Monthly Favourites: April

April is my birthday month and the first month of the year that really starts to feel wintery. I've got a few new season bits this month (mostly birthday presents, birthday presents from myself or bought with birthday money (I said birthday too much). Anyway - lets crack on. 

The first wee birthday present (to: me, love: me) was a Daniel Wellington watch. I'd been eyeing these up on the wrists of various bloggers. I'd fancied a more delicate "ladies" watch with a smaller face and leather strap a while and when I saw a discount code I couldn't really say no, could I? It needs to be on the tightest "rung" to fit my tiny wrists but the face is beautiful, about the same size as my much loved Michael Kors watch. I think leather watches almost improve with age as the leather softens it gains more character. Definitely a lovely piece to have. 

The next favourite was mentioned in a post earlier this month - Tootsi lipstick by Colourpop (you can see swatches here). I'd never really tried brown nudes before but this is such a gorgeous beige/browny nude. It looks a little different on everyone but it's a new favourite of mine. Dark enough that you can go pretty neutral on the eyes if you choose to but still lovely for the evening with a more dramatic look too. The fact that it's matte also means it lasts a good long while especially paired with the lip pencil counterpart of the same name. To give you an idea of how much I love it I've just repurchased another lip pencil and lippie to take with me to the UK. 

If you've read my "About Me" you'll know I can't resist lacy stuff. Lonely Hearts underwear is the stuff dreams are made of. So comfortable, beautifully made and they make you feel amazing too. Generally I've stayed away from soft cup bras but the extra straps on these and the fit of them is so flattering and comfortable. My boobs have moved in, unpacked and aren't going anywhere. I bought the black and white in the Blair design (with matching underwear of course).

My final two for the month are my new Cellini hand bag - luxuriously oversized with sturdy straps, a split pocket and plenty of little nooks and crannies to keep mobile phones and lipsticks safe it's amazing. Mum got this for me mainly so I'd have something larger for the plane to the UK - my usual bag is a little too small. This greige toned bag is faux leather but feels beautifully soft and is large enough to fit my travel compendium, a book and my tablet (amongst other hand bag essentials of course).

Last but not least is actually an app - Fotor is a photo editing app, since I've started using it I find it even easier to made my blog photos look more like I've always wanted them to. Great for a beginner it has features that are easy to navigate and can give you some of the effects you can get from a DSLR camera but through editing rather than photography. There's a lot of auto-adjust templates for you to use too and a nifty collage feature which I've used on several occasions.

That's all from me for this month - next monthly favourites will be published from London (eeek!).

Claire x

Monthly Favourites: March 2015

I've not written a monthly favourites post in a while and the last few weeks I've found a few new things I really love. It's a lot less beauty oriented this month but I always love seeing miscellaneous bits people enjoy too. I'm expecting the next couple of months will be pretty hectic (I can disclose why in a few weeks) so if I go MIA for a while you'll all know why. I'll do a full disclosure closer to the time - long story short some very exciting things are in the works. Anyway, as always I ramble too long so I'll shut up and get on with the important stuff.

Anastasia Beverley Hills Brow Wiz in Taupe
If you've been following me a while you'll know I've been a fan of the Anastasia brow products a while. You can see my first impressions of the dip-brow here. I've been using the brow wiz for a while now and it's gradually taken over my brow territory fromy its waxy brother. The little spoolie at one end is great for getting brows into shape then the wind up nib at the other end is very fine meaning you can get a great looking shape and create very natural "hair like" strokes rather than a general washboard colour like the pomade provides. I've just bought it in a darker shade as well because I always love a more intense brow in the cooler months.

LUSH Mask of Magnaminty
This mask in short is heaven for problematic and high maintenance skin. This is the self preserving version and it's absolutely gorgeous. I've just about finished the large tub and have got about 10 full (very generous) masks out of it. The mint is very cooling and refreshing, the honey is calming and antiseptic for spotty skin in a very gentle way. The smell is super fresh and even though it's quite scrubby it's mild enough to use frequently. My skin hasn't looked so clear in years and I put at least part of it down to this mask. I'll definitely be repurchasing.

Samsung Tab S - 10.5 inch 32gig
This is my new baby, I'm writing this very post on it right now. I wanted something small and portable that was good for editing photos on in a basic way on the run as well. A few if my favourite features include the photo editing program, super easy to follow and it saves a copy of each edit you do in case you change your mind. The Playlist generating software is amazing too - there's little grid keypad that you swipe over to decide your mood and it creates a Playlist for you just from that. The image quality is amazing and of course it's very light and user friendly. I'll need a laptop again in the future but in the mean time this is more than adequate - in the very least I can keep up with my blog posts much more easily.

