What I Got For Christmas

I've seen a few of the "What I Got For Christmas" posts around and thought I would show you a few of the bits I got. I want to mention that this is not bragging at all, I know I am very lucky but don't want it to come across as showing off!

I had run out of my favourite Origins Mega Mushroom Cleanser so was really pleased to receive a new one, I'm also nearing the end of my Body Shop Shea Body Butter which I absolutely love and was also given a set of Soap and Glory Body Butters too! I also received a really pretty nail polish from Model's Own, I've never tried their nail polishes before but I am absolutely in love with this shade, Pink Fever! I had my eye on this heart ring from Pandora and I am absolutely in love with it, it's so beautiful! My grandparents bought me a bracelet and a pair of earrings, these are hand made from a family friend and they are so simple but I love them both! I have been after a new lens for my camera for a while and got the Sigma 70-300mm lens, this is amazing for taking photos of objects from really far away, I also got a subscription to a photography magazine! 

When people were asking me what I wanted for christmas I couldn't really think of anything, I think you get to an age where you don't really need anything. For me, I have a job and can buy a lot of things myself, I also feel bad when people buy me things! I had mentioned that I wanted an Oxfam Goat! You can buy lots of different things and they are given to communities in less developed countries, I've done this before and it's such a lovely idea, so I did get my goat! My friend bought me some lovely socks from Hobbs, I love the design! In my stocking I got some Rocky Road Hot Chocolate, two of my favourite things! I got some cute knitted socks with fur and my mum's boss bought me the black fingerless gloves, she bought me them so that when I'm out filming and it's cold I can wear them but it's still easy to use the camera, I thought it was a really thoughtful gift! My sister and brother-in-law bought me these pug slippers from River Island which I love! Finally I wanted a pajama set and got this beautiful set from Topshop, when I wear them I feel one step closer to being Jess from New Girl ;)

What did you guys get for christmas? 

What's In My Travel Makeup Bag?

Tomorrow, in the early hours of the morning, I will be hopping on a flight heading to Geneva before driving to the French Alps for some skiing! I don't usually wear much makeup when I'm out skiing, sometimes I don't wear any but I usually do in the evening. I've generally packed makeup that can't get smashed (apart from the Maybelline Colour Tattoo's, but they're quite sturdy!) as my ski bag is pretty flimsy and I'm not packing a £30 foundation if there's a chance it will get smashed in transit! I've packed Mac Face and Body Foundation, the packaging is a plastic bottle and this foundation is lightweight and non drying on my skin. I've been having so many problems with my skin being ridiculously dry lately and in -3 degrees, I don't think it's going to get better so I knew this foundation was one of the only ones that would be good to take! I've packed my standard Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer because, why wouldn't I? It's the bomb! I've then got the Bourjois Java Powder as it's a loose powder so it cannot get smashed or broken. For my brows I'm taking the Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil as it's super quick to use and is generally a really lovely product. For my eyes, rather than packing any eyeshadows and risking it, I've packed my two favourite Maybelline Colour Tattoo's in On and On Bronzer and Pink Gold, these are great to just apply really quickly but they are beautiful and last all day! I've then got my favourite Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara. I've packed two lip balms as my lips get dry in England so they're going to be hell in The Alps! I've got the Korres Lip Butter in Guava (a new favourite of mine!) and the Burts Bees Lip Balm for when I'm on the slopes as it's easier to use when I've got gloves on!

Toni and Guy Reverse Conical Wand

Toni and Guy Reverse Conical Wand £30* link

I was recently asked to take part in a challenge from Toni and Guy called "What's your Hair Personality?" To find the best hair tools for your signature style or to encourage you to experiment with hair styles! There are four collections to choose from, Classic, Casual, Creative and Glamorous. I chose the Reverse Conical Wand from the Casual collection, it seemed the perfect tool for me, I could create natural messy curls or waves! I prefer my hair to look casual, I'm not a huge fan my hair looking too neat, when it was my school prom I hated my hair as it was all perfect and in place but for me, it wasn't what I wanted! All I wanted a really messy fishtail plait!
The wand itself is unlike any other hair curler I have tried, as you can see, the end of it is slightly thicker which I found odd at first but it creates a really natural curl! The curler heats up to 200 degrees which is plenty hot enough and it only takes a few seconds to heat up, I find that I hardly have to hold my hair on it for long at all so it really is super fast to do the whole of my hair. I do have quite thin hair after my pesky hairdresser thinned it out a lot so if you have thick hair it may take a while longer! In the box, you also get a black glove to protect your skin from burns, I never really use these but they are a good idea as 200 degrees is very hot and you could get some nasty burns! 

