What I Read: January

Last year I started a new monthly series where I shared with you what I'd read in the last month. I started off really well but then let it fall as I lost an interest in reading and for the last couple of months I didn't share this post at all. However 2019 is the year I get back into reading and January has already been a successful and productive reading month. I haven't set myself a target goal to read each month but I'm extremely happy to say that I managed to read four books this month, a fantastic way to kick off my GoodReads challenge.

The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle- Stuart Turton
Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But everytime the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. He has eight days and eight witnesses to inhabit and can only escape once he's given the name of the killer. 
The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle was my first book of both January and of the year. I picked it up on a whim, unsure of whether I was going to like it or not. And I loved it. Sure it was slow to start off with but once it hit it's stride and found it's rhythm, it was an amazing, twisty, suspensful read that I binged I was that hooked. There's a brilliant plot twist towards the end that I certainly didn't see coming and each chapter not only gave you a different perspective but also kept you guessing and second guessing your aim to work out who the killer is. If you're looking for a good crime/thriller to read this year, I highly recommend you check this one out.

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone- J.K. Rowling 
Harry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy- until he is rescued by a beetle-eyed giant of a man, enrols at Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason: HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD 
2019 was the year that I want to reread the entire Harry Potter series. It's not the only series I want to reread this year but it's the one I started first. I literally flew threw the Philosopher's Stone, finishing it in a day and I'm already hooked back on the amazing world of witchcraft and wizardry that J.K. Rowling has created. I did find myself comparing certain parts to their film scene counterparts but it didn't take away from the magic of reading it and in fact strengthened the image I had in my mind when I read it. I'm going to be reading one of the Harry Potter books a month to try and prolong the magic that little bit longer.

Stray- Rachel Vincent 
Faythe Sanders looks like an ordinary student, but she's hiding a dark secret; she's a werecat, a powerful supernatural predator. Yet headstrong, independent Faythe resents her power, heading to college to escape her family and her overprotective ex, Marc. That is until a stray catches her scent and with two werecat girls already missing, Faythe is summoned home for her own protection. However Faythe will do whatver it takes to find her kidnapped kin. 
Stray is the first of a series I started to read as a teenager but never finished. It's again one of a few series I want to reread and I am dying to read the next in this series. A little different to what people expect me to read, this supernatural fantasy novel had me up into the early hours as I devoured it, already remembering a link from the end of this book that connects to book two. Rogue (book two) is on my reading list for February and I can guarantee I'll fly through it as well.

The Haunting Of James Hastings- Christopher Ransom 
James Hastings' wife is dead- her life snubbed out in a horrific accident that leaves her husband shattered. Dizzy with grief and guilt, James withdraws into his sprawling mansion, losing himself in liquour and memories of Stacey. Until the day two women enter his life. One is Annette, a gorgeous stranger with a dark past. The other is not a stranger and her past is all too familiar. 
I found this when I was going through my books and decided to give it a read. It's not my usual kind of book, I'm not really a fan of the more ghost based supenatural stories but this one had me intrigued. And too a point I was obsessed, wanting to read more of what was unfolding before me, even though some parts gave me the heebie jeebies. However the ending was extremely hard to focus on and I lost track of where the story was going and what was going on between the characters. It is a good read though and if you can keep a track of the ending and how it plays out then I think you'll thoroughly enjoy this book. I am intrigued to see what Ransom's novels are like and if I like them, I'm sure they'll appear in a future What I Read post.

Monthly Favourites: January

Oh hi there, anyone remember me? I need to start this post by apologising for my absence. I had a insane week last week where I completely lost track of the days and then spent the end of the week and the weekend suffering from some sort of stomach bug. All is well now though and today I'm back (a bit later than planned) with my Monthly Favourites. I was going to try and change the format of these posts this year and only share five favourites each month but this month I have an absolute ton I want to talk about and I couldn't bring myself to cutting it down to just five.

