Monday, December 19, 2016

Skincare, Beauty & Home: My Latest Obsessions


Unlike last year when I wrote about My 2015 Beauty Favourites in December, I thought this year I'd talk about my actual December favourites instead. I'm not one for usually writing about my monthly favourites, mostly because gone is the day I actually tried new products every month. Through trial and error, I'd like to think I've found products that really work for my skin and I am happy with how they perform. Which is why, I've only included a few beauty bits but also have other non-beauty related items. Some were great finds I simply had to share with you all, so I hope you enjoy reading this!

I first came across Zara fragrances whilst shopping at Zara in Portugal where I picked up one of them cute roll-on perfumes (perfect for handbags) so when my usual perfume ran out and payday was still miles away, I knew exactly where to go. And because I couldn't just choose one new smell I opted for two of their fragrances, both of which I've been wearing daily ever since! Zara Oriental Eau De Toilette (£7.99) is composed of bergamot, jasmine, patchouli and caramel notes (according to the Zara website because let's be honest, I have no idea about any of these) and I find it to be my perfect night out scent. My daytime scent choice is the Zara Fruity Eau De Toilette (£7.99) and I love how sweet and floral yet non-sickening it is, thanks to its vanilla, rose, grapefruit and tangerine notes. Despite these being eau de toilette, they are surprisingly long lasting on. Hence, if you have not yet tried Zara fragrances, definitely go check out their rather huge range, and if not for yourself, these would make up for a great yet affordable Christmas present for someone in your life. 

Let's now talk about candles and how obsessed I've become with them. Is there anything better than having a cosy night in, under the covers with a nice candle burning in the background? I think not. And whilst I do love the occasional Yankee Candle, those are not exactly cheap so a Primark candle instantly becomes the affordable alternative. The Stay Sweet Strawberry Peach Jar Candle (£3) is as yummy as it sounds and I love its cute design (cat lady alert). Must go back to pick a few more!


Moving on to the beauty bits, I have to talk about the Burt's Bees Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter* (£4) which has been my saviour this winter! Unfortunately I am one of those who really suffer with dry lips in the cold season, so I am always on the hunt for a moisturising lip balm to put my lips back in shape. This mango lip balm not only tastes and smells amazing; it leaves my lips feeling super soft, smooth and perfectly hydrated

Speaking of lips, if I had to choose one lipstick this month the crown would definitely go to MAC Odyssey (£15.50), a gorgeous spiked-up, berry-wine/ plum shade with a frost finish. This lipstick applies nicely and evenly, and I love its almost metallic finish making it perfectly trendy for this time of year. Odyssey is definitely a staple MAC shade for me; not a too dark shade making it a great choice for someone who doesn't quite want to go ultra-dark but still wants something with more depth.

Speaking of MAC, I had to bring MAC Soft & Gentle (£24) back because I've been obsessing once again about this highlighter. Described as a luxurious velvet-soft powder with high-frost metallic finish, this warm beige shade is ideal for my skin tone. Every time I use it I fall in love with it a little more and I'll go as far to say this is my all-time favourite highlighter, so definitely one for you to try if you haven't yet.


And finally, I had to talk about my experience with the PMD Personal Microderm* (£135) as this handy little gadget has recently made wonders to my skin! This is one tool I've been very excited to try ever since it arrived, given it promises to deliver the same anti-ageing and skin purifying results as microdermabrasion treatments offered in medical spas and salons, but at a fraction of the price.


How does it work, I hear you asking. PMD Personal Microderm uses the same aluminium oxide crystals as found in professional machines, which make up a flat, coarse disc that has a deeply exfoliating effect on the skin. After carefully reviewing all the info and tips on how to use the device in the included DVD, I was ready to be wowed. My biggest skin concerns are uneven pigmentation in certain parts of my face, blemishes and fine lines on my forehead, all of which this device promises to help with, and let me tell you it failed to disappoint. With continued use I am sure I will see an even better improvement with pigmentation and reduction of those pesky lines, but what I can already report on after 1 ½ months of weekly use is diminished clogged pores and brighter and smoother looking skin. I am particularly impressed with how efficiently the vacuum action of the device removes the dead skin, releasing trapped dirt and oil to reveal a much more glowing looking skin

Yes, its price tag may seem excessive at first but think of how much each session of microdermabrasion in a salon would cost you (I did my research; approximately £50 for 45 minutes!), making it actually very reasonably priced. I honestly cannot think of anyone (women and men included) who wouldn't love having one of these and my mum is already begging me for one given the results I've experienced. It makes for a great luxury Christmas present for your loved one and it can be purchased from Harrods, www.lookfantastic.com and www.currentbody.com.


