Unlike most people sticking themselves on some sort of a spending ban for the month of January, I decided to do pretty much the opposite. I didn't buy myself too much over the festive season and didn't even browse the sales.. but now that 'blue January' is here (still here, longest month ever) I want all the pretty things. So I've been treating myself to a few fashion bits here and there, but also some new beauty buys which is what I'll be talking about today. I do hope to also focus on some more fashion posts with my other purchases but the other half has to be at home so he can take some outfit shots, whilst we then argue about his photography skills *facepalm*. Until then let me tell you a bit more about my beauty buys and give you my first impressions.
First up I've got the much raved about Zoella Beauty range, which to be honest never really appealed to me (I guess I'm not exactly her targeted audience). However when I was in desperate need for a new body scrub and browsing through FeelUnique, I came across her range for a third off the usual price. So I just decided to give it a try for myself and see what all the fuss is about, plus I did like the pretty packaging too. I picked out the Pretty Polished Sugar Scrub, which is the only body scrub in her range, the Soak Opera Bath Soak & Shower Cream along with the Wonder Hand Moisturising Cream.. I believe these are all from her original collection which she released at the very beginning.
The body scrub is actually quite good; it has that really gritty feel to it so when I'm using it I really do feel like I've given my skin a great exfoliation. It also has a really pleasant sweet scent, not at all overpowering like I had anticipated. I've been using the opera shower cream mostly as a shower gel and it does lather up well. It is also recommended to be used as a bath soak which I am yet to try, as I haven't had a bath in the longest time ever. I wouldn't say this is moisturising like it claims to be, but it doesn't strip my skin of moisture either. Again really pleasant scent and a little bit does go a long way, which is great as the bottle will last me some time. Lastly I've got the hand cream which is my favourite of the bunch as I use it all the time, blaming winter for my super dry hands. Firstly I really like the pretty rose gold packaging, Zoella definitely stuck to pleasing bloggers with this one. It has a really lovely scent again and does a great job at nourishing my hands. Overall I was quite surprised with the range because I didn't expect it to like it as much as I do. It hasn't become my holy grail or anything like that but I am happy that I finally gave the products a try.
Next up I've got two new nail polishes from the Essie Gel Couture range. I fell in love with this range last year when I bought the perfect dark red winter shade and the topcoat duo. It's the only nail polish range from the ones I've tried so far that lasts up to a week on me, which is seriously impressive. So of course I knew it wouldn't be too long before I started picking up a few more shades. Here I've got Take Me To Thread - a gorgeous taupe shade from their original collection and Closing Night - a stunning shimmering grey from their latest Ballet Nudes collection. If you're looking for great polishes that actually stay put on your nails then I highly recommend Essie Gel Couture. PS don't forget about the Topcoat from the range... I'm pretty sure that's what helps with longevity, plus it gives extra shine too. Oh and if you're looking to see swatches of these two shades on my nails, head on over to my Instagram.
Lastly I finally got my hands on some new beautyblenders, it's actually been ridiculously long since I bought my last one... but to be honest it lasted quite well (over a year) considering it's pretty much the only thing I use to apply foundation or concealer, even powder too. I was worried that after a year I might be dealing with hygiene issues and it was starting to look a bit out of shape, so I treated myself to new ones. This time around I repurchased the black Pro version, since I loved it so much last time around and also opted for the Nude version. I love that even when they been used a couple of times and they could do with a good clean, they still look OK due to their colours. It may seem pricey at first spending £16 on a beautyblender but they last so well and it leaves the most flawless finish on my skin. I literally can't use anything else, no brushes compare for me personally.
So that's it from me and my spendy January update to get me through the longest month ever. Have you tried anything from the above brands.. or maybe you've treated yourself to something else? I'd love to hear your thoughts below.