5 in 5 | Quick Reviews #1

I seem to have so many products just stacking up which I haven't got around to sharing with you guys as I think you might be interested in some of them! I thought rather dedicating single blog posts to each one it would be much quicker and convenient for us all if I did short and snappy mini reviews - and of course, if you'd like to know more just comment!

Umberto Giannini Incredible Body Volume Blow Dry Spray For Big Hair: 

To be fair, I'm probably not the best person to try this out as my hair is SO long and heavy. Although saying that, I do have voluminous hair days and the times after I used this product weren't those days! On one of the occasions I noticed my hair needed a wash sooner than it usually would. It does say it provides heat protection but I'd much rather buy a product which was intended for protecting your hair against heat. It smells quite nice and I like the packaging but I can't say I'll be repurchasing! 

Glam Glow Face Mask: 

I received this in my #bbloggersxmas goodie bag, and there was recently a fair amount of hype going around for this mud mask so I thought I'd give it a go. I didn't really read the  packaging and just whacked it on - I don't like products that tingle! Once the tingling stopped though it was fine, it smelt like tea and it has tea leaves in it which was quite odd. I washed it off though and I did think my skin looked brighter and fresher. It costs £50 for a pot which I'd never pay for a face mask! If you ever come across samples though I'd say pick them up.

Soap & Glory Glow Job:

I've got to say, I found the name of this product rather amusing and I was pretty intrigued by it. Glow Job is a daily moisturiser with bronzing beads in it to create radiance. I was slightly worried about the bronzing part of this product as I'm rather pale and I don't want to look orange! I think it definitely gives a nice glow and a bit of colour to the skin, and it smells like Terry's chocolate orange which is just amazing! Be wary that the bronzing beads are fully blended in though or you can look very streaky. Although I like this product I think it's one for the Summer months.

Ciate Nail Paint in Power Dressing:

Obviously, I was hugely excited when I purchased the Ciate Mini Mani Month as my advent calendar last December. Since then, I've tried a few colours from the set and have been left a little disappointed. For a dark colour, it was far from opaque on the first coat, it needed 3 coats before I was happy with it. Not long afterwards it peeled off my nails - really not impressed considering it's from a 'high end' nail brand! My Barry M 'Navy' is much better.

Natural Collection Lipstick, Rose Petal:

I picked this up on a whim as I had one of those Boots points vouchers and I fancied a new lipstick. For only £1.99 I was pleasantly surprised! Nude lipsticks are a bit of a struggle so I don't want to pay out a lot for them just in case. It's a nice peachy nude on me which was just what I was looking for. It's moisturising but not overly shiny which is just great for me! It doesn't last a great deal of time but for under £2 I don't think I can complain!

Have you tried any of these products before? What did you think of them?

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Stars of 2012

Like most people this year I loved the Naked palette, Real Techniques brushes and of course, the one and only Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer. I won't bang on about them because I'm sure we've all heard enough about them to go to the moon and back but if you haven't got them I strongly suggest you look into them!

Something I don't think gets enough recognition are the Fashionista blushers. They are extremely pigmented (almost too!) There's a whole range of colours to suit everyone and the best bit is you can customise your own palette for around £10/12! The shade Juicy Apricot is my favourite shade; a lovely glowing coral. 

A ridiculous purchase of mine last year was the Burberry eye shadow in Pale Barley. I can't believe I spent £22.50 on a single eyeshadow! It was certainly a one off treat. It is an absolutely gorgeous eye shadow though, perfectly silky. I bought it mainly because I felt it was a shade the Naked palette was missing. 

I found two new favourite lip colours last year, Creme Cup by Mac and Cotton Candy by Collection 2000. Both are really easy to wear and smell delicious too! The Maybelline gel eyeliner has also had a lot of love over 2012, really black and lasts for ages.

Natural Collection Mango and Papaya body spray was a pleasant surprise for me, I didn't hold out high hopes but it smells good and is great for a quick freshen up, only £2 as well! My perfume of the year was Benefit's So Hooked On Carmella, full of vanilla - my favourite! 

Soap & Glory's Hand Maid probably saved me from all the winter bugs and germs going round and it doesn't smell like alcohol like most antibacterial hand gels do. To keep my hands nice and moisturised I really liked L'Occitane's hand cream, thick and non greasy - not bad at all for a magazine freebie! 

£1 Primark backcombing brush. Does the job and is great for parting your hair too!

Being a complete nail fanatic, it was tricky to pick my favourite nail polishes but I narrowed it down to five. I loved having neon nails but Models Own 'Beach Party' and 'Bubblegum' were my favourites, both extremely bright and in your face! Nails Inc 'Bare' (free with InStyle mag) was my perfect nude and it gets used a lot under glitters. Topshop's 'Adrenalin' was my absolute favourite glitter. So sparkly and holographic - an absolute must if you love glitter! I used 'Pool Party' on my toes during the Summer as well as my nails, it's the ultimate Tiffany blue shade.

Fashion favourites for 2012? Definitely frilly socks. I have numerous pairs spilling out my sock drawer in an array of colours, they're just so cute! My cat tee was another firm favourite of mine, casual but still added something to a simple outfit. Going along with the cat theme, my evil kitty bracelet spent a lot of time on my wrist as well as this Jesus bracelet. My leather jacket was also a staple and I can see it lasting me years to come!

I couldn't do this post without giving my beautiful iPad a mention! I bought it with my first pay and haven't looked back! Worth every penny!

What were your favourites in 2012? 

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