I haven't been wearing a lot of make up this month and have been more focused on adapting and curating my skincare routine. Some things I've stopped using completely whilst others I've replaced with other products and some like my first favourite have been a welcome addition. The REN Ready Steady Glow AHA Tonic has become my new daily AM toner and has compeletely changed how my skin looks and feels. With a AHA based formula consisting highly of Lactic Acid, this works to resurface, retexturise and brighten skin. Ever since I started using this my skin has felt softer, looked smoother and looked a lot brighter and more revitalised as ever. I don't understand why it's taken me so long to try this but I know for a fact that this is going to be a highly repurchased product in the future.

I am so fussy when it comes to eye creams and I'm always on the look out for one that'll work better than the last. I'd like to say that I've found 'the one' but I'm also trying another eye serum at the moment. However for the majority of the month I've been using and loving the Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream. Usually a product calling itself 'Wonder' makes me wary as they usually turn out to be disastarous but this eye cream happily lives up to it's name. My under eye area has never looked as good before and I believe it's all to do with this cream. It's lightweight, hydrating and helps to reduce the appearence of my dark circles. Again this is another product that's been added to my repurchases list.

The last beauty favourite I've got this month is something I was extremely wary of using but now can't get enough of. The Revolution 30% AHA-BHA Peeling Solution is a high AHA based mask. It looks and is advertised exactly the same as The Ordinary's 30% AHA-BHA Mask but I haven't tried that so I can't compare. What I can say is that this may seem hella intimidating but in fact is what my skin has been crying out for. Not for those with extremely sensitive/reactive skin, this intense exfoliator works to resurface, retexturise and brighten the complexion. And oh boy does it do that. After I use this my face feels as soft as a baby's butt. Like I can't stop stroking my face after I use this and it's effectiveness really shows when I apply make up afterwards. My foundation/concealer doesn't stick to any rough or dry patches. It just glides on and blends nicely into my skin. I highly recommend trying it out, I even managed to persuade Jasmin to buy a bottle.

January has been a month full of sleeping issues. There has been many a night where I've found it hard to drift off, to shut my brain off whilst other nights I wake a good two or three times and find it hard to get back to sleep. Which is where my next favourite comes in. The This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray has been a godsend to me. Lavender based, this gentle mist works to help relax and soothe senses, lulling you easily into the land of nod. I've used this so many times when I've found it hard to sleep or hard to get back to sleep that I've actually had to purchase a full size bottle so I don't run out.

And to go alongside the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray is the This Works Stress Check Breathe In. I need to buy a full size one of these I've used it so much. A lot of my trouble sleeping is because I have a tendency to overthink everything which leads to me getting worked up and anxious about something that hasn't happened or won't even happen at all. A little bit of this on my pulse points or anywhere on my skin that'll get warm and I'm instantly at ease. Sure the things I've been overthinking still niggle at the back of my head but they pushed far back enough that I can relax and eventually drift off to sleep.

Paperchase this month released singlehandly the best mug I'll ever own. Yes those are boobs of all shapes and sizes adorning my morning tea cup. I absolutely adore this mug and as soon as I saw it I knew I had to get it. I've not stopped drinking from it and it's even managed to raise a few eyebrows in the family. It's cheeky yet unoffensive and possibly the best nine quid I've ever spent.

Back in December I brought what has become my all time favourite sweatshirt of all time. This Nightmare Before Christmas sweatshirt cost me a bit more than I admittedly like to spend on sweatshirts but has been worth every penny. I brought this in a 2XL so I it's extremely oversized and cosy and I can't stop wearing it. No matter where I go, I have to wear this. It even manged to get me a compliment off a cute guy from HMV.

Another sweatshirt/jumper I've lived in this month is this super soft, super cosy pj sweatshirt from Primark. It's extremely hard to put into words just how soft this is. It's perfect for cosying up when it's cold with a cuppa in my boob mug and watching a film or reading a book (another obsession of mine). I again got this in a 2XL as I wanted it to be super oversized and it doesn't disappoint. I've even gone and brought it in blue I love it that much.

