December Favourites.

I was going to skip this favourites post and opt for a favourites of 2010 but I think I'd just be repeating myself too much. I'm pretty sure at least 99% of the products featured in one of my monthly favourites would make it into my favourites of the year and I just can't bear to skip the last monthly favourites of 2010 because it's the only series of posts I've successfully kept up with!

Firstly seeing my favourite perfume pop up here probably isn't a surprise because I got a brand new bottle for Christmas. I won't say too much because this beauty has it's own blog post but I just adore this scent.

Another product that won't be a surprise is Big Fake mascara from Collection 2000. I love what this does to my lashes in just one coat and at under £5 I think it's a complete bargain. Again, I'm not going into too much detail because I have a separate review already but I really think this is a great buy!

Pink Pout lipstick by Revlon has been sitting in my lipstick draw unloved for far too long and I don't know why because it's a beautiful colour! On my lips it's a pretty and very wearable pink with very slight purple undertones & I love it. It's not overly matte on my lips and isn't drying at all which is a definite bonus.

My nails aren't in very good condition at the moment but I couldn't resist these two pretty polishes when I saw them on the ELF website, plus for only £1.50 each it's hard to go wrong! I've been wearing them both layered over each other and it gives the prettiest glittery nails I've ever seen. They're also so easy to remove so you won't be there for ages trying to remove all traces of glitter which is never a fun experience! I also, being the massive loser I am, love the way they look in the bottle. They're just super pretty!

Another rediscovery this month has been the cream blush in glow from NYX. The formula may be quite thick but it's still really easy to blend and the smallest amount goes a long way. This colour gives a pretty natural flush of colour to the cheeks effortlessly. I can't believe I'd forgotten about this for so long & I don't even have that much make up!

Finally my last favourite is another blush I hadn't been reaching for in a while despite the fact it's absolutely gorgeous! Tweak powder blush from Illamasqua looks incredibly scary in the pan especially for someone as pale as me, but honestly the smallest amount gives a beautiful bright pink flush and I absolutely love it.

What were your favourites for the month of December?
xoxo

My Signature Scent.

The gift I was most excited about opening on Christmas morning is something I receive every year from my beautiful mum, a 50ml bottle of Eternity perfume by Calvin Klein. It's become almost a Christmas tradition and I love it because Eternity has been my favourite scent since I was about 14. I'd never been without a bottle until this year when I ran out quite a few months ago; I have other perfumes I like, but I certainly don't love them as much. There's something about this scent and my body chemistry that just works & whenever I wear it at least one person asks me what scent I have on.

The element I like most about this perfume is that it's very fresh, feminine & floral based without being too overpowering. When it comes to describing scents further than the absolute basics I'm the first to admit that it's not my forte at all. Thankfully Google has provided me with those snippets of information I need to know! Eternity was inspired by the ideas of intimacy, romance & lasting love and blends fresh notes of white lily, white florals, marigold and mandarin with slightly heavier notes of amber and sandalwood. I'm a total sucker for marketing spiel like that but I can see how they've taken that initial idea and developed a scent that reflects it perfectly. I don't know, I just think it's adorable!

To me Eternity is a very simple and classic perfume, from the packaging to how the scent develops on the skin throughout the day. I wear this all the time and I don't think there is an occasion it's not appropriate for. It seems to work as an every day scent as well as it does for special occasions. If they ever stop making this I think I might have to cry and I never want to be without a bottle ever again.

Do you have a signature scent? What are your absolute favourite perfumes?
xoxo

Merry Christmas!

The holiday season seems to be just flying past this year, I can't believe it's Christmas Eve already and I'd just like to quickly wish you all a very Merry Christmas! I hope the snow hasn't stopped you from traveling to where you want to be & that you're able to spend Christmas with your loved ones. I know we're not all lucky enough to be able to spend time with everyone we'd like to, but I'm sure it's pretty safe to say that they'll never be far from your thoughts and I'm certain they'll be thinking of you too! Phone & skype calls are a regular occurrence on Christmas Day in my house & they really do mean the world! ♥

I'll be spending my time watching all the rubbish films and programmes they show each Christmas on the television, wearing those silly paper hats from crackers & munching my way through my body weight in yummy food, after all, my self-imposed healthy eating plan doesn't start until the New Year!! My mum and are I SO not traditional in any way so for Christmas dinner this year we'll be having cauliflower cheese followed by chocolate, chocolate, chocolate aaaaand yep, more chocolate! Are you more traditional than us? What are you going to be having for your Christmas dinner?

Merry Christmas everyone, have a fabulous day whatever you do! Thank you so much for being there throughout this year & I hope you all enjoy the last few days of 2010!
xoxo

Review: Collection 2000 Big Fake Mascara.

