2012 Product Highlights

Evening my lovelies!

Wow we're already almost a WEEK into 2013... That's flown by hasn't it! I've barely noticed the time passing due to being stuck in bed for half of the week with flu (and stuck at work for the other half - Booooo). So today i reckoned it was time to consider what products floated my boat the most in 2012. Now, i haven't covered all bases here... My tanning preferences haven't changed much and i'm switching up my skincare routine for 2013 because there wasn't much i was using last year that really dazzled me (expect a post this week on my new skincare routine). I'm also planning a separate post on lip products cos i couldn't pick just one or two for this post. 

Base

MAC Matchmaster Foundation: Shade 4

This one has carried over from 2011. Fact is, i ADORE this foundation and, although i switched it up a bit in 2012 with Illamasqua Skinbase (which i also love to death) and my drugstore backup, Max Faxtor Xperience, nothing really compares to it in my eyes. It gives medium, buildable coverage and is demi-matte so appeals to my combo skin. 

Cover FX Illuminating Setting Powder: Medium*

This was a late find for 2012 but i have been loving it and it works really well with the Matchmaster foundation. I was under the impression when i first got it that it might be a little on the shiny side for me, but that wasn't the case and it sets my foundation really well while giving a lovely glow to the face. It's also helped me conquer my fear of loose powders.

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer: Dewy Finish

This is, along with BeneFit PoreFessional, my favourite primer to date. It just makes for a great foundation base and my skin feels so smooth when i've used this product. I've still not yet been able to purchase the full size of this product but have done a great job of sourcing samples from beauty boxes, other bloggers and events. Don't get me wrong, the product fully lives up to the Murad pricetag, its just that i, for one, cannot afford it. Boo Hiss!!  

Cheeks

MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush: Sunbasque

I got this from a blogsale several months back and it has barely been off my face since! To me, this is a blush, bronzer and highlight all in one product. It's glowy, buildable and gorgeous for any time of the year. I couldn't live without it now! 

Illamasqua Cream Blush: Rude

I wanted this blush for a LONG time before i finally bought it. A lot of online swatches confused me slightly by making it look a LOT scarier than it really is and when i finally got to swatch it in the Illamasqua Beak Street store i knew it had to be mine. This is also a very versatile shade and can even be worn on the lips. 

Eyes

BeneFit Creaseless Cream Shadowliners

These are a must have product in my makeup bag and i have them in several shades. I probably use them every day. I love them for using as a base for other eyeshadows. I have a platinum shade that is great for this or any of the neutral, goldy shades such as RSVP (pictured) or Sippin'n'Dippin. My favourite use for them, however, is just to give a wash of colour and shimmer on the lid for every day wear. I literally just dab this on with my finger, apply my eyeliner and mascara, and that's my eye look. Simple, pretty and they last all day.

17 Peep Show Mascara

I bought this on recommendation from another blogger. I forget exactly who but i suspect it was Zara (because it usually is, she could sell me anything) and it love it! My natural lashes are quite thick but need a bit of lengthening and sculpting here and there and this mascara really delivers that without being clumpy or over-fibrous. I'll be repurchasing the hell out of this too because it's cheap as chips! 

Nails

Essie: Mint Candy Apple

2012 was the year that i REALLY rediscovered nail polish. For the last 4 years i was working a job that involved wire scourers and constantly having my hands in water and i'd begun to believe i'd never have pretty nails again. But since i moved to London they have bounced back! towards the end of 2012 i was enjoying experimenting with nail colours again. Mint Candy Apple has been a particular favourite of mine and i picked it up at Olympia Beauty, but i;m also loving Nails Inc at the moment and i hope to bring you a lot more nail posts in 2013

Haircare

Clynol Repair: Remedy*

This leave in conditioner makes my hair so soft! It's a repairing Keratin filler which you spray into wet hair and leave. My hair isn't in bad condition due to my policy of ONLY using semi permanent colours on my hair, but i have been ombre on several occasions in the last 12 months (and i'm ombre again now) and my hatred of bleach/lighteners makes me paranoid and want to protect my hair. And it does the job! My hair is so much more resilient now that i use this and i feel more confident that i can keep my ombre in good condition. 