January was a good TV month for me. I started the month watching the amazing series called Killing Eve. I'd seen it advertised when it first aired but didn't really care for watching it. However I got a clip of it online and just had to watch it. I marathoned all eight episodes in three days and am eager for the next season to be released. Sandra Oh was amazing as Eve but it was Jodie Comer as Villanelle that really blew me away. The multiple layers she had as a character partnered with the physcotic manner in which she worked made me love her more than a villian should. If you haven't watched it, I highly recommend it. All eight episodes are currently available on iPlayer, trust me you won't be disappointed.

If you live in the UK and are an avid watcher of the BBC, you'll know that every January is Silent Witness month. It's singlehandly one of my favourite crime shows on TV and this series has to have some of it's best episodes to date. With a star packed cast, present and realistic storylines and a good deal of humour to lighten the tone, this show is a firm favourite in my house and anyone who watches it will understand why. Some of the stand out moments this year for me has been seeing Clarissa out in the field more, Nikki and Matt's relationship and just Jack in general. He's a total babe and these last two episodes that have aired have been very Jack heavy and I can't complain about that.

And my last favourite is one whose return I've been waiting for, for what seems like forever. STRIKE BACK IS BACK! Can you tell I'm happy about that. Only the season opener has aired so far but I'm already hooked again and dying for the next nine episodes. Alin Sumarwata, Dan Macpherson and Warren Brown are all back in their much loved roles but this time they are joined by newcomers Jamie Bamber, Yasemin Kay Allen and Varada Sethu. I can't wait to see how they interact with the three musketeers and where this season takes them. Only one episode in and we're seeing a darker, grittier side to the team that could lead to some interesting sub plots later in the season.

2019 Goals

Last year I set myself ten goals I wanted to work on in 2018 to further myself as a person. Some of those I succeded in and some of them I kept up for a while then let them slide away without noticing. However as 2019 gets into swing, I'm giving myself another set of goals that I want to use to create a better, happier version of myself that I can carry forward after this year has ended.

1- Get A Tattoo 
Now this was on my goals list for last year and I never got it done. Not because I forgot about it or that I couldn't handle the pain. But because I couldn't chose a design I wanted or a place where I wanted it on my body. I don't want a massive tattoo, just something small and delicate looking would be fine with me and I've spent endless hours scrolling through Pinterest looking for inspiration. I think I have a good idea what I want and wear I want it but knowing me that'll change over time and I'll probably start 2020 still wanting a tattoo.

2- Read Everyday
Last year I wanted to read more and thought it would be a good idea to challenge myself to read five books a month. And if you followed my What I Read series last year, you'll have noticed that it soon fizzled out. That's because I was pushing myself too much and I lost my love for reading. Whereas this year I want to read everyday even if it's just for fifteen minutes. I'm hoping that by reading even for a small period of time everyday will encourage me to read more overall and reach my GoodReads goal of 60 books for the year. And so far it's working, we're only two weeks into January and I've alread read two books. Fingers crossed I can keep it up for the rest of the year.

3- Drink More Water
Again I put this in my 2018 Goals and started off well, especially over the Summer but let it dwindle during the colder months. I really want to get back into the habit of drinking more water. During the horrendous heatwave we had last year I was drinking a good two to three litres a day and it's effects really showed. I felt more alert, didn't have a mid afternoon slump and as my for skin, it was flawless. I didn't have any breakouts, redness or discolouration. I loved how it looked and I'd quite like to get it back to looking like that again. So far I'm doing rather poorly at it but it's something I'm working on.