I curl my hair pretty much everyday, I really don't like my hair at the moment so I find that curling it hides the dodgy layers and makes it look so much better than having it straight! I had previously been using my straighteners to curl my hair, they are slightly square at the top so I wasn't getting a very natural curl and it was taking a lot longer to do, I find that this conical wand creates really natural looking curls in next to no time! The curls are exactly the kind that I love, not too tight and not massive curls but instead, really pretty loose waves. I find the best way to achieve my perfect curl is to use quite small sections of hair, I take about one inch of hair and wrap it around the wand, I hold the wand downwards so it's pointing towards the floor as I find this makes the curls sit better and look more natural. The wand retails for only £30 which I think is a really great price as they often retail for so much more! I am totally in love with the wand and I had been looking for something other than my straighteners to achieve a nicer and more natural looking curl!

Everyday Makeup

I thought I would share the products I've been using daily lately! For foundation I've been absolutely loving the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, I wrote a full review on it here. I just adore this, it ticks all the boxes for me, it makes my skin look absolutely flawless, it matches my skin perfectly and is just blooming amazing! I recently re-purchased the Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, I say "re-purchased" but I actually bought the wrong shade last time (I bought Honey which was a tad too dark, if anyone wants to buy it off me then tweet me @georginalucyy) and have now bought the right shade, Vanilla. I will have a full review on it in the next few weeks if you want to know more about it! I had totally forgotten about the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder, it was something I bought but didn't really use that much and it got shoved to the back of my drawer. However lately I have been using it and really loving it, it works great with the Estee Lauder Foundation to keep my face matte all day! Then onto my beloved Nars One Night Stand Palette, I absolutely adore this, I cannot even put into words how good it is. On a day to day basis I tend to use Laguna, which is probably the best bronzer I've ever used, it's so natural looking! I then use Devotee to highlight, if I fancy it I use Mistinguette which is my favourite blusher colour in the palette.

I have been using the wax in the Sleek Brow Kit, then Mac Omega and then the Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil to fill in any other gaps in my brows. I've dug out my Urban Decay Naked Palette again which I have been loving to use, I'm still contemplating whether I should buy the Naked 3 palette or not..I probably will! Lately I've been loving winged eyeliner again, I use my Estee Lauder Gel Liner, then I add my trusty Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara.

Short Film Shots and Update

The other day while filming our short film I took some nice photos and I thought it would be nice to share them with you. We made a Alice In Wonderland style film with a more modern twist, as well as helping to produce it, I was lead actor, playing Alice! It was four days of filming in the freezing cold with a small dress on, in the middle of the woods, it was exhausting but a lot of fun seeing our plans come together! The film centres around a girl called Alice Heart who after an argument with her mum, runs to her bedroom crying, when she stops she notices a door opening and enters into "wonderland." When she arrives she finds her brother James at a long table covered in cakes, sweets and tea, he makes her understand why her mother worries about her and a flashback reveals that James was involved in a car accident and passed away. Her best friend Cat then appears and leads her to photos of herself hanging in the trees. The character of James is a more modern version of the mad hatter and Cat is the cheshire cat. We wanted the film to combine reality and dreams but in a more realistic way.

Update
Now onto a little update, on Wednesday it's my last day at university before we leave for christmas, the past three months have been absolutely exhausting, mentally, physically and emotionally! If you don't know, I study Media Production at uni, it's a very full on course and consists of pretty much 100% group work. Before I started, some third years told me to "say goodbye to your social life" and oh boy were they right! I think a lot of people assume that freshers do no work and only have a couple of lectures a week but it's been exhausting. The last few weeks have been especially hard and for the next few weeks blogging may have to take a backseat as having spare time again means that I want to spend time, working out and spending time with my family and friends which I haven't had any time to do for the past few months so blogging may be a bit sparse for the next few weeks! 