What do you think about my favourites? Let me know below what your favourite beauty bits currently are and whether you've tried microdermabrasion! Thanks for reading beauties and happy Monday!

xoxo

* Contains PR Samples. All opinions are my own (disclaimer here).
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28 comments

  1. Great favourites my dear, Zara scents are really nice :-) happy Monday :-)

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  2. Such an amazing list of goodies
    Love Mac lipsticks
    xx
    https://theonethattravels.wordpress.com/
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_zn7IqrAY1I44bRuN6dH-Q

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  3. Such some fantastic products, the pmd looks amazing. I need some skin gadgets for myself. But this one is so costly.
    Such a beautiful outfit! You look so beautiful and stylish. Love your outfit from head to toe.
    http://www.rakhshanda-chamberofbeauty.com/

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  4. Eu amo os perfumes da Zara! Têm cheirinhos maravilhosos e os preços são super amigáveis :)
    Kiss, Mariana Dezolt
    Messy Hair, Don’t Care

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  5. Love this post! I tried a Zara Perfume Roll-on at the beginning of the year and I absolutely love it! I find the scent lasts longer than many of my other, more expensive perfumes. The personal microderm looks amazing, I would definitely love to try it! Thanks for sharing.


    xxxx from Emily // www.diamondsanddachshunds.weebly.com

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  6. Oow the PMD sounds interesting, I'd love to give that a go. Like you say, it's works out at a fraction of the price that it would cost you to regularly go to a spa and have the treatment done, so what a great little device to have at home. :D

    Samio x
    http://www.samio.co.uk/

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  7. Those Zara perfumes sound like they smell so good. I love fragrances and don't mind anything as long as it smells good.

    Mich x
    https://michjosephblog.wordpress.com

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  8. I used solely Burt's Bees lip balms when I was living in Malaysia but I found it to be not moisturizing enough for the cold Canada weather. :-(

    Shireen | Reflection of Sanity

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  9. I love the PMD! I always have some Burts Bees on me too but haven't tried many of the fruity ones!

    Danielle's Beauty Blog

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  10. I have that candle and just adore it to pieces; such a gorgeous scent!

    Lots of love from Mollie xxx | http://wwwtheperksofmolliequirk.blogspot.com

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  11. cute post :)


    http://donnaoctober.blogspot.mk/
    https://www.instagram.com/donnaoctober/

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  12. Looks like you have a lot of goodies here! I have yet to try any Zara perfumes, so that sounds pretty interesting. :]

    // ▲ itsCarmen.com ▲

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  13. I love the Zara perfums, they smell sooo good!

    x Caroline
    www.silverstories.dk

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ótimos produtos amei a cor do batom,
    tenha uma semana abençoada, obrigado pela visita.
    Blog:https://arrasandonobatomvermelho.blogspot.com.br/
    Canal:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmO8csZDARM

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  15. Loving these picks, the Zara Oriental fragrance sounds divine! Will definitely check that out, I love Burt's Bees lip balms. Best I have ever tried, want to try out some of their tinted ones I think and see how they compare, Odyssey is such a stunning winter shade. I am surprised this is the first time I have heard of it. Gorgeous post and beauty roundup, thanks for sharing x

    ALittleKiran | Bloglovin

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  16. That MAC lipstick ♥
    http://www.style2beauty.com/

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  17. now that's something I wanna try so badly....the PMD I mean...
    great beauty picks
    kisses
    http://www.theitalianglam.com/

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  18. Loved the post, dear Pam, and the Zara perfumes - everything that says Oriental, that is for me too! I love patchouli and so I would love to try that perfume! Will go to Zara soon :) I also love fruity perfumes and grapefruit scent. So the fruity Zara perfume seems to be long lasting and that's something I struggle - it's difficult that a perfume stays long on me, but I'll keep on trying to find one :) As for the PMD device, wow! It seems to be great! Actually my sister-in-law went to a clinic and she reported it was 150 pounds for a 20 min session!!! Depends on the clinic, I guess. So I will recommend this device to her! Thanks for sharing it! Hope you have a great Christmas, dear Pam, with family and fiance - and next year I will write husband! Hugs and regards!
    DenisesPlanet.com

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  19. Beautiful favorites, Pam. I share your love for Yankee candles, my all-time-favorite scent is the salted caramel, just divine!
    xox
    Lenya
    FashionDreams&Lifestyle

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  20. Great picks as usual, dear Pam!The affordable candles seem so cozy and lovely! Your beauty section is always interesting, I tend to love of ll of your picks! And thanks for introducing us to PMD, I haven't heard about it but I'm really intrigued now :) It would make an awesome Christmas gift ;)
    xx

    www.stylebydeb.com

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  21. V interesting with that pmd... I got a scar from this one pimple and it's so annoying! Wish I could try that to see if it will go away faster lol.

    Samantha Series

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  22. I've been meaning to try microdermabrasion so that sounds very interesting! Love the look of the Zara fragrances too!
    Have a lovely day :)
    Rosanna x
    Rose's Rooftop

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  23. I've been wanting to try that highlighter for a while now :) It looks so special!


    www.adaydreamortwo.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

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