4- Do More That Sets My Soul On Fire
I've been saying this more and more as I get older. I don't want to waste my time doing nothing and having no memories to look back on. I want my life to be filled with old ticket stubbs, pictures and memories of time well spent. Last year I made good headway on it, going to not one but six theatre shows, a trip to the zoo and my first trip to the Harry Potter Studio Tour. And this year I want to continue that, something me and Jasmin have made good headway on already. We've already booked tickets to go and see Aladdin in the West End and Shawn Mendes when he comes to the O2 and that's all before the end of April. Plus I have two theatre shows with mum booked and that still leaves a good six months free to find more and more to do than just sitting in my pjs binge watching a show I've probably watched a thousand times over. Not that it's a bad thing but it's something I've wanted to do less of over the last couple of years. 

5- Stop Worrying About What Others Think Of Me  
Now this last one is essentially the biggest one and is a goal or an aim if you like that I set myself every year and somehow manage to fail every year. I'm a worrier, I worry about what people think about me, my personality, what I'm wearing, what my make up looks like. I worry about that way too much. And in 2019 I'd like to try and stop worrying so much about that and live life as worry free as possible. I know it's not something that's going to happen overnight but it's definitely something I want to work on and in a way I'm already making leaps and bounds towards it. However I think it's something that will never truly go away, especially in this day and age of social media where every one has to look a particular way and life a particular life. I'm not a skinny girl, I'm not the most beautiful woman in the world, I'm a little kooky and I can easily rub people the wrong way but there all things I know and accept about myself and I just need to get into the mindset that if I can accept myself for who I am, flaws and all then the opinions of others will not matter or play on my mind too long. 

Recipe: Rolo Rocky Road

Whilst I was brainstorming recipes to feature here this year, my mind turned towards one of my all time favourite 'bakes'. It's not actually baked as it doesn't need to be cooked in the oven but it's just habit saying I baked when I talk about my creations. Of course I'm talking about Rocky Road, one of the simpler sweet goods that you can make. And you can create it however you want, things such as glace cherries, honeycomb, raisins or in my case rolos can be added to this simple yet delicious recipe and always goes down well with loved ones.

Ingredients 
- 200g Dark Chocolate
- 135g Butter
- 200g Digestives, crushed
- 100g Mini Marshmallows
- 100g Rolos
- 2-3 Tbsp Golden Syrup

Method 
1- Grease and line a 18cm square baking tin with greasproof paper.
2- In a saucepan place the butter, dark chocolate and golden syrup and melt together. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula so everything is combined and there are no lumps in your mixture.
3- If you haven't crushed your digestives, crush them in a food bag with wooden spoon.
4- Add the biscuits, marshmallows and rolos to the golden syrup/chocolate mix. Combine everything with your wooden spoon or spatula until everything is covered in chocolate.
5- Pour into your prepared tin, spreading it gently so it sits evenly in the tin.
6- Chill for a minimum of two hours; checking intermittedly, in the fridge. Once it's completely set, cut into squares or slices and enjoy.

2019 Beauty Wishlist

Happy Tuesday! Last year I shared with you five beauty products I wanted to buy/try out in 2018. So I thought that for the beginning of 2019, I'd put together and share the five products I want to buy/try out this year.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair 
The first thing I want to buy this year is something I featured in an Anti-Haul last year from which I have done a full three sixty on my opinon of this product. I said last year I wouldn't purchase a full size bottle of this as it seemed a waste of money but now I'd happily drop the hefty price tag for a full size bottle of this. Advanced Night Repair has done wonders for my skin, especially after the festive season when it looked lacklustre and felt both congested and heavy. After only one night of using this, my skin looked brighter, felt smoother and softer, any bumps or breakouts had reduced in size. So I'll definitely be buying a full size bottle when I run out of my sample size.

 Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil 
I love a good sleeping cream, oil or complex and for the longest time I've heard nothing but good things about the Sunday Riley Luna Oil. Sure it's pricey but as with the Estee Lauder, I've learnt that paying that little bit more for skincare is worth every penny and as I get older, I'm wanting to invest more into my skin and the products I apply to it.

