February: The Love List

Can you believe we're at the end of February already? It felt like January lasted about two hundred years, yet Feb has only been around a matter of minutes. Nevertheless, it's time again for me to run down everything I've been loving, beauty-wise, over the past month. A lot of awesome makeup this time round, plus one other equally-awesome new fragrance pick! It's definitely been a good'un...

GHOST DEEP NIGHT EAU DE TOILETTE - Starting with the one non-makeup item for this month's favourites - a new perfume! You probably know by now that Marc Jacob's 'Daisy' is my favourite, holy grail perfume and has been for a pretty long time now. However, when my last bottle ran out not too long ago, I decided it was finally time to branch out and try something new - and in the end, I picked up this one. And so far, so good - I really like it! It's kind of similar to 'Daisy' with that same kind of floral and slightly-sweet, vanilla undertone; but it's just a little deeper, richer and more musky and 'sexy', if you get what I mean. I find I can spritz it on just once, in a few areas over the body and it really does last and last all day/night long too.

REVOLUTION HYDRATE PRIMER - Moving onto Makeup - and starting off with my Base - I have been loving this new primer. Having dry skin and a love for a glowy complexion, I am all about a good, hydrating primer - and that's exactly what this one delivers on! It's a super thin, almost watery consistency and you really do not need much - a little goes a long way! It applies very easily and sinks into the skin pretty quickly and almost straight away, my skin is left feeling and looking much softer, smoother and radiant too. My makeup applies over the top effortlessly and I'm left with a really lovely, glowy, well-moisturised finish to my skin - so I definitely know this primer does what it says on the tin! Not only that though, my makeup lasts impeccably throughout the day/night too - which for me, is probably the most important thing when it comes to a good face primer. I think I've found a new favourite!

REVOLUTION BAKE AND BLOT PRESSED POWDER IN 'TRANSLUCENT' - Another new favourite base product that I've found this month is a new pressed powder, again from Revolution. They finally added a range of pressed powders (plus more loose ones) to their line-up and though I do enjoy the loose version, I've got others that I think I slightly prefer - whilst this pressed variation has quickly become my new favourite. Not only is the packaging super-pretty, the product inside is awesome too. This powder is so finely-milled, really lightweight and almost invisible on the skin - yet does the job at the same time. It mattifies and takes away any excess shine, without leaving my skin looking 'too matte' (if you get what I mean) and also doesn't ever make my skin look or feel cakey or heavy in any way too. Like I said, it's basically undetectable on the skin! Also, once you apply this, it really does fully set and lock your makeup into place, all day or night long...

OBSESSION 'MEGA LIGHTENING' HIGHLIGHTER - We all know I love a good highlighter - and this one's awesome! I decided to try it out after hearing so many good things about some other shades in the range, so I thought I'd pick up a colour perfect for my personal preference and skin-tone and so far, I love it. The marbled white-gold is just ideal for my paler complexion and the formula's great too! It's so, so pigmented and delivers on such a gorgeous, super-blinding glow, even with just the smallest amount of product on your brush. If you do prefer a slightly more 'subtle' sheen, you can easily control it simply by using a lighter hand, but we all know I love to glow so I love building this beauty up to its full, gleaming potential and the finish is stunning! So smooth and wet-like on the skin, with no chunky glitter or shimmer to be seen. For such an affordable highlighter, you really can't go wrong.

MAYBELLINE CITY BRONZER IN '250 MEDIUM WARM' - The last face product that's become a new go-to of mine throughout February - this 'bronzer' from Maybelline! I say 'bronzer' as actually, I've kinda been using this one more as a contour than a bronzer this month. Just as the name suggests, this product can be used as either a bronzer or contour shade, I guess depending on your personal preferences and skin-tone, but for me, I've actually found this works especially well as a contour colour! I gave it a go as a bronzer the first time using it and enjoyed doing so, but the next time I thought I'd give it a go for sculpting - and have been doing so ever since. As a bronzer I personally found this one was just a little too cool-toned for me. Whilst I never want that Oompa Loompa-type look (I mean, who does?), I do like a touch more warmth in a bronzer, and this one just didn't have that for me. However, because of that, what I do find it to work well as, is a contour.

REVOLUTION CUT CREASE CANVAS IN 'ILLUSTRATE' - Eyes-wise, I've been really enjoying this product lately. I love a good cut-crease - whether it be a full one, half, halo eye or whatever else - I really like incorporating the technique into a lot of my eye looks. I normally use my usual concealer (Revolution's Conceal and Define) for this, but when I spotted they were releasing this product - I was instantly intrigued. Seeing as I love their concealer so much for cutting the crease, surely I would love an eye base especially formulated for exactly that just as much, if not more so? Well, the answer is - I do! This is just as full coverage, but just that little bit thinner in texture - allowing for complete control of application and an even quicker dry-down time too. You also don't necessarily have to set this base into place with powder before applying shadow over top. Basically, this stuff has all the good points of an ordinary concealer when it comes to cutting your crease, with a few added extra bonuses thrown in for good measure - what's not to love?

