January has come to end, and it’s been a long month. I’ve actually quite enjoyed this January, although tough, it’s been a relatively ‘uneventful’ month (in the best way possible!). My focus for this year is definitely about being happy. In January I really tried to practice this by ensuring I was blogging happy. I also engaged a lot more in reading and journaling which I found to be very beneficial. Over the last month I’ve found some things I really enjoyed and thought I’d share them with you.
BEAUTY EDIT
This month I’ve really been getting back to wearing makeup on a daily basis. I kind of gave up on wearing makeup regularly over the last few months, but I really missed it!
The foundation I’ve been enjoying this month has been the Smashbox Studio Fix 15 Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation. If you have oily skin, then this may be a really good foundation for you. I found it to be light weight with good coverage and lasted very well on my skin. It’s also very hydrating, without making me look oily.
I’ve also been enjoying the Winkylux eye brow pencil, in the shade universal, which I ‘discovered’ when I was shopping my stash. It’s a brow pencil I found in my collection when my trusted MAC ‘spiked’ brow pencil had finished at the start of the month.
My go to lipstick this month has definitely been the Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipstick in the shade Lolita. This is a very wearable everyday matte pinky / brown nude which lasts all day on me. It’s very comfortable too and not too drying on the lips.
The eyeshadow palette I’ve really been enjoying this month has been the new Tarte Tartelette Toast palette. I love the Tarte eyeshadows, and this palette is no different. I’ve been loving using the matte eyeshadows everyday as they are very pigmented and great for a natural look. The metallics are amazing too. There is this one shade called crackle which is a matte deep brown with loose gold glitter which I didn’t get on with due to the fall out. Overall I definitely recommend this palette.
For my highlighter this month I’ve been really impressed with the Essence metal chrome blush in the shade ‘beauty and the bronze’. This £3 ‘blusher’ is actually a highlighter on my skin tone which looks amazing on my skin. It gives a glow from within finish which appears quite dewy on the skin. There’s no glitter particles and it can be built up for more intensity. I can’t recommend it enough!
The final beauty product I want to talk about is a perfume by Primark (yes you read that right!). I picked up this perfume back in the summer and have been using it on and off. It’s an obvious dupe for the Viktor and Rolf BonBon Couture perfume. If you like sweet and fruity scents then you may enjoy this fragrance. Although I don’t have the real Viktor and Rolf fragrance, the Primark one lasts all day and a little goes a long way.
BOOKS
My go to book this month has been Happy: Finding Joy In Everyday And Letting Go Of Perfect by Fearne Cotton. This is a self-help style book that not only shares Fearne Cotton’s own personal journey and her journey to being happy, but also the journey of others. With accounts from her celebrity friends, to an interview with the founder of MIND, this is definitely a book that has opened my mind to mental health and wellness. I love that she’s so friendly and relatable in this book. This was a great book for me to read to start the new year, and I will definitely recommend it.
NETFLIX
I love a good Netflix series and this January I’ve been really loving the very hyped up Black Mirror. I’ll be honest, it took me about 3 episodes to realise that it was about the influence of technology on society. It also took me watching a whole season, to realise I had started watching it backwards (starting with Season 4)! But I really enjoyed it! If you’re not too familiar with it, Black Mirror is a collection of stand alone dramas that each explore the impact technology (a lot of which we haven’t yet developed) can have on our world. It’s quite a dark satirical take on technology and its impacts, but it does get you thinking.
So that’s it for my January. Have you had any favourites this month? Let us know below!
Speak soon,
Victoria x
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i have quite oily skin and finding a foundation that works is tricky – would really recommend chanel CHANEL LE TEINT ULTRA TENUE Ultrawear Flawless Foundation – it’s amazing!
got to be honest, i absolutely hated fearne’s happy book. i found it completely unuseful and a bit condescending! good thing we’re all different eh? haha
katie. xx lacoconoire.com
I think I’ve tried the Chanel foundation but found others to work a lot better for me.
I didn’t think I’d enjoy Ferne’s book, so was quite surprised I did! It’s definitely a different style to what I’m used to. But we can’t all love the same things lol! X
Loved this post all of your photos look gorgeous! That Tarte palette looks so good, those shades are just amazing! I completely agree about Fearne Cotton’s books I have both and love them! X
I can’t believe January is coming to an end, pretty uneventful here too! But… I like the sound of Fearne Cotton’s book so shall try to pick up a copy.