Panasonic RP-DJS200 headphones
I love listening to music, it's on when I'm in the car, going to sleep,  in the office - just all the time really. Because of that and listening to it with ear buds that sit right in your ears which in the long run isn't fantastic. Years ago I had some great Sony headphones similar to these so thought it was about time I replaced them. Short of spending 500 bucks on some Beats by Dre (my budget is not oriented that way...) these were a great alternative.

Meadowlark Hexagon Cocktail Ring
I'd had my eye on this ring for a while and finally purchased it about a month ago. The rose quartz is so muted but beautiful and is quite understated for such a bold design. I had to order it especially due to my tiny fingers and it was well worth the wait. Meadowlark is hands down my favourite jewelery brand and this is one of my most loved pieces by them.

Claire x

Monthly Favourites: January

Well, January whizzed past faster than I thought possible. 2015 has been a wonderfully busy year so far - despite challenges at work that have been wearing me out a bit (eek). I have a few new favourites this month - some were instant loves and only purchased recently while the hair care I've been using a while now. Anyway

Right lets start with the makeup bits I think, first off I have two new NARS additions to my makeup family. I bought the Nars Persia eyeshadow - it looks terrifying in the pan but compliments blue eyes amazingly and can be applied quite subtly or be built up for quite a striking and intense look. It's very blendable and highly pigmented - again, I've yet to be let down by anything from Nars.

The next stunner was the Nars Longwear Eyeliner in Via Appia. A gorgeous bronzey brown I used the old "this will look great on blue eyes" excuse and it works beautifully with the eyeshadow. The colour payoff is great and as the name suggests, it really does last a long time. As a chronic eye-rubber (is that a thing?) I love products that don't budge. I know I can safely put this one on in the morning and it'll still be there come 5 o'clock at the end of the working day.

The last makeup piece was another eyeshadow - I'd actually intended on getting All That Glitters but sadly it was sold out - instead I got Naked Lunch (by MAC) which is very similar. It's a beautiful pearly/slightly glittery finish with a champagne colour. I think this one will be lovely for the cooler months paired with a berry lip (come on Autumn I'm ready for you now).

It wouldn't be a monthly favourites post of mine if I didn't have a Lush product in there - I mentioned D'Fluff in a Dream Team post here. It's a new release from Lush, I never thought I'd be one to buy shaving soap but here I am smelling of strawberries with the smoothest legs. It's very gentle and mild on the skin, smells positively edible (as I've come to expect from Lush) and I never have any issues with razor rash when I use it. Next time I'll be getting the large tub...

Finally I have a couple of hair products - I'm not usually so big into hair seeing as mine is so stubbornly straight and un-styleable however these two are a dream for my new short hair. The first of which is Jungle Solid Conditioner - also by Lush. It's a lighter conditioner than the super intensive one I was using before and of course is also cruelty free. The smell is heavenly - living in the country I love earthy kind of smells and this one is gorgeous. It smells like the tropical rainforest of your dreams, it's too hard to describe so just have a whiff next time you're in Lush yourself. As my hair is shorter I try not to weigh it down - although this one is largely cocoa butter it's not heavy and gives shorter/healthier hair just the right amount of moisture and shine.

Given the recent months of sitting outside and abusing my hair with more frequent washing I've felt more of a need to get back into hydrating masks. I recently bought the Hello Hair Hydrating Mask and being the coconut fan I am I bought the Island Escape edition. It smells like orange and coconut and is quite a thick oil - it's totally natural which is great for sensitive scalps and really does give a lot of shine to your hair. I found I was less prone to tangles after using this too. It is pretty tough to wash out completely so I use my purple shampoo and leave it on my hair for a minute or two. This gets rid of all the oil, tones my hair and leaves it shiny but also squeaky clean. For the price it is I'll definitely be re-purchasing - of all the masks I've tried this is my top favourite.

Last one of this month is my new Vans - I've wanted to get the burgundy ones for ages and have been wearing them non-stop. They're the sort of shoes I can get away with wearing pretty much everywhere (so I do...).

Phew, feel like this was a bit late this month but I got there in the end!

Claire x

Monthly Favourites: November 2014

Ahh, monthly favourites time again. I do love a good product round-up. There's a few new bits and bobs here and a few pieces I've had for a while and have started really reaching for again. A lot of them are complimentary products that I use in conjunction with each other. Right, on with it then.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette.
To say this palette is absolutely stunning would be an understatement. I think I'll do a more in depth review of this one with swatches and photos of it on because you really need to see it and try it to do it justice. Inside are three finishing powders of different shades - together you can pretty much finish your makeup, add dimension and blur imperfections in one. It sets your makeup and is great for oily skinned folk as it gives you that glow without making you oily and without the need for cream products.