REVOLUTION RELOADED EYESHADOW PALETTES IN 'PROVOCATIVE' AND 'MARVELLOUS MATTES' - Surprise, surprise - I have a few new favourite eyeshadow palettes! Two being really super-duper affordable - these newbies from Revolution, once again. Their Reloaded Range isn't anything new, but these two new colourways definitely are and so far, I love them. They're such amazing quality, but yet they're only £4 each. Yes, that's right, four pounds! The shadows inside are so highly-pigmented, blend like a dream and last all day long, with no creasing or fading in sight. Not only that, these colour schemes in particular are just gorgeous. The former, 'Provocative', is a stunning berry-toned mix of shimmers and mattes; whilst 'Marvellous Mattes' is an all matte affair (as the name suggests) and contains basically every colour under the rainbow - great for colourful looks. I've used both a lot this month and love both equally - I can't wait to use them even more!

LOTTIE LONDON X THUYLE 'LIVING MY BEST LIFE' EYESHADOW PALETTE - Another palette I've become a bit obsessed with in February is this offering from Lottie London. After hearing so many amazing things about this, I picked this up towards the end of last year and this month, finally got round to giving it a go. And I kinda haven't looked back. This is again, really pretty cheap. It's under a tenner for 14 shades and I actually managed to pick it up when it was reduced too - bargain! But, not only that, the quality is so, so good. The shadows are again, so well-pigmented, easy to blend and stand the test of time longevity-wise and I really love the colour selection your get in here aswell. You've got an all-matte row underneath, full of neutral browns and mauves, a cream and a black and then, up top, you've got all of your shimmers. And here, not only do you have your more 'neutral' golds and pinks, you've also got a deep green, turquoise and a royal blue! So, you've got the option to keep it neutral with this palette, or go more colourful and 'out there' - and I really love that. It makes it such a versatile palette and the amount of looks you can create with it are virtually endless. Definitely grab it if you haven't already!

LOTTIE LONDON EYE FOILS (NEW SHADES!) - Another great eye product from Lottie London I've been loving this month are brand new colours of their Eye Foils. If you've been round here before, you'll probably know I adore them already. I have basically every shade, use them a lot and love them. They're like 'eyeshadow toppers', so you apply them over the top of your shadow as a finishing touch and they work like a dream. Whether you apply them on the lid, inner corner or use a smaller brush to add a little somethin' somethin' in the crease or at the lash-line - they're awesome. I mean, that's only a few of the ways you can use them. So, when they launched new colours - I knew I had to pick them up. And so far, I'm really enjoying them, as I thought (and hoped) I would. I had a feeling I'd love them just as much as I have done before and thankfully, I do. Just as awesome formula, just as stunning shades! I can't wait to get to using these even more in my eye looks!

MAYBELLINE SNAPSCARA MASCARA - Now, this is kinda something I wasn't expecting to put in this post when I first tried it, but has kind of turned out to be a bit of a surprise for me. At first, I liked this mascara, but I wasn't really massively taken by it. It definitely wasn't the worst mascara I've used, but at the same time it wasn't one of my favourites, but over time, I've kind of come to love it. I think the more this mascara has dried out, the better it's become. At first, it gave a lot of length, but not much volume or thickness. However, over time, as the formula's thickened up a little, it just seems to do so much more for my lashes. It really beefs them up thickness-wise and adds a lot more volume, whilst still giving that same long length and separating them out nicely too. It still has never clumped my lashes up either, so I definitely agree with that claim this mascara makes, but I definitely prefer it now it's been used a few times. So, if you find the same issue with this mascara when you've first bought it - just wait it out and keep using it. It'll be worth it...

I HEART REVOLUTION CHOCOLATE LIP GLOSS IN 'SALTED CARAMEL' - Then, we come to the Lips - and I have one major new love for that category. As I've mentioned a few times, lately I've been getting much more into glosses. I'm still definitely a matte lip gal (specifically matte liquid lips), but I certainly have come to appreciate a good gloss every now and again and so, I was in the market for trying some more. I still stand by the fact that if I do go glossy, I like to keep it nude, so it was a good nude gloss I was after - and I think I've found it. I always had my eye on this shade when this range of glosses launched a few months ago, so naturally it was the first one that came to mind when wanting to expand my nude gloss collection and I'm pretty pleased it did. This is my perfect nude lip gloss shade. A pinky-beige, browney-nude that's not too light, nor too deep. It's like my perfect 'MLBB'! Also, if that wasn't enough - the scent is just delicious. Like, actually good enough to eat. It actually smells just like Salted Caramel! Mmhmmm....

COLLECTION PRIMED AND READY DEWY FINISH SETTING SPRAY - Then, last, but definitely not least, we have this setting spray! We all know that Urban Decay's All Nighter will always be my go-to, but I still enjoy trying different (usually more affordable) setting sprays every now and again and this one caught my attention. I really enjoyed the original version of this setting spray from Collection and so, I knew I had to give this 'Dewy' variation a try when they launched it recently - having dry skin and a love for a dewy finish. And so far, I'm liking it! The mist on this is so super-fine (which can be a little hard to find with more affordable setting sprays) and the product itself inside is pretty nice too. I don't think this does so much in terms of 'actual' hydration, but it definitely does make your skin and makeup look more dewy and glowy in appearance. It immediately settles any 'powdery' appearance, melts everything together nicely and of course - most importantly - makes my makeup last all day/night long too. What's not to love?

So there we have it - everything, beauty-wise that I discovered and came to love throughout the month of February! Mainly makeup, with one awesome new fragrance - but all great products that I'd highly recommend giving a go if you haven't already...