Urban Therapy Twisted Sista: Different Strokes Serum

This is a total bargain! I've seen it for as little as £1 depending on where you buy it from. It contains Argan oil and Green Tea and makes my hair so smooth and manageable. It's one of the best serums i've ever used. Since i've been a student i've been unable to afford Moroccan oil and i honestly put it to you that this is a worthy replacement!! Try it and see! 

Skincare

Nip+Fab Dry Skin Fix Body Butter: Pistachio Sundae*

Possibly my favourite body butter of all time because it sinks in so quickly and smells like CAKE!! I love the packaging and i totally trust Nip+Fab (the same beauty brains behind Rodial Skincare) to do what's right for my skin. My big body bugbear is the rough skin on my upper arms and this softens them up a treat! 

St Ives Invigorating Apricot Scrub

I have favoured this over the other scrubs i've tried recently. I feel like it thoroughly cleans my skin whilst moisturising at the same time and, as someone with combo skin, that is a big deal to me. It cleanses my oily bits, while looking after the not so oily bits. I love that the exfoliant particles in it are natural as well. I'm on my third bottle since i first tried some back in April. 

So those are the select few products that i feel i've enjoyed the most in the last 12months. I'm going to think on about my favourite lip products and perhaps put them all into a post later this week. I'm switching things up this year so expect updated skincare, haircare and tanning posts through the month of January as well. 

What products dazzled you in 2012?? Feel free to link me to your posts!! 

Last Minute Xmas Gift Ideas for 2012

Evening my lovelies!

I thought it was about time Brunette Beauty Banter got in the Xmas spirit today. Been a little behind lately but, thankfully, i have now broken up from Uni and am away on my Xmas hols from Friday visiting with family in Derbyshire and Yorkshire so should have plenty of time to churn out a few festive-style posts! I'll share my Xmas faces and outfits with you later this week but, in the meantime, i wanna talk about PRESENTS!! With any luck, you'll all be super organised and won't need this post but i've had the chance to sample some gorgeous gift sets to appeal to all budgets and i thought i'd share them with you while you can still get next-day delivery! 

You all know i adore Nip+Fab products. I've featured their Pistachio Sundae body butter on this blog before and i have also had the opportunity to nosey through their Xmas gift sets, which are available from Sainsbury's Stores, the Nip+Fab Website and other concessions with prices starting from just a FIVER! Perfect for even Secret-Santa price brackets (or just a cheeky Xmas pamper treat for yourself whilst doing the food shop). I've been using the Hand Fix kit which includes a Hand Cream (which has the same yummy pistachio scent as the body butter) and a cuticle cream as well as some rather fetching gloves to help it all sink in. I've really been enjoying using it! 

Other sets from the range include Party Rescue, Chill-Out Bathing, Facial on The Go and loads more! Also their body butters and lip balms make great stocking fillers!! 

If you want to REALLY spoil someone and go that extra mile, i'd highly recommend this kit from Murad Skincare. I've mentioned it before and plan to review a couple of the products individually, but Murad have brought out 3 different variants for Xmas this year. The one i have been using is Perfect Balance, but also available are Radiance Perfection and The Hybrids. These sets range in price from £30 up to £50 and are available from the Murad Website as well as their department store concessions. I'd highly recommend the Perfect Balance for anyone with combination skin. 

In reference to my post from last week on Nails Inc, i just HAD to include these amazing gift sets in this post. Scroll down to read about how much i loved my leather and skull manicure from the event, but if you want to spoil your best friend or sister this Xmas i'd highly recommend these gift sets! Priced at £19 you get a leather effect polish (choice of 2 shades) and 4 beautiful little rhinestone skull decals (which actually stay on VERY well). Nails Inc are also doing other gift sets similar to this so check out their Website or go along to one of their stores or concessions. 

I couldn't do a gift post without mentioning BeneFit could i?! Their products and packaging is special enough at other times of the year but they come into their own at Xmas and this year's gift sets are really lovely and I WANT THEM ALL!! I got to nosey through a few at the QVC press day i attended recently and i'd have to say my favourites are 'Feelin Dandy' (which contains miniatures of their Dandelion powder and lipgloss as well as other treats) and 'How to Look the Best at Everything' (containing their Ideal Flawless Foundation, Porefessional Primer and Boi-Ing Concealers). 

