Monthly Favourites | June

Bit late on the ol' monthly favourites bandwagon but I since I missed it completely last month, I thought it was about time I hopped back on it again.  With a trip to London and a holiday to Greece both happening in quick succession throughout July, it's fair to say I've been a typical blogger storming through the aisles of Boots and beauty counters - 'girl on a mission' game face on and swatches a'plenty up my arms.  My makeup routine has definitely switched up recently - the warmer weather we've been having has led me to try a few new bits and bobs and all of a sudden I seem to have developed a bit of a thing for lipgloss (I'm usually a lipstick girl through and through so this is groundbreaking news)... without further ado, I shall jump right on in. 

Tanya Burr | Lipgloss in 'Chic'

I feel like these lipglosses are appearing quite a lot on my blog just recently - I've currently got about 3 scheduled posts featuring these bad boys but it's for good reason, I promise!  I'm really not a lipgloss girl whatsoever but there's something out Miss Burr's range that has me hooked.  Not only do they smell absolutely delicious (like strawberries and cream) but they're also impressively pigmented and last incredibly well without the dreaded sticky feel.  I wouldn't say they're completely non-sticky, but it's just about bearable for me and as lipglosses go, they're very comfortable to wear and add so much dimension whether worn alone or on top of a lipstick.  My favourite has to be 'Chic' - and it definitely lives up to it's name! It's a beautiful bronwy-pink nude shade - very sophisticated and classy and one that adds definition to the lips.  It's not a shade I see talked about much but if definitely deserves more recognition - for me, its the perfect 'every day' shade and it literally goes with anything.  I wear this on it's own most of the time simply because there's no need to wear anything underneath it - the pigment shows up perfectly and it actually applies more like a lip lacquer. I love this - it's been living in my handbag since the day I bought it and I doubt it's going to come out anytime soon (unless maybe to hop into my suitcase...)

Sinful Colors 'Snow Me White | Barry M in 'Nude' | Leighton Denny Crystal Finish Top Coat

Ok. So these three actually count as 1 favourite - they've become my go-to trio for french manicures of late! Now, back in the day at school, I used to love doing french manicures and I used to spend ages shaping and filing my nails - people used to think I'd had them done professionally! Skip forward a few years and uni work took its toll on my poor talons - I started nibbling away with stresses and strains. However, I managed to kick the habit and have started re-kindling my love for a classic manicure.  The photograph shows one of my first attempts - it isn't at all perfect because I'm waiting for all of them to grow to the same length (come on little finger nail - get yer' skates on!) but I've really enjoyed trying my hand at painting them this way again.  It was a bit of a spur of the moment thing so I didn't plan what colours to use too much but Barry M's 'Nude' is perfect because it's slightly sheer - giving a more natural appearance. Leighton Denny's Crystal Top Coat is one of my newest discoveries and I love it so much - so many people have complimented me on how shiny and glossy my nail polish looks and it's all down to this baby.  Honestly, if you're after a super-shiny top coat look no further!  I'm thinking of doing a tutorial on this once my nails have all grown to the same length and I can shape them properly - so do let me know if this is something you'd be interested in!

Benefit | Hoola Lipgloss

I won't say too much about this one because I've already done a full review along with swatches of it on the lips, but it has to be the most wearable lip gloss I've ever used - hands down.  It feels like a lip balm just with the added benefit of the glossy-ness and is the most comfortable lip gloss I've tried.  It's quite sheer in colour so it works best when worn on top of lipsticks but it really is the bees knees. I love it.  You can read my full review here.

Benefit | Hoola Bronzer

Again, I won't say too much as I've already reviewed this on my blog (you can have a read here).  This bronzer is my new contouring companion and I was seriously wow'ed with it.  The colour is beautiful as it's super natural and gives the illusion of perfectly sculpted cheekbones.  I even loved the brush that comes in the box and I actually use this over any of my 'proper' ones - it's such a good size for sculpting the face and works really well for precise application. It's soft, blendable and really well pigmented and I can honestly see why it receives the praise it gets.

Jane Iredale | Daytime Palette |

Oohhhh my goodness. I'll openly admit now that I didn't really expect to love this as much as I do.  As an avid fan of Urban Decay palettes I was unsure as to what this palette could really offer to me but boy was I mistaken! I've used this daily for the past month or so and I took it to London with me on my 6 day trip.  It really is perfect for travelling with as it has everything you could possibly need for both day and night. I went to a design exhibition and networking event where the days were very long (8-9 one day!) so I wanted my eye shadows to deliver in the longevity stakes.  I was certainly not disappointed and I used every single shade in there - it's going to be the only palette I pack with me to go to Crete this week!  I simply wore the first 2 shades in the daytime (i love the peachy nude one - its so pretty!) and then added a sweep or two of the chocolate brown or touch of black using the little travel brush if I was going out in the evening for a meal or a few drinks.  It's so versatile and is super handy to have in my collection - I really don't know what I'd have done without it this month. It's lightweight, slim and easy to pop into your handbag and the rose-gold packaging tops it off nicely. I have a full review here in case my rambling hasn't convinced you already!

Barry M | Blush in 'Peaches and Cream'

It might look a complete mess but this blush has been my go-to for a healthy, dewy finish this month.  It's a lovely, light coral shade which actually leans more orange as opposed to pink.  It looks lovely at this time of year as it adds a subtle flush of colour to the cheeks without looking too full-on.  The orange tone looks gorgeous if you have a light tan but it would definitely suit paler skin tones more due to the fact it's so light and subtle.  It doesn't show up on me once I have a 'proper' tan so I'll probably be moving on to something a little darker in the next couple of weeks but it's been a firm favourite just recently what with all the early mornings and late nights I've been having.  It contains a dusting of shimmer but it's not overly jam-packed with it - there's just enough to give your cheeks a healthy, dewy glow and it definitely helps to brighten and awaken the skin.

Anastasia | Dip Brow Pomade in 'Blonde'

Again, I won't say too much about this as you probably heard enough about it in my rave review earlier this week (you can read it here).  I will certainly be taking this to Greece with me as the longevity is incredible and it gives such an amazingly professional finish.  If you're jetting off to a warmer environment and want something that's going to stay put - it's well worth looking into this beauty.  Alternatively, if you just fancy trying something a bit different and favour the HDBrows look - I'd seriously recommend it.  It's probably one of the best beauty finds I've ever come across and I will re-purchase in a heartbeat!

Mac | Lip Pencil in 'Spice'

One of my more recent finds.  I've written about it in a post here, so I won't say too much, but it's become my go-to lip colour of the moment. It's a gorgeous deep brown nude shade (oo I do love a good browny-nude don't i?!) and is definitely a nod to the 90s! It's not for everybody but I personally love it and the wear-time is flippin' fantastic! It adds so much definition, is soft and gentle to apply and lasts a good few hours without need for re-application.  I'll definitely be buying more of these pencils in the future - they're perfect to wear on their own or underneath a lipstick - I'm all for a good versatile product!

Swatches L-R | Tanya Burr 'Chic' / Benefit 'Hoola' Gloss / Benefit 'Hoola' Bronzer' / Barry M 'Peaches & Cream / Anastasia Dip Brow - 'Blonde' / Mac Lip Pencil - 'Spice' /

Any of my favourites tickle your fancy this mont?