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Beauty Edit

Latest in Beauty Glamour Beauty Edit £14.95

I have never been into "beauty boxes," I would much rather spend my money on products I have researched and want to purchase. I don't earn too much money so the idea of getting a box and not liking what's inside worries me as it is a bit of a waste of money! I had seen this Latest in Beauty box floating around on a few blogs and everything in the box appealed to me so I quickly placed an order without even thinking! The box took five days to arrive which isn't too bad seeing as they said it could take up to seven. The box is just £14.95 which I personally think is a great price, especially as the contents is worth £65 altogether! Now onto the contents!

Eyeko Eyelash Curler

I am in dire need of an eyelash curler, mine actually broke a long time ago (YEARS!) and it is no longer springy and is a bit useless so I am super excited to have a new one! Eyeko isn't a brand I've tried that many things from so it's nice to give these ago, it's so nice to have a working pair of lash curlers! They feel very nice as they have velvet on the handle so you hands don't slip or anything!

Benefit They're Real Mascara

I think it's great that you get a Benefit product in the box, I've tried this mascara before and really like it, I was also running out of my mascara so it's a win-win situation! 

HD Brows Palette

This is probably the product that sold this palette for me, I have been wanting to try a new brow product for a while and had been looking at this palette for ages after people recommending it so much! One thing that kind of annoyed me was that everyone seems to get the "Foxy" palette which is made for brunettes, I have blonde hair and when I joined Latest In Beauty I answered questions stating that I was "blonde" so the palette is not the best shade match for me but maybe they only had that one available, it can also be used as an eyeshadow palette so if you are fair like me it can be used on eyes.

Balance Me Radiance Face Oil
I've heard a lot about Balance Me so I was excited to see that you get a sample of one of their products. The Radiance Face Oil is meant to help clear toxins, enhance circulation and boost cell renewal! It says it can be used on all skin types so even if you have oily skin you can still use it! My skin has been so so dry latest and I am excited to try this out and see if it can help!

Phillip Kingsley One More Day Dry Shampoo
There's not too much to say about this as a dry shampoo is, well..a dry shampoo! It's ingredients include things like Allantoin and Bisabolol which cleanse the scalp and get rid of excess dirt and oil!

Maybelline Baby Lips
Although I didn't go crazy over the Maybelline Baby Lips when they came out like many other bloggers did I am still excited to give this a try as there has been so much hype surrounding them! They are basically tinted lip balms and there are a number of different colours to buy! I do think they are quite a good idea for me as I don't always wear lipstick and have very dry lips!

Toni and Guy Glamour Firm Hold Hair Spray
I'm a huge fan of Toni and Guy hair products, my favourite is their salt spray! This hair spray smells very similar and does a really great job of keeping my hair in place well without making my hair crispy or crunchy!

As I try the products out more look out for individual reviews. I was so impressed with how the box looked, I love the simple but pretty design of the box, when I opened it the tissue paper was so pretty and neat too! In the box you also get a lot of discount codes from some of the brands too which is awesome and there is a small piece of information on each products so you know exactly what you're trying. I am really impressed with this beauty box and the great brands that were included in it!

Have you ever considered buying a beauty box?

What To Buy Her For Christmas?

I thought I would share a few things that I think would make great gifts for your mum, sister, friends/any female! I sometimes run out of inspiration and don't know what to get people so I've found a few things I think would make perfect gifts this christmas!

Nars One Night Stand Palette

I bought this last month and have used it everyday since, it's honestly stunning and I think it would make the perfect gift for anyone, especially if they love Nars and Blushers! You get four different blusher shades, including Nars famous shades "Orgasm" and "Deep Throat" as well as two limited edition shades. You then get their infamous Laguna Bronzer and the most beautiful highlight shade which I adore! I think this palette is just amazing as all your cheek products are in one handy palette. The palette retails for £45 and is available at Space NK here in the UK and Sephora in other countries.

Real Techniques

I don't think you can go wrong with a set of Real Techniques Brushes, I've made it very clear how much I love them! The new Duo Fiber Set is a limited edition set of duo fiber brushes, perfect for any makeup fanatic. 

Kate Spade Purse

I absolutely love Kate Spade, I own a bag and a phone case and I can't wait to buy more things! This purse comes in three different shade, I love this pale blue colour! If you have someone who is particularly difficult to buy for, I think a purse is a great gift to buy!

