The Rose Edit

Last year I brought you an edit filled with some of my favourite rose scented products, since then I have discovered even more lovely products so I thought I'd round them all up in another edit.

Rosie Posie

'In the rooooose garden, where the raaaaain is fallin' ' Oh yes, I am obsessing over all things rose at the moment, in the similar stylings of Feeling Peachy I offer you Rosie Posie...

Lip Products Worth The Hype

Short Trip, Long Journey Essentials

I'm finally going to see my Booba (Emma ;) ) up in Scotland! I'll be going on the coach with my friend Chloe, yes, the coach, from London, our poor butts are going to be subjected to almost 11 hours of numbness. But it's worth it! For this quick post I'm just going to be showing you what I'll be taking with me for my weekend trip. We're leaving London at 1am and arriving in Scotland at around 12pm on Friday then on our way back we'll be leaving Scotland at around 11pm and arriving in London before 7am on Monday, fun times.

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Cream Wash - Simple Cleansing Wipes - Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub - Nuxe Reve De Miel - Origins Drink-Up Intensive Mask - L'Occitane Shea Butter - Nivea Creme - Alien Thierry Mugler - Garnier Eye Roll On - Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter - Bath and Body Works Midnight Pomegranate Body Butter

MUA Undressed Palette - Sephora Eyelash Curler - Dr Jart+ Water Fuse BB Cream - ELF Coral Mineral Blush - Collection Concealer - Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - Revlon Just Bitten Stains Crush and Honey - Maybelline Gel Eye Liner - ELF Eyelid Primer - Benefit Highbrow - Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - Rimmel Scandal Eyes Black Eye Pencil - MAC Sunny Seoul

For the long coach rides I need some reading material and music so I'm bringing along a couple copies of Empire, The Tempest (I have to read it for audition preparation, sigh), my iPad, iPod as I don't want to kill my phone's battery and iPhone. 

I apologise for the evidently rushed post and photos, I have a long, busy day today, but I wanted to blog before I left.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! I'll have some sort of photo diary up next week after I come back to London, be prepared to be jealous of photos of beautiful waterfalls and lochs ;)

-Kiran xo

Smooth Lips

It has been super cold here in London (and all over the UK) and we've been getting snow! Yay for snow but nay to dry, chapped lips. But, for the first time, during the cold, Winter months my lips have actually not been dry or chapped and I have these products to thank.

The Nuxe Reve de Miel is just so wonderful. I use this at night time after my lips have been victim to the radiators being on full blast as soon as I get in. I use this after I give my lips a good scrub with Lush's Bubblegum Lip Scrub which is just so lovely. Using a scrub will help get rid of any dry skin on your lips leaving smooth lips thus giving the perfect canvas for lipstick, lipgloss etc. (If you don't have a lip scrub or don't want to buy one, just mix some sugar with some vaseline).

The Korres Lip Butters are something I use while I am just wandering around the house, I don't tend to use these outside as I don't like the idea of sticking my finger into the pot and rubbing the product on my lips while I am outside in the dirty city, haha, I'm just kidding, London isn't that dirty - but I am a little bit of a germaphobe... so no. But these are so smooth and buttery, they feel lovely on the lips.

Now, the lip balm I do use outside is the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm. These are so moisturising and just so convenient for carrying around in my bag (I actually carry one in my bag and one in my coat pocket). These leave a nice bit of colour on your lips but more importantly they moisturise and protect your lips from the cold, harsh wind.

So these are the lip products I have been using to keep my lips smooth and moisturised. I go on a lot about lip products but it's just because I love them so much! And I do think it's important to keep your lips looking good as it's one of the first things people notice about you.

All my January exams are finally over now so I am free for a few months, yay!

I hope everyone is having a lovely day.