Hourglass Femme Nude No.4
I'd been keen to try these for a wee while - I'm a sucker for a good nude and when I found out this brand was also cruelty free I thought "Well no reason not to try them now!". I use this in combination with my next favourite - the MAC lipliner pencil in Subculture. It's a beautiful finish for a lipstick, satin, very opaque and very long-lasting too. They are a little on the pricey side but for the amount of product you get in the tube and how long it lasts on the lips they're wonderful. I'd compare them to the NARS lip pencils except the plus on these is they don't need sharpening which means no product goes to waste. The packing is so luxurious and application is wonderfully easy too.

MAC Lip-liner in Subculture.
As mentioned this one goes superbly with the Hourglass lipstick - particularly if you're into that Kylie Jenner lip which is so on trend at the moment. It's a lovely pinky-brown shade but is still light enough to look natural and flattering on pale skin too (which suits me...).

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Vanilla.
Usually I avoid anything with a pink tone in it like the plague because my skin is actually very yellow toned. However, for the blue toned under-eye circles I seem so prone to of late this one is a lifesaver. It brightens (because it's the lightest of the concealers), is quite hydrating, doesn't crease and gives you a lovely highlighted look under your eyes. I use this every morning after applying my tinted moisturiser and set it with the lightest shade from the Hourglass palette. Can't get enough of this combination.

xoBeauty Pretty Ties.
I've mentioned these before I few months ago in a favourites video but again, this month I've bought more and have been using them religiously. They're so gentle on hair and better yet - they actually hold my bun together. Typically with fine hair I find it falls out too easily with conventional round/thin hair ties but this shape and size holds that messy and effortless bun in place all day at work. Super impressed.

Sympathy for the Skin. 
Over the last few weeks I'm beginning to see I have a problem with body lotions. I have about five in my present collection - dry skin problems I guess? Anyway, I picked this one up in a bit of a weekend haul (one of the numerous recent trips to Lush...). It's one I hadn't purchased in a while but now I've got it I can't imagine why I went without it - it's the perfect lotion for summer. Very hydrating, tropical banana and vanilla fragrance and beautiful post shower/before bed when you can really let it sink in.

Quite relieved this month is over - the last of 2014 is on its way eeek. Next month there will be Christmas posts a-plenty so keep an eye out for those too!

Claire x

Monthly Favourites: October 2014

It's that time again - the end of another month is here (is it just me or are they going progressively faster...?) Right - let's get straight into it...

OPI Nail Polish - Hot and Spicy. I always used to be a pink nailed girl all the time - now I'm going for something a bit more firey. I think mostly because this looks amazing with a tan and makes me feel like I'm helping bring about summer (because weather in New Zealand is pretty rubbish at the moment...). OPI always do fantastic colours that seems to last really well, this one I can usually get 5 days consistent colour out of with no chips.

Hurraw lip balms - Coconut and Moon Balm. I'm sure I've spoken about these before, but the newly discovered coconut one is amazing. It smells delicious and is probably the most moisturising of the Hurraw lip balms I've tried. I bought mine from an Auckland based online business - Oh Natural. The packages are always wrapped absolutely beautifully, it's like getting a gift in the post.

The Olive Branch Shower Gel. I bought this one for a few reasons, one, it's the only Lush shower gel I've never tried and two, I saw one of my favourute bloggers - Kate from Gh0stparties - rave about it and lastly, it smells very similar to the Dorothy bubble bar that I've always loved the scent of (but can't really use due to my eczema). I took the plunge and bought this beautiful olive oil and mandarin peel gel and my word. It smells tart like marmalade but has a real sweet note under it too. it's very gentle on irritated skin and lingers in the air and on your skin long after you've turned the shower off.

Grease Lightning/Vanishing Act. Again, I saw this on another blog and remembered using it years ago. It hadn't been stellar for me back then but as my skin had changed and I thought I'd give it another go. I'm so pleased I did, my skin is so much clearer and doesn't feel tight after applying. It's a beautiful natural spot treatment and doesn't just reduce redness but helps prevent spots from spreading. My t-zone hasn't looked so clear in ages.

Anything I need to try for next month?

Claire x

Monthly Favourites: September

I had a surprising number of favourites this month, when I came to planning this post I thought I'd only have three at most. Come drafting time I have twice that amount...and, like last month I have a music favourite. Anyway, lets get on with it! 

Nars Laguna Bronzer - I highly doubt this cult bronzer needs much of an introduction. It's a lovely cool toned brown that's got a slight shimmer (which doesn't actually show up on the skin). It has a matte, build-able finish that looks very natural on the skin rather than showing an orange cast. It blends beautifully and lasts on the skin all day.