I was initially introduced to Big Fake mascara from Collection 2000 through blogger and YouTube and was intrigued by all the positive reviews and even some comparisons to Benefit Bad Gal Lash. I personally am a lover of Bad Gal Lash but at £15.50 it's a bit pricey for me. Retailing at £4.99, Big Fake is far more purse friendly!

Like Bad Gal Lash this has a huge wand that can be hard to control at times, so if this kind of wand isn't your cup of tea then I'd definitely stay away from Big Fake. A little bit of time is needed to ensure you don't completely ruin a beautiful eyeshadow look with slap-dash mascara application. While it may not be able to grab the tiniest of lashes, I love this mascara so much I'm willing to overlook that. I just quickly grab a mascara with a smaller wand to coat those baby lashes!

Big Fake makes some big claims on the tube and I must admit I wasn't expecting it to fulfill them at all. There's something about a budget-friendly product that always makes me a bit skeptical. While it may not quite double my lash size, it does a pretty impressive job of opening my eyes and making me look like I actually do have eyelashes! Please excuse my horrendous dark circles in the pictures below, I am concealer-less in them, but you can see how much good just one coat of mascara has done for my lashes.

The first time I wore this I was about to say goodbye to my boyfriend and jump on a train, so I was a little bit emotional to say the least, but this mascara didn't let me down. It stayed put perfectly with absolutely no running or smudging at all which makes it a winner in my book!

Have you tried Big Fake from Collection 2000? What's your absolute favourite mascara?
xoxo

Sunday Snapshot 009.

001. Photobooth never ever gets old! I particularly love the top picture where I look an awful lot like a camel! There's something about Christmas that makes me miss my boy even more than usual. Maybe it's because the holidays are a time to spend with your family, and he is a big part of my family despite being so far away. Hopefully this will be our last Christmas apart & we have many more in the future to enjoy! ♥
002. I just walked home from work and it's snowing SO much, I was literally completely white when I walked in the door. Walking to the bus stop wasn't fun at all this morning, picture ridiculous arm waving in an attempt to stay standing! My attempts failed, I fell over and then I did what any other mature 21 year old would do, I cried and rang my mum. Snow I like, ice I definitely don't!
003. I have a very soppy greyhound asleep on my lap right now. It would be cute if she wasn't so heavy. She's warm though so that's a bonus!
004. I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday. I cannot believe it's Christmas next weekend, where has the year gone? 

xoxo
P.S. My Accessorize giveaway is still open, here.

Share The Love/Follow Friday 003.

It’s been a while since my last share the love post and hopefully they may start getting a little more frequent. I have a super long list of ladies I’d like to mention and here are just a few of them. As always I’ve pinched one of their lovely photographs to use, if you’d like me to change them I’m more than willing to do so!

Jennie is absolutely gorgeous and her blog, Jennie Masters, is nothing short of lovely! For such a new blog, she has already managed to put so much of her personality into it with her beautiful outfit posts, lusts lists and little snippets of what’s going on in her daily life. She’s also the sweetest girl so I’m pretty sure you’ll love her as much as I do and I'd love you to go and support her blog!

I’m sure you already know about Michelle, she is such a doll and her blog, daisybutter, is a really beautiful read. Focused mainly on fashion she regularly does outfits of the day & lust lists as well as more personal posts like her week in photos that are among my absolute favourite posts to read. Honestly, you can’t not love Michelle! She’s such a sweetie who will always reply to your comments & she's lovely to talk to!

Again, I’m almost positive you all know Anna from her Youtube Channel The Style Diet and are already following her blog, AnnaSaccone, but I wanted to mention her just in case you aren’t. Anna’s was one of the very first channels I found and it’s still one of my absolute favourites. I’m sure you all have those people you’re subscribed to that you really look forward to seeing a new video from, and Anna is one of those people for me. I also had a total fangirl moment when I saw she had recently included me on her blogroll! With posts from fashion & make up to her daily life and her little puppy Albi, her blog is so lovely & I’m sure you’ll love it to!

Cami from Cami Loves Kiwi is just gorgeous & I absolutely adore both her blog and her YouTube channel. She writes so wonderfully and as a result all of her reviews are amazing; everything you need to know about a product will be included and explained which I personally find so helpful! She also has lots of beautiful face of the day posts, tutorials and I absolutely love love love watching her haul videos.

Claire from French For Cupcake is stunning, she has such amazing style and must have such an incredible wardrobe, I'm super jealous! Her outfits of the day are my absolute favorite posts to read from her but her blog is so much more than just fashion. There is so much of her personality in there with photographs of her everyday life, posts about films and her incredible baking skills! Honestly, if you're not already following Claire then you're definitely missing out!

Last but definitely not least, I'd like to mention the beautiful Sarah from S.B.V. She has an amazing collection of dresses that I'm definitely envious of and I always absolutely love seeing a new outfit post from her. Again she includes updates of what's going on in her life & she writes so beautifully you feel like you're really getting to know her as you read her posts. Sarah also has her own etsy shop where she sells beautiful jewellery which she designs and makes herself that I'm sure you'll adore!