I love the sound of the Smashbox foundation – I need a new foundation with long lasting coverage and this looks great.
Love your favorites lists. You always include so many amazing products. The hydrating foundation sounds amazing.
I absolutely love Black Mirror & can’t wait to get stuck into the new series! I’ve stopped wearing make up since being pregnant & can’t wait to start wearing it again when I feel more human 🙂 X
I’ve been binge watching Black Mirror as well. Such a great show, It really does get you thinking.
I love all that makeup. Just looking at makeup makes me happy. The book you mentioned I may have to find it and try reading it. It sounds interesting. I’ve heard so much about Black Mirror and yet I haven’t gotten into it. It just sounds like a modern Twilight Zone. Maybe I should put more of an effort into watching it.
The first paragraph in this blog was fabulously uplifting and made me want to read on. Defo agree about the Ferne Cotton book!
That Tarte Palette looks perfect for the kind of eyeshadow I enjoy wearing, so many beautiful shades 🙂
I really need to get into Black Mirror, I feel like I’m the only person in the world who’s not watching it 🤓
I love the look of the Tarte palette, it’s so up my street! Unfortunately, I have to stop spending for a bit but I will keep an eye on it and get it soon 🙂
Love,
Kristina | https://ginandbiscuits.co.uk
I’m gonna check the eyebrow pencil you referred here. I’m also trying to develop a habit for book reading these days and self-help books are the best to follow.
That lipstick is gorgeous!! I want it haha
Brianna | http://briannamarielifestyle.com/
Great list of favorites, I love to read so I will check out Happy. Thanks for sharing!
Seems like a great collection of beauty items.I like the eye-shadow palette.It includes different shades that I really like to use on different occasions.
Amazing post, we were in the same boat with black mirror, it was a bit hard to get the point at first. When I finally got the rhythm, it was crazy when I realized I was washing it the wrong way lol… When I realized this, I checked every episode before watching, to be sure I was on the right track.
What best can be other than books, beauty and netflix.. For me , It was all about regaining my passion for books as I read 4 books in January! Loved the beauty products you used.
I too have enjoyed the month of January some days are more eventful than most but its off to a bit of a slow start. I haven’t been putting a lot of time into my makeup as much either, if I go out with friends I may add eye-shadow but for the most part I’ve just been wearing mascara since my foundation ran out. I just love that deep plum purple at the bottom, the pigments are so rich!
The Tarte Palette looks great! I dont wear too much eye shadow but would love to have it. Love the shades.I wouldn’t add books to my collections since I don’t read much.
I absolutely love that Kat von D shade, I wear so much of it. I do a similar thing with Black Mirror and just watch episodes in all the wrong order, to be honest seasons 2 and 3 are much better than 4 in my opinion x
I do love a good Netflix binge, I’m currently watching Glow but I will have to check out Black Mirror as I keep hearing good things about it. That Fearne Cotton book sounds like something I would enjoy so I will have to grab a copy when I am next in Newcastle x
I have oily skin, so I will keep the recommendation of the foundation you mentioned. I also started watching black mirror recently and I like the series 🙂
As gorgeous as the makeup is, I can’t help but wonder if they carve some out as a savings motive?
It makes the products look so pretty new. I have to buy more I keep thinking!
The eyeshadow palette looks amazing! I haven’t read any books by Fearne Cotton but I’m glad she seems as nice and relatable as she does on TV
I love the eye palette you’ve been using this month, those colours are gorgeous and I think I have to take a look at Black Mirror. It seems like a good show
That Kon Von D lipstick looks amazing. Absolutely love the colour too!
I’ve not watched any Netflix in January, I’ve had a very hectic month but I have heard alot about Black Mirror so will be checking that out at some point.
I also currently have 2 books on the go but once I’m done I could do with abit of “happy” so I’ll give Fearne’s book ago, thanks for the recommendations 😁
Directlylaura.wordpress.com
I love your collection of makeup! I am taking more interest in beauty and makeup this year too so i could totally relate to your post 🙂
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I know quite a lot of my friends love watching Black Mirror and they always talk about the episodes, so maybe I’ll try giving it a watch as well!
Julia // The Sunday Mode