January: Loves and Lusts

Hello and welcome to a new series on Dainty Ditsy for 2015! Since I started this blog in August last year, I'd never really got round to doing the token Monthly Favourites posts aside from my '2014 Favourites' which I put up earlier this month. However this year, my friends, is when it's all gonna change as I introduce 'Loves and Lusts'. Think of 'Monthly Favourites' and 'Beauty Wishlists', put them together and you've got what I'm dubbing - 'my spin on cult classic monthly-themed posts'. In my final post of every month in 2015 I'll be sharing with you 'What I've Loved' and 'What I'd Love To Have' for the past however many days. Enjoy...

What I've Loved:

Real Techniques Nic's Picks Brush Collection - This set I picked up around the start of the month (as I documented here) and I've been really enjoying it ever since. The set exclusives have been great additions to my already well-saturated brush pot and having a back up of my favourite of the whole line - the base shadow - is always a bonus!

Soap and Glory 'Hand Dream' Hand Cream - January has been a proper 'Soap and Glory Obsession' month as I've loved a selection of items from their ranges. Having received  their 'The Next Big Thing' set for Christmas, containing a selection of body and makeup bits, their Hand Dream is one of the first I've cracked open and currently residing on my bedside table as I already love it that much. I've always been a fan of their most popular hand cream 'Hand Food', though this compares pretty well, if not better, with it packing both a beautifully scented lotion which deeply moisturises your hands and quickly absorbs at the same time. It basically caters for everything you'd ever wish for in a hand cream - a winner in my books.

Soap and Glory 'Heel Genius' Foot Cream - And  the rave continues with another bodycare product from the land of Soap and Glory, 'Heel Genius'. I've always struggled, particularly in the colder months, with my feet and the horrible state they always seem to get into. I've only been using this for a matter of weeks and already I can see a noticeable difference, with my heels appearing much less cracked and dry and much more 'Hello-I'm-Ready-For-Summer-Even-Though-It's-Like-Five-Months-Away'. I can see myself getting plenty of use out of this, even when the weather starts to heat up.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nude Foundation in '100 Ivory' - I mentioned this back in this post when I stated it as one of my two favourite foundations from 2014, even though I discovered it in the last month. Is that cheating? I don't really care as it's that good I felt I kinda had to include it there and have to give it another nod in this post too. This packs pretty much everything I'd ever want from a foundation and everything my previous one was offering but possibly even better. It evens everything out without being too heavy on the skin; adds a luminous, skin-like glow without looking greasy and as the name would imply sticks around for as long as you want it to.

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 'Fair 1' - Now of course this is not a new favourite, but more a new shade. Up until the end of this month I'd been using the 'Medium 2', which was becoming increasingly less of a perfect colour match for my rather pale skin (conveniently even more pale in the cooler months). I switched to the lighter colour and oh am I glad I did. This blends so much more seamlessly into my natural skintone and simply covers any blemishes or bags, without any orange-ness making it any more noticeable.

Soap and Glory 'Solar Powder' Bronzer - And more from Soap and Glory, but this time we're moving onto makeup, which I became a convert of this past month. I won't ramble on too much about these next two as I've already done a full review here but I bought this on recommendation from Lily Pebbles and a few other bloggers and am so glad I listened up on this one. The split-pan means you can dial up or down your bronzing level depending on your skintone and the actual shades you get are perfect. Not too warm, not too ashy - just somewhere in-between - and their formula is buttery and smooth, making bronzing and contouring a dream. Love, love, LOVE.

Soap and Glory 'Archery' Brow Pencil in 'Hot Chocolate' - Again, I've already talked about this one in the link above, but I have to give it another nod as I think we may have another turn to The Brow Story on our hands here. I've started using this and am almost fully converted. Yes, it may only come in two shades, but the shade I have - 'Hot Chocolate - whilst may appear to cater solely for the darker hair bracket, actually with a light hand can work for us blonder (natural or fake) gals too. The nib is nice 'n' small and means you can really get to work on drawing actual hairs in and the formula is just how I like 'em - not too creamy, not too waxy. Even better - it comes with a spoolie on the other end. Perfect.