-Kiran xo

2012 Favourites

I didn't have any particular December favourites, so I decided to gather my favourites of 2012, hope you enjoy :)

Hand/Nail Care

Soap and Glory Hand Food - You've heard me ramble on about this before. Best hand cream ever.
OPI Nail Envy - Amazing base coat - it strengthens your nails (not that mine needed strengthening, but it still made a difference to my nails).
Sally Hansen Problem Cuticle Remover - Manicures made easy. This is a great product to help get rid of those pesky hangnails and such.
Bath and Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Gel - I am a little bit of a germaphobe (touching, OCD...) I travel on the buses a lot, so a hand gel is very important to me. I go through the stuff like crazy (more than any normal person should, I admit). I like the Bath and Body Works ones as they're so cute and small and they smell amazing.
Ever Since Mineral Cuticle Treatment - A lovely cuticle oil, helps moisturise the cuticles and keep them looking purdy.
C.O Bigelow Rose Salve - I use this salve at night times on my cuticles for extra moisturising.

Body/Lip Care

Soap and Glory Heel Genius - A foot cream...it's good, I promise.
Carmex - My trusty tattered carmex tub still going strong, and I am still loving it.
Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm - Best. Lip. Balm. Ever. It is so soft and it smells divine. It glides on the lips like a dream.
Soap and Glory - Righteous Butter - one of the best body moisturisers I have ever used, absolutely love it and oh, the smell...
Korres Lip Butters - I have Wild Rose and Jasmine (which was hiding in one of my bags), these lip butters are wonderful, so moisturising and I love the tint they give to the lips.

Shower Stuff

Soap and Glory Clean On Me - I adore this shower cream, so moisturising, cleansing and smells ah-mazing.
Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean - I really enjoy using this cleansing milk whilst in the shower, it feels really nice on the skin and again just smells so good. As soon as I started using it, I felt my skin felt cleaner and brighter.
Soap and Glory Flake Away - One of the best body scrubs ever. It's not too gritty, and it leaves the skin feeling so moisturised - and guess what? ... It smells so damn good.
Moroccan Oil - This product has changed my life, no it hasn't, but it has made my hair softer and curls bouncier. Review here

Make Up - Face

Dior Skin Nude Foundation - I j'adore Dior this foundation (see what I did there?). The colour is perfect for me, it feels good on the skin, it's a good coverage, leaves the face glowing and blends in very well.
Dior Bronzer - An amazing bronzer, it's matte, which is perfect for contouring. It has been my saviour these past few Winter months - my skin has lacked colour, and this has just brought the colour back in my face.
Sleek Face Form Kit - I love the highlighter in this kit, it's so lovely. I also like the contouring shade for my nose, but I'm not the biggest fan of the blush colour.
Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation - A really lovely foundation, it brings life back into your face and leaves you looking wide awake (even when you're not.) Review here.
Smashbox Blush in Radiance - A really pretty pink blush, it's just a good, plain pink. I love the colour pay off, it's not powdery  and you can definitely build it up...which I'm not sure you'd want to do unless you're going for a Barbie doll look.
Benefit Dallas Blush - A lovely, purpley blush. It's just perfect for those days when you want colour but not an in-your-face colour like the Smashbox one for example.

Make Up - Lips

Yes, the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains made it to my yearly favourites and took the crown for longest name in the world. You knew this was coming. I absolutely love these things. I just can't praise them enough, yes, still. The colours are great, they last such a long time and they are a balm so they moisturise too! A win win if you ask me. These are so easy to apply which is great for when I quickly need to add some colour and moisture back into my lips in Law class when the teacher isn't looking...
Cherish - Crush - Sweetheart - Honey

These are the Mac lipsticks I've been loving this year.
Morange - This is such a bright, perfect orange. It's an Amplified lipstick so it's pretty bright and pigmented.
Sunny Seoul is the colour I have been wearing mostly during the days, it's just a nice, wearable everyday pink. It's a creme sheen finish so it's a bit more moisturising than the others but it also means it doesn't last the longest.
Impassioned - Also an amplified finish, this is just such a gorgeous pink/coral.

Illamasqua Magnetism - Of course this lipstick had to make the favourites, it's such a gorgeous colour! I just wish it lasted a bit longer on the lips though especially considering the price I paid.
L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in Aphrodite Scarlett - This was something I wore a lot during the Summer, it's a very pretty light, sheer colour which was perfect for the warmer months.
Make Up Forever Matte 5 - This is such a nice matte lipstick, the colour is so lovely, a really soft pink.

