January Favourites

I seem to have quite a few favourites this month, I guess because some of these were Christmas or Post Christmas purchases and they all still seem very shiny and new!

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash

I haven’t managed to review this yet but I am finding it great for my oily / combination skin as it cleans without stripping away oils and really makes my skin feel very clean.  I’m not sure how good it would be for drier skins though.

Tom Ford Violet Blonde

A Christmas present from my lovely hubby!  This is more of a weekend scent for me, reminding me of holidays and trips away.  I won’t embarrass myself by trying to describe the notes, but needless to say it is gorgeous!

Top Shop Cream Blush in Neon Rose – I reviewed this here as part of my cream blush post and was reminded of it when The Sunday Girl posted about it recently.  I love the way that it is not a traditional cream blush formulation, as it changes from a cream to a powder on the skin and lasts all day.  Only the tiniest amount is needed!

Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara – review here

This is my current favourite mascara (and boy do I have a lot of mascara!).  A great natural look, no flaking or smudging and the most important thing-  no CRISPY LASHES!

Mac Matchmaster in 3.0 - review here I have been wearing this foundation a lot recently and although I did find it a little too dark initially, I have been wearing it with a little of the Nars Orgasm Illuminator to tone it down a little and give a more radiant look.

Kiehl's Eye Alert – review here

I really enjoyed using this eye cream which I bought on a  whim from a blog sale.  I’m almost finished it and currently deciding whether to repurchase at full price or to finish off my Liz Earle eye cream which I wasn’t as enamoured with.

Laura Mercier Lip Gloss in Mauve 

This is my first Laura Mercier gloss and I very much like it.  A great my-lips- but-better shade, it has a gorgeous cocoa butter scent and is a great shade to go with lots of looks.  This was a limited edition product I think with the Space NK gift set, but based on the quality of this gloss, I will be investigating others from her line.

Chanel Illusion d’ Ombre in Emerveille - review here

This has been included in my monthly favourites previously and I am still enjoying the ease at which I can smooth this on with my fingers, add some mascara and I have an easy eye look in less than a minute, with no complex blending of several different shades. 

What were your favourites this month?  See anything above that catches your eye?

My Chanel Illusion d'Ombre Collection

A little bit of Chanel always brightens up one's life!  And these little pots of joy are so gorgeous, I initially swore I was only going to purchase one but have gradually been building up my collection.  I think this should be enough for the moment, although the black one in Mirifique has been whispering my name!

If you are unaware of these eyeshadows that have taken the blogsphere by storm, they are a cream / powder hybrid which glides onto the skin like silk.  You get a small brush included with each pot of shadow, although I prefer to use my finger to smooth it on as I think they work well with the warmth of your skin  You need to work quickly though as they set fairly rapidly and once they are on they don't budge!  I have fairly oily lids and with a primer they stay on for about 8-9 hours, and have around the same lasting power as the Georgio Armani Eyes to Kill shadows which I also adore. 

I first bought Emerveille and Epatant in quick succession.  Emerveille is a gorgeous peach shade with shimmer which looks amazing as a wash of colour across the lids for a easy daytime look

Epatant is a creamy green / grey which can either be smoked with a little grey for a twist on the classic smokey eye, or sheered out for a more wearable, daytime shade.  I often also use this as a liner and the brush with it is perfect as it is quite stiff and can be used to create a hint of colour beneath the lower lash line.

When finishing off the last of my Christmas shopping last week, I stopped by the Chanel counter, just for a look you understand (!), and discovered that, Illusoire,  the Illusion d'Ombre that I had been stalking for months, was finally in stock!   So I just had to buy it!

Illusoire is a mixture of several colours.  It is not purple, not grey, not taupe but more of a mixture of all three, if that can be possible.  It shimmers and sparkles under the light, making it a multi-faceted colour that can work for all occasions and is my favourite of the three shades that I currently own.

Verdict

These super versatile shadows are a must for any makeup bag, although they are fairly pricey, which is to be expected with Chanel.  Perhaps one to hint for  for Christmas?!

5/5

Price - £22.50

Where to buy -Boots, House of Fraser, Debenhams, Selfridges