MAC Warm Soul Blush - This blush does indeed have a warm soul. It makes me look like I have a warm soul just by sitting on my face. It's the perfect colour for girls with yellow undertones - it looks very natural and subtle and gives a beautiful pearly glow without being "sparkly" (I'm not a fan of sparkles on my face...). I'm a total convert from coral blushes to reds and this wonderful shade now. Also, Sam from Batalash bought Warm Soul, so I  bought Warm Soul. I am 100% happy with that decision.

Anastasia Dip-Brow Pomade - I feel like this product is the makeup equivalent of how much I bang on about Frank. I've done a full first impressions/review which you can read here if you want something more in depth. This just goes on and stays on. It's just the right shade and is so easy to apply. It was also amazingly afforable - even with the conversion fee it was only 22NZD which is far better than what you'd pay for the MAC equivalent.

xoBeauty Brushes - I always love my xoBeauty brushes but these guys are new to the family (you can tell I love them because they're dirty...oops. It was the morning of brush cleaning day...). The angled blush brush which I use with my Nars bronzer is my favourite but I adore the crease brush for blending with my Naked 3 palette too. Great quality, afforable and fast service.

xoBeauty Pretty Ties - I am sorely tempted to buy more of these. The black one was in my hair while I took these photos and I took the black spotty one off my wrist to show you. I don't wear the spotty one in my hair because I love it too much and want it on my wrist instead. They don't snag your hair, they hold in place really well and they're so bloody cute I love them. Everything Shannon Harris touches is gold I swear.

Awesome Mix Vol. 1 - I love going to the movies, it's the one thing Jack and I often do for "date night." The movie Guardians of the Galaxy is the best Marvel movie I've seen by far and the music is even better. I've been listening to this CD in my car all month non-stop and I'm still not sick of it. My favourites include Hooked on a Feeling, Spirit in the Sky, I Want You Back and Come and Get Your Love. I bought it at JB Hi-Fi with Jack and he ended up getting it too. Every now and then I'll get a text with lyrics from one of these songs out of the blue. If you like classic 80s kind of music, give this a listen.

Moone Boy - If you've never seen this show, you're missing out. It's about an Irish boy in a small rural kind of town who's about 12 years old. He has an imaginary friend (Chris O'Dowd) and I have literally had tears in my eyes this show is so funny. There's three seasons so far I believe and season two is currently screening in New Zealand at the moment. It's a show you can watch each episode more than once because it doesn't stop being funny.

What have your favourites been this month? It's finally warming up here in New Zealand - can't wait for summer to arrive...!

Claire x

Monthly favourites: August

Woo hoo, the end of the first month of running this blog. Time to update my favourites - there may not be a post like this every month but this month there have been plenty of new things I've been loving and using/wearing/listening to all the time. I genuinely look forward to the end of a month/start of a new one purely for favourites videos/blog posts.

Also - I feel I need to mention the new theme. It's still being edited/I'll fiddle more in the weekend when I have time but I'm liking it a lot so far! I wanted something a bit more personal so I purchased one off Etsy.

Right - on with the favourites. 

• Frank body scrub - this one is a no brainer, especially if you've been on my blog any other time this month. Vegan, cruelty free, perfectly scrubby. Frank smells amazing, gives you glowing skin and is gentle enough to use on your face. If you're interested in more info I have another post about it here. Frank is definitely going to be a regular part of my body/skin care routine. 
• NARS Radiant Tinted Moisturiser - SPF is becoming more of a priority for me, especially now I've found a few products with SPF that my skin actually agrees with. This moisturiser kills two birds with one stone - good coverage and sun protection. For a low maintenance look in the summer this will be my go to..even more so than it is now.  
• NARS creamy concealer - this plus the radiant tinted moisturiser...well, if I ever have a relationship as good as these two do I'll be a happy camper. Amazing coverage, especially under the eyes Feels weightless and non-sticky. Can't go wrong with this one. 
• Harraw! lip balm - I use Hurraw dawn till dusk, it keeps your lips in tip top condition with a range of flavours/scents. I especially love the Moon Balm and the SPF version. 
• Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence. I love Lana anyway but her latest CD is especially amazing. I listened to it twice all the way through whilst driving home late at night and can safely say there are several new favourites on this CD. My top picks are Cruel World, Sad Girl and Brooklyn Baby. 
• Chrysolite Opal earrings from ChicCrystalBijoux . These stunning little earrings are made by a very talented jeweler in Sydney. I found her shop on Etsy and had been meaning to buy these for a while. They're a beautiful colour, perfect fit and add a little bit of sparkle without being over the top. I've got my eye on a few other pieces by her already. I took a closer picture too as the one above doesn't do them justice.

Love seeing what other people put in their favourites too - I often end up trying new products based on other people's recommendations from them. That's all for this month - there's a few new things I have my eye on/am currently trying out so we'll see how they fare come the end of September! 

Claire x