Make Up - Eyes and Brush

Maybelline Great Lash Blackest Black Mascara - A mascara I used a lot this year, it's pretty cheap and it worked really well with my lashes! To be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot from this, but I'm glad I picked it up as it really lengthens my lashes and definitely makes them look thicker.
L'Oreal Super Liner - This is such an easy product to use to line your eyes and create a flick. I definitely found it easy to use and I'm useless at eye liner.
Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Highlighter - I was so excited when I got this but honestly, I hated it at first, turns out, I was using it when it wasn't best for me to use it. I now know to use this when I have minimum under-eye baggage going on, because then it works wonders. A lovely product, and lovely packaging.
Rimmel Scandal Eyes Pencil - You know I love this. Best eye pencil ever. Soft, very pigmented, lasts forever and easy to use.
Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil - I don't have huge problems with my eyebrows (only when I become chewbaca and need a trip to my beauticians ASAP) so this does me well. You get a brush with it too, which is great, especially for carrying around in your bag.
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - A great concealer for only £4.19, it beats my Make Up Forever Full Coverage which cost me around $30 I believe. This concealer covers whatever you need it to cover and lasts a long time.
Real Techniques Buffing Brush - I love this brush, it's so soft and great to blend in whatever foundation I am using.

Accessories

I got my Michael Kors Quilted Hamilton along with a purse and a watch for my 18th birthday from my mum and I absolutely love it. I wanted a Michael Kors bag for so long and when I saw this one, I knew it was the one I wanted. I think it looks classy and gorgeous and pulls any outfit together. I tend to only use it when I take a trip to Central London though as I feel like that's where it deserves to be used!

Topshop studded clutch - I love studs and I love clutches, so why not combine the both? This clutch has done me well since I have bought it, it's real leather, so it's going to last a decent amount of time, and it's just so gorgeous. It's really big too, I used it when I went to a premiere and I stuffed it to the brim and it still looked awesome.

ASOS Skull bracelet, Michael Kors Watch, Topshop Peace Earrings, Peace Bracelet from eBay, Topshop Studded/Spiked Bracelet.

I hope you enjoyed my rather long post! And more importantly, I hope you had a lovely 2012. Personally, I can't wait for 2013, I need a fresh new start, so I am hoping 2013 will offer that. I hope everyone has a beautiful new year filled with lots of happiness and peace.

-Kiran xo

November Favourites

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Scrub and Cream Wash - Basins Lip Scrub - Nuxe Reve de Miel - Korres Jasmine Lip Butter - Real Techniques Buffing Brush - Moroccan Oil

I haven't got a lot of favourites this month as I've just been sticking to what I know and love. Plus, Christmas is coming up so I have to spend my money on presents and not on myself...just wait until the new year ;). But these products have been my favourites this month, I've been reaching for these more than anything else.

First up is Moroccan Oil (review here), I love this product. It's just made my hair look and feel so soft and shiny. My curls are bouncy and it just looks really nourished and lovely.

Next up is the Buffing Brush from the Real Techniques Core Collection. I love the Real Techniques brushes, they're so soft as they're made from synthetic hairs. I use this brush to buff in my foundation and the one I've been reaching for a lot lately is my Mica Bella mineral foundation, but I've also been trying out Rimmel's Wake Me Up foundation. This brush is really easy to use and blends my foundation in so well.

Now, I've tried a few skin care products in the past couple of months, but none of them seemed to help my spots and blemishes, and the toners I tried out just dried out my skin and a couple even left a burning sensation tingling on the tops of my cheeks which was not pleasant. So when I went into Boots, I was after a face wash which I knew was good to my skin and that is Neutrogena's Pink Grapefruit cream wash. I've used this before but after I had finished it I tried out a Garnier face scrub which did nothing for me. But when I went into Boots they had a 2 for £5 offer going on across the Neutrogena Visibly clear range so I bought the pink grapefruit scrub as well. I absolutely love these products. I use the scrub in the morning and the cream wash at night. My skin is looking brighter, my spots are almost all gone and my blemishes are gone. I love the scent of the pink grapefruit, it's not too overpowering. I can go and on but for low budget skin care, this range is the one I definitely recommend. (Note, I have sensitive skin and these cause no irritation at all.)