GHD

I have wanted these GHD's for ages, I adore the colour! They come in a few different colours! I think a pair of straighteners is a great gift!

Mac Nocturnals Pigments and Glitter in Black & Gold

I am so in love with these pigments and dying to get hold of them! In this set you get five stackable jars of pigment, these are limited edition and part of the holiday collection. They come in different shades so if the Black and Gold set isn't something you would use you can buy Silver and Violet or Green and Teal! These would make a perfect little gift set, especially for someone who loves all things beauty!

November Favourites

It's favourites time again! This month I have been in love with the Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation, I wrote a full review here. In short, I love this so so much, it's flawless with amazing coverage! This is probably my favourite foundation I've ever tried as I haven't found any negatives, it ticks all the boxes for me and makes my skin look amazing even when it really isn't! It is quite expensive but I think it is worth every penny! This month I bought the Nars One Night Stand Palette and have used it every single day since, it is a bit of a splurge at £45 but in my opinion it is worth every single penny as the shades are beautiful and it is such a handy palette! I would definitely recommend popping this on your christmas list! I have been back into winged eyeliner and I've been using my Estee Lauder Gel Liner, this is such a great gel liner, it lasts absolutely ages without drying out and is so easy to apply! Finally I have rediscovered my Urban Decay Naked Palette, with all the talk of the Naked 3 palette I decided to dig out the original one! I pretty much only use neutral eyeshadows so it's the perfect palette for me and  you can get so many different looks from the one palette!

What have you been loving this month?

Braun Silk-épil 7 Epilator

Braun Silk-épil 7 Epilator £139.99*

I remember the first time I used an epilator, my mum bought one and my sister and I were quite young. We started on the most painful setting and oh boy it hurt! When I received an email offering me the chance to try one of the Braun Silk-Epil epilators, I jumped at the chance! I usually shave my legs however being very clumsy, I usually end up hacking my leg apart and have shaving cuts everywhere, the hairs on my legs also grow back at a crazy speed. This epilator has "close grip technology" with 40 tweezers which removes hairs as short as a grain of sand, this appealed to me as it means I wouldn't have to worry about getting rid of the hairs on my legs as often! In the box you get five different heads, the "shaver head," "trimmer cap," "facial head cap," "sensitive area cap" and the "efficiency cap." The Shaver head allows you to use the epilator as a dry shaver, The Trimmer Cap enables you to trim sensitive hair, The facial cap allows you to get rid of any unwanted facial hair, The Sensitive Area cap is perfect for underarms and bikini area and the Efficiency Cap is for faster epilation. I think it's great that you can change the caps depending on where you want to epilate as it is important to have a more sensitive cap when shaving underarms, the bikini area or the face. One of my favourite things about the epilator is that you can use it wet or dry! On my old epilator you could only use it dry, I much prefer to epilate in the shower as it gets it over with and I find it so much easier! The epilator has a pivoting head so it can adapt to your body and make it easier to get every hair! In the box you also get some Olay Cooling Wet Wipes which help to relax the skin before you epilate!  These are basically like wet wipes but they help to make the process less painful! There are also two different speed settings depending on what you want, the first is extra gentle and the second if extra efficient! I prefer to use the second setting  as it works quicker and is more efficient as the name suggests! Obviously epilating is never going to be pain free and it does hurt but it's not totally unbearable and lasts so much longer than shaving and avoids any shaving rash or cuts. You can use the shaver head attachment which doesn't hurt at all but doesn't pull the hairs out quite like the epilation head does, the epilation head does hurt as it is pulling the hairs out from the roots but it is the most effective way of keeping hairs from growing back quickly! I prefer to use the shaver head attachment for under my arms as it's more gentle and I have very sensitive skin! I think the amount of different heads you get in the pack is really fantastic as well as the Olay wipes as they really help! I think an epilator is really worth investing in as it means you don't have to continually buy disposable razors, you can do it quickly if you need to leave the house and is just generally a really handy gadget to own and I will definitely continue using this as it's so much better than using a razor!

The Braun Silk-Epil 7 Epilator is available to purchase from Boots this winter for £55.99 (it's reduced!! Yay!) 

Have you ever tried epilating?