Rimmel Salon Pro Nail Polishes - Another from Rimmel (I swear this month's favourites just seem to be grouped together in brands), but this time a nail polish, or should I say polishes? I first fell in love with the 'Mars' shade of this collection back when it came as a freebie in Boots and since picked up another two shades 'Bewitch' - a dark, foresty green - and 'Urban Purple' - a rich berry purple. I've loved all of them so far, they apply easily and are almost, if not entirely opaque in one coat, they dry quickly and last a good amount of time before they're in desperate need of removal. I keep eyeing up some more shades but so many of the ones I'm looking at seem more Spring/Summer appropriate so I'm holding back - for now!

Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Purifying Mask - A skincare favourite, but from a slightly different brand to what I'm used to. I've used Palmer's Original Cocoa Butter as a body butter/lotion many times before and love it, but when perusing Feel Unique I saw they had a skincare range - who knew? I've been in the market for a new face mask for a while now as I'm getting a little bored of constantly buying the one-use Montagne Jeunesse ones and would prefer a simple bottle which I have more control over how much I use. I bought this and love it. It smells near-identical to their body range - lovely, chocolatey goodness - and the mask claims to detox, moisturise and calm the skin all at once and I'd have to say I completely agree. I used this one Sunday pamper night and, having sensitive skin, was apprehensive, but I was wrong. This clay mask applied easily, dried down pretty quickly too and once I cleansed my face my skin just looked so healthy and nourished. It felt much softer and, unlike some masks, I wasn't left with any temporary redness from my skin feeling a little aggravated. I am so impressed - definitely gonna continue using this one from now on...

What I'd Love To Have:

Maybelline The Eraser Concealer - £7.99 - I've been hearing a lot about this on the beauty grapevine as of late and with Anna recently throwing in her two cents on the matter too I think it may just have to happen.

Real Techniques Bold Metals Collection - ranging from £10-25 - I love me a good Real Techniques brush or ten so when this new premium range was announced recently I, like many others, was all over it. Boasting all the plus points of their regular range and more - with even softer bristles, even more ease of use and an even more general luxe feel - these are the perfect 'premium' brushes available in a more accessible drugstore location. Do I need them? Maybe not? Do I want them? Hell yes.

Real Techniques New Concealer Brush and Sculpting Brush - difficult to tell on the US website, but according to the conversions £5.32 and £6.65 respectively - Yes I know, more brushes. I just can't resist. New additions to their regular range always flash up on my radar as they're tried, tested and well loved and I just couldn't be without them. The sculpting brush in particular is catching my eye at the moment. Again - do I really need more brushes? Let's not answer that one...

MAC Pro Eyeshadow Palette - £14.00 and £2.50 for pan and inserts and £10 for each shadow - Now, important to point out here that I'm not necessarily talking buying and filling a whole MAC 15-pan palette in one go. I'm not that mad. But, I am thinking as a little early 18th birthday present to myself that I should finally build up the courage to approach a counter soon and try about buying the kit and perhaps a couple of shadows to start me off. Get ready MAC, I'm comin' for ya.

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder - £8.99 - Another I've heard lots of good things about recently. I do love my Rimmel Stay Matte, but am always on the lookout for something that may be even better (is it possible?), so I'm tempted so see if this does the job.

The Balm Mary-Lou Manizer - £12.00 - Ooh the hype surrounding this not too long ago. This was popping up here, there and everywhere on the bloggersphere, so naturally I'm thinking of giving it a go. I do love a good highlight, but can be quite picky as to how I like them to be, however having only heard good vibes from this, a purchase is no doubt looming.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara - £7.99 (but currently on introductory offer for £5.99) - I'm a sucker for a new mascara. Especially, being a huge fan of their Falsies, a Maybelline one. Could this match or even top my *whispers* HG? There's only one way to find out I guess.

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche L'Ombre Pure Eyeshadows - £5.49 each - Again, a massively hyped-up product in there 'ere bloggersphere that pretty much everyone and their dog ahs already sampled and come back with raving reviews about. Many compare the quality of these to their higher-end counterparts, with their buttery-soft formula, packs-a-punch pigmentation and wide shade range. Even writing that is convincing me more to part with my dollar...