You probably know where to find BeneFit so i won't insult your intelligence by listing ALL the stockists for you but they're regular in all the major department stores, larger Boots stores and on the BeneFit Website. Beautiful on anyone's dressing table! 

So this hasn't been an EPIC Xmas Gift Guide by any means, but i just thought i'd let you know about a few products i've had the chance to try and some which are on MY list to Santa this year. There's still time for online ordering or a quick dash round Debenhams before the big day so treat someone special (or yourself) to one of these little beauties!! 

Pearls of Beauty Wisdom from Dr. Murad...

Good evening ladies, I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!!

I was lucky enough to be given the AMAZING opportunity last Friday to attend a seminar by skincare gurus Dr Howard and Jeff Murad (the brains and faces behind the prestigious skincare brand of the same name). This was an event that i was SUPER excited about as, i will openly admit, i'm pretty clueless when it comes to skincare and these two are the best in the biz! So i trotted along to the Academy of Medical Sciences to learn me some stuff!

I loved Dr Murad's attitude! He firmly believes in loving, valuing and nurturing yourself and actually recommended that we all go out the next day and buy ourselves a crown! The point in this being that if you don't hold your head up and feel positive about yourself from the inside then no skincare regime alone will do it for you from the outside. 

Here are Dr Murad's Top 10 Tips for Beautiful Skin:

1) Always cleanse before bed to get rid of all the pollution, free-radicals and other nasties your skin encounters during the day.

2) Toners are very important! They allow all other moisturisers and treatments to be absorbed deeper and faster, as well as refining your pores.

3) Oily skin needs moisture too! Everyone should be using a moisturiser, regardless of their skin type and a good moisturiser only adds WATER to the skin (not oil).

4) Embrace anti-aging products. You're never too young to start. Our skin starts going downhill almost as soon as we turn 18!

5) Eat your water..... Yes, you read that right. Dr. Murad recommends to replace one glass of the water you drink each day with raw fruit and vegetables which release their water and hydrate you from within. This must be an important one as he mentioned it several times in the lecture. 

6) Exfoliate right. Stick to the twice a week rule. Too much or too little exfoliation can wreak havoc with your skin, but is a very common mistake!

7) Relax!! Stress ages you!! Taking care of yourself emotionally is important! Dr Murad orders you to get lots of rest, treat yourself, eat CHOCOLATE(?!?!). Stress is second only to UV for skin damage and premature ageing. 

8) Be imperfect. You'll live longer. Don't be so hard on yourself because it only leads to stress (see above).

9) You are what you eat. Healthy skin comes 80% from how you care for yourself from the INSIDE and eating the right foods and supplements. Even the most expensive facials in the world won't achieve optimum results if you're not taking proper care of yourself from within. 

10) SMILE!!! When you feel your best, you'll look your best. 

As well as a very informative and interesting talk from Dr and Jeff Murad, we were all given a sneaky peak at the new Christmas gift sets Murad are offering this season as well as their top 10 products. There were therapists on hand to give facials as well as the new YouthCam (also available for customers in House of Fraser) which scans your skin to reveal problem areas, dehydration, UV damage and other potential future problems. From this they can make personal product recommendations and identify where you're going wrong. 

As i previously mentioned, we were given the opportunity to browse the new Christmas releases for this year and were lucky enough to be able to choose one to take home. There were 5 different boxes available, each tailored to a specific need/skin type.

Complete Renewal

Hydration Sensation

Radiance Rescue

Perfect Balance

The Hybrids

As I'm a combination skin type of girlie with a few too many open pores for my liking, i plumped for the Perfect Balance set. 

I cannot wait to share my experience of these products with you! I started using the T-Zone gel straight away and so far so good. I don't get a lot of spots generally but i am very excited about the blemish treatment concealer as, when i DO get a zit its always one of those BIG, sore ones that puts up a big fight. 

To browse ALL the bounty on offer as well as what's in all the other Christmas Gift Boxes go to murad.co.uk  

(I personally recommend their Dewy Finish Primer. It's the BEST i've tried so far.)

What are your top tips for perfect skin?? Do you have a favourite skincare brand/product?? What works for you??