Mario Badescu Facial Sprays 
I made a Beauty Bay order at the end of last year and this was one of the things I intended on buying but actually completely forgot to add to my basket. So in 2019, I intend to try at least one of these sprays, if not all three of them if I can find a good deal on them. I've heard good things about these on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest so I'm really intrigued to see what they can do.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Cleansing Oil
When Kiehls' released their Midnight Cleansing Oil, I was intrigued but didn't want to blow £30 on a cleanser that couldn't potentially disrupt my skin. However my friend Lauren tried it and said she really enjoyed it, so for 2019, I'm hoping to try a sample of this before purchasing a full sized bottle in hopes of replacing my hard to find Loreal Cleansing Oil.

Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner 
And the last product that I've put into my wishlist is one that I'm highly unlikely to get my hands on but still like to try. I've heard many a good thing about their Rose Deep Hydration Toner and would love to replace my old Garnier toner with it. However Fresh is hard to get locally for me and with it being a glass bottle, I don't really trust it to be delievered in the post. So this will probably be the one I don't get but if I do, then it's an added bonus to my skincare routine.

2018 Beauty Favourites: Make Up

Happy Thursday! Yesterday I shared with you my Skincare Favourites Of 2018 and today I'm back to share with you my make up favourites from the last year.

Primer
I'm that person that when I find something I like, I don't deviate from it. And that's the case for a lot of beauty products but this year I managed to find a few new additions that are now in rotation with my old favourites. The first of those is a primer. If you've been around for a while then you'll know that I'm a big fan of the Maybelline SuperStay Primer. This year however, Maybelline have released another primer that's stolen my heart. The Master Prime Anti-Redness Primer has been a saviour on those days where my skin's been less than cooperative. It's green in colour but doesn't leave a green cast on the skin and is lightweight in feel so it doesn't clog pore or weigh skin down. It also helps with the longevity of my make up, something I didn't think possible from a colour correcting primer.

Foundation 
This year it was a toss up when it came to picking my favourite foundation. An honourable mention goes to the Revolution Conceal And Define Foundation but ultimately, my favourite foundation of 2018 was the Rosie For Autograph Amazing Skin Secret Foundation. It's got a buildable medium coverage that can cover dark circles, blemishes and redness without looking cakey or mask like. It allows skin to look and feel like skin whilst lasting a good eight hours on the skin without need for powder or touch ups. It's definitely one I'll be wearing a lot in 2019 as well.

Concealer 
For me there has only been one concealer I've reached for repeatedly throughout 2018. The Revolution Conceal And Define Concealer is one of the best high street, budget friendly concealers out there. It's full coverage but not heavy and can conceal a multitude of sins, something I'm quite grateful for. The giant doe foot applicator makes application quick and easy and luckily for people who go through it as quickly as I do, it now comes in a SuperSize tube.

Brows
I've never really been one to fill in my brows but in 2018 I really started to appreciate what a bit of pencil could do. I tried a few pencils but the only one I've really taken to comes from E.L.F. It's just their basic brow pencil with a spoolie on the end. It's creamy but firm enough to create a defined brow.

 Lash Primer
Lash primers are an extra step that a lot of people don't bother with but for me, it's necessary for my lashes to have any life. I've tried several but none of them have compared to the Benefit They're Real Tinted Lash Primer. I love how this gives my lashes even more boost and help keep any volume and curl they have all day long. It's also been the perfect product for the days when I want something on my lashes but don't want a heavy mascara. It's pricey and took me a while to buy in full size but it's well worth every penny.

Mascara 
When it comes to mascaras I can be extremely fickle. I get easily led astray by whatever new release is advertised everywhere and always end up disappointed. However there is one brand that hasn't let me down for the last two years and that's Maybelline. In 2018 they released their Total Temptation mascara and it's been the only mascara I've worn for the majority of the year. It's packed bristle brush doesn't weigh lashes down with product but does give amazing volume and definition to lashes that lasts all day long. This is my second tube and it's already at the point where I'm thinking I need to buy another. If the new Maybelline Snapscara lets me down (I doubt it will) then I'll definitely be loving the Total Temptation for 2019 as well.