Finally my favourites, lip care! I have been reaching for my Basins lip scrub every other night as my lips have been drier than usual. After I give my lips a good scrub, I use Nuxe's Reve de Miel - I absolutely love this lip balm so much. The texture is different to anything I have ever seen before, it almost glides on like ... velvet? It's so smooth and I wake up with the softest lips. The scent is lovely too, I feel like it smells like a lemon cake with honey. Yum. My Korres lip butter is something that I have been reaching for during the day when my lips need a bit of moisturising. The lip butter stays on my lips for ages and leaves them feeling so soft and moisturised.

So that's it for my November favourites, I can't believe it's December! Eek! This year has gone pretty fast, but don't they all? Thanks for reading! Have a lovely December!

-Kiran xo

Short Trip Essentials

Oh dear, it's been a week since my last post - but it's not my fault! It was Diwali (an Indian holiday) on Tuesday so my mum and I went up to Yorkshire to celebrate and spend time with my grandparents. Unfortunately there was no Internet there and I was unable to blog or do anything really. But I thought I'd just show you what beauty bits I took with me. I tend to over pack - for everything, even my everyday handbag is super heavy - but everything in there is super necessary, I swear!

A few candles my mum and I lit at midnight in our flat (we spread them out around the flat and it looked super pretty)

Okay so here are the products, and yes I over packed (as usual) - I only went away for a few days and I left the house once.

Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon Body Cream- Soap and Glory Hand Food - Blixtex Intensive Moisturiser - Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Honey and Sweetheart - Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch - Sephora Eyelash Curler - YSL Touche Eclat - elf Makeup Remover Pen - Rimmel Scandal Eyes in Black - Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in Brown Black - Maybelline Great Lash Mascara - Carmex Cherry Tube - Body Shop Blush - Smashbox Blush in Radiance - Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine - MAC Lipstick in Sunny Seoul - Benetint Lip Balm

First up we have lip products - I love lip products, they are my favourite. As I said, I only went out once so I didn't make much use of all the products here but I got a good use out of the Korres Lip Butter which I had got the morning I had left for Yorkshire so of course I was excited to use it. It is so buttery and it lasts for ages on my lips, leaving them so smooth and soft, I definitely recommend this product to anyone as it's just a wonderful lip balm, you can't go wrong. I used the Blistex every night, of course. I wore the Sunny Seoul when I went to Town and unfortunately neglected the other products.

I like this mascara, it lengthens my barely-there-eye lashes and really darkens them, I don't know if I will repurchase this as I am one to try out ALL the mascaras, but is good and it's super cheap. The elf Makeup Remover Pen is a wonderful product, I actually love it so much - it gets rid of all the mascara that ends up on my eyelids instead of my lashes, whoops, it's just so easy to use and it's great for when I'm in a rush. YSL's Touche Eclat is one of my favourite products ever, yup, it's one that's worth the hype - it really does brighten my under eyes and face, a bit pricey but hey, it's YSL!

I'm a blush girl so I had to bring at least two of my blushes, the first one is a lovely peachy blush from Body Shop (I couldn't find a link to it so I'm not sure if they're discontinued?) and of course I had to take my Smashbox blush in Radiance, it's just such a pretty pink. The brush I use is from Topshop, I've had it for a while - it's not great, but I was in desperate need of a blush brush, saw this and just bought it. I haven't bought a  new one since I got this because it's still in tact and doing the job, but there are much better brushes out there.

To moisturise after a shower I just threw in one of my Bath and Body Works creams, they're easier to carry than tubs so they're convenient to travel with. I like the B&BW's creams, they're really moisturising but they are heavily scented which can sometimes be overwhelming. Of course, I couldn't leave the house without Soap and Glory's Hand Food - my favourite hand cream ever!

For perfumes, I took my ultimate favourite perfume which is Red Jeans by Versace - it is my signature scent. I also took one of my Thierry Mugler perfumes, the lucky one was Angel which is a beautiful, musky scent as all Thierry Mugler perfumes are, but this one is more wearable for the day time.

Well, that was a bit of a long post - I didn't even mention my hair care stuff and skin care products! Well, anyway, I do think it is time for me to stop rambling on, thank you for reading! I hope you all had a lovely week and have a lovely weekend!

-Kiran xo