Lip Liner 
I've used a lot of lip liners over 2018 but only one has constantly impressed me. It's impressed me that much I've even replaced my much loved PS Love Red Lip Liner. The Barry M Lip Liner in Red is the perfect red lip liner to match all shades of red. It's a standard wooden pencil but glides on effortlessly and doesn't drag or pull at the lips. Plus it's dirt cheap so going through them at the rate I do isn't much of a problem. I can guarantee that I'll go through many more of these in 2019.

Liquid Lipsticks
As you may have noticed, I haven't added a standard lipstick to this years favourite as I've spent most of it living in these amazing liquid lipsticks from Maybelline. The SuperStay Matte Inks have really changed the game in terms of liquid lipsticks. Their non powdery finish makes them comfortable to wear all day long without the need to touch up. They don't even transfer when you eat which for someone who likes a good old cheeseburger, is a game changer. I started the year with one of these lipsticks and as 2018 came to a close I finished it with seven of them. There is a shade out there to suit everyone and with it's new style of formula, this liquid lipsticks are something I can see growing in popularity in 2019 as well as staying a firm favourite in my collection.

Setting Spray 
And finally we're going to talk about a setting spray. 2018 was the year I ditched any kind of powder and relied mainly on setting sprays to keep my make up in place. I've tried a few but a lot of them left my face looking powdery until I discovered the Revolution Hyaluronic Fix Setting Spray. As well as locking my make up in place, this also helps keep skin feeling hydrated and stops make up from looking cakey or powdery in anyway. It's one I'm going to keep loving through the next year unless I discover another, more impressive setting spray. 

2018 Beauty Favourites: Skincare

 

Happy Wednesday! As I've done the last two years, I've compiled all my beauty favourites from 2018. As usual I've split into two posts, one make up related and one skincare related. Today I'm sharing all my skincare favourites from 2018 with you. As I'm writing this, I'm comparing 2018's list to 2017's list to see which products I still love and what new discoveries I made.

Cleanser 
Cleansers are the one product I'm always changing but this last year there has been one that I've always returned to. That one is the Superfacialist Vitamin C Cleansing Oil. It's a lightweight cleansing oil that breaks down even the most long wearing of bases. It doesn't leave skin feeling greasy or weighed down and can easily be used as an AM cleanse as well as a PM cleanse.

Scrub
Exfoliators and facial scrubs were something I used a lot more in the last year. I have to give an honourary mention to the Soap And Glory Scrub Your Nose In It AHA Scrub. It leaves my skin feeling super soft but the Pixi Peel And Polish is the one that I can't get enough of. It's more of a leave on scrub than a physical exfoliator. It's not a chemical exfoliatant but it still leaves skin feeling soft and smooth to the touch without stripping the skin.  

Toner
I spent most of the year knowing I was going to be talking about the Pixi Glow Tonic for my favourite toner of the year but as the year drew to a close, another toner came out of nowhere and knocked the Glow Tonic of it's top spot. The Pixi Retinol Tonic was a product I was wary of using when it first came out but now it's one I have to use everyday without fail. My skin has never looked
as good as it has since I started using this and it's Retinol formula is gentle enough to use on a daily basis but still effective enough to see results. I've already gone through the small 100ml bottle I brought to try and am making a nice dent in a full size bottle as we speak.

Facial Mist
The Liz Earle facial mist is one of my absolute holy grail products but as I've featured it in previous years favourites, I wanted to talk about a similar style product that works just as well as the Liz Earle. The B B Calm Facial Mist contains a blend of Camomile and Hyaluronic Acid to soothe, hydrate and replump skin. I went for months with the Liz Earle spray and this worked just as well with my skin, alleviating any redness I had and leaving my skin feeling soft and hydrated. And the best bit was it cost me less than the Liz Earle, which I appreciate during the summer months when all my money went on ice cream and massive bottles of water.

Facial Oil 
Now you may notice I'm skipping several catergories such as serum, day moisturiser and night moisturiser. Not only have I done it to cut down on the size of this post but also because I haven't any other favourites to the ones I mentioned in my 2017 Beauty Favourites. However I did fall in love with a facial oil this year, something my routine was missing previously. The Palmers' Skin Therapy Facial Oil is a gorgeous blend of Rosehip, Vitamin E and Cocoa Butter which works to reduce the appearence of dark marks, pigmentation, fine lines and scars left behind from blemishes. It's lightweight enough to be used on a daily basis and doesn't clog pores or leave skin feeling weighed down. I've gone through a whole bottle of this already and am already halfway through my next. I love putting this on after I've taken my make up, when my skin easily takes any product I apply.

Eye Cream
I bounce about a lot when it comes to eye cream. In fact I'm talking about one in this post but in reality am actually using a completely different one. The one I used predominantly throughout 2018 comes from Estee Lauder. Their Advanced Night Repair Supercharged Eye Cream made an incredible difference to how my eyes looked both with and without make up. It easily reduced the appearence of blue tones and dark circles, giving my under eye area a clearer, brighter look that overall made me look more awake and refreshed. A little goes a long way with this which is why this tiny pot has lasted me a long time.

Under Eye Patches
I love a good pair of under eye patches. I'm one of those people who will spend that extra hour awake to finish the chapter of a good book or another episode of the latest show I'm bingeing. However the next day, that extra hour always makes an appearence around my eyes and not a lot apart from about a week's worth of sleep will help. Or so I thought. This year I discovered the Skyn Iceland Cooling Under Eye Patches. I wasn't too sure on them as I usually only used the Rodial Dragon's Blood Under Eye Patches but now they are a contender for my favourite under eye patches of all time with the Rodial. More of a material than a bio cellulose mask, this under eye patches cool the under eye area as soon as you apply them. You can almost feel your under eye area sigh with relief when you apply them. And for the days when it's really bad, you can pop them in the fridge for five minutes to get an extra shot of cooling action.

Sheet Mask
Last year I was all about the Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Masks and I still am but in 2018 Garnier released a new style of mask that I can't get enough of. The Garnier Fresh Shot Replumping Sheet Mask is a DIY sheet mask that delivers the equivalent of a full 30ml bottle of serum with each use. The bio cellulose mask is saturated in product and never fails to leave skin feeling hydrated, plump and soft to the touch. I can't get enough of these masks and always make sure to have a good two or three in my mask basket.

Face Mask
Last year I didn't really use a lot of wash off face masks, a lot if it was because I loved using sheet masks more but a lot it was also because I was quite lazy with my skin for the best part of the year. However when I did find the energy to use a wash off face mask, the Loreal Pure Clay Blemish Rescue Mask was my go to mask. With a three clay and blue algae formula, this mask helps to keep skin clear whilst working to reduce the appearence of any dark marks left after any previous breakouts. This has been a godsend whenever I've had a breakout or a pesky mark left from a breakout that just won't disappear.

Fragrance
For fragrances I'm usually a one trick pony. Normally I rotate between the four fragrances from the Rosie For Autograph range but this year I added not one but six new fragrances to my rotation. Admittedly they're all from the same brand but each and every one of them is absolutely divine and it's extremely hard to pick a favourite. The Elizabeth and James scents are to die for. They range from light and feminine to deeper and more muskier, almost masculine, each one just a divine as the next. And my favourite part is that you can layer these scents easily amongst the range or with other scents. I particuarly like layering the Nirvana French Grey with my Rosie For Autograph Original EDP. Both are light and feminine, making them perfect for a Summer's day or even a date night.