I hope you love these ladies as much as I do and if you have any favourite blogs I'd love it if you left a link in the comments for me to check out!
xoxo

Current favourite concealers.

As well as wanting to share my current favourite concealers with you I'd also like you to point me in the direction of your favourites. I'm becoming increasingly unhappy with the products I use as my base so I'm currently on the lookout for a new foundation and concealer. My skin tone is very uneven, I have super dark under eye circles and quite a bit of redness, so if you know of any concealers you think offer really great coverage & come in very pale colours I'd love to know what they are.

Benefit concealers are by far my favourites of the few brands I've tried in the past. I agree that they're pricey and would be far better value if they were a couple of pounds cheaper as I'd say that's what they're worth. However I'm a creature of habit and once I find something that works quite well for me, I'll stick with it.

Boi-ing is the concealer I currently use on any redness, scarring and blemishes. I wouldn't say it's the best for blemishes because it's quite thick and can very easily draw more attention to the area you're trying to cover, however it does a great job of covering any other discolouration. I apply this with my fingers as it really does need that extra warmth a brush can't give to soften the product so it blends into the skin. At £16.50 it's on the more expensive side and while I'd be happy to pay that and more for a product I was completely happy with, there's something about boi-ing that isn't quite perfect for me. Don't get me wrong, it's good, I just don't think it's amazing.

Erase Paste by Benefit on the other hand, I wouldn't be without. On it's own it's not enough to cover my dark circles because they're awful, but over another concealer it works wonders at really brightening my under eye area, especially the inner corners. The pot looks ridiculously tiny but you really really don't need to use a lot of product to see the results. I use this every single day, I've had this pot for at least a year and there is still so much left. It comes with a tiny spatula to scoop the concealer out with but unless you have really long nails I'd say bin it because it scoops out way more product that you need. This retails for £18.50 and I must admit when mine runs out I will have a mild heart attack handing over that sort of money for a tiny pink pot, but in my opinion it's worth it.

My final current favourite is the Under Eye Concealer from the Eyes Lips Face studio line and I reach for this on days where I don't want to wear a lot of make up. For £3.50 it does a really decent job of covering my dark circles, it's not perfect but I didn't expect that. The lightest shade is a perfect match for my pale complexion and you also get a decent amount of product for your money. It blends really easily and I find I can use it on blemishes as well as under my eyes which I definitely wouldn't do with Erase Paste.

I use the lightest shade in all three concealers and they're a good match for my skin tone. You can see by the swatch how brightening the Erase Paste is and it really does work wonders on the inner corners of your eye to give the illusion of being well rested even if you're not!

What are your favourite concealers? I'd really love to know which ones are popular and which ones you think are really worth the money!
xoxo

[Now Closed!] Happy Holidays Giveaway.

The holiday spirit has well and truly set in now so I thought it was the perfect time to hold a mini giveaway as both a happy holidays kind of thing and a huge thank you for all the support you’ve given me over the year! I honestly, from the bottom of my heart, really do appreciate every single one of you and the kind words you’ve given me.


There are going to be 3 winners and each winner will receive one necklace, bought by myself, from Accessorize. I realise Accessorize is a really popular shop for pretty jewellery and some of you may already have one or more of these necklaces so I’m going to do names in a hat for each necklace separately so you won’t end up with a necklace you either don’t like or already own.

In your comment I’d like you to state which necklace(s) you would like the opportunity of winning, you don’t have to pick just one because I will have separate draws for each one.

Cameo Necklace...

Clock Necklace...

Teacup Necklace...

Rules!

• To enter simply leave a comment on this post stating which necklace or necklaces you would like the opportunity of winning (cameo, teacup, clock). If this isn't clear I have included a few example entries below.
• Don't forget to include a contact email address!
• Please enter only once! To gain a second entry simply tweet @sailorjennie is having a mini holiday giveaway! http://www.sailorjennie.com/2010/12/happy-holidays-giveaway.html xo or do a post on your blog/pop a link in your blogs sidebar. You must leave a link to your tweet or blog post in your comment so I can include your extra entry.
• If you don't include the above information your entry won't be counted.
• You absolutely MUST be a follower of my blog & I will be checking this!
• If you're under 18 you must have your parent of guardian's permission because I'll need your postal address to send you your prize & I don't want to get into trouble with your parents! 
• Anyone can enter as long as you're a follower - open internationally! 
• Each winner will have one week to get in contact with me otherwise I will pick another winner.

Example entry comments.

1. “I would love the chance of winning the clock and the cameo necklaces. sailorjennie[at]googlemail[dot]com. I have also tweeted about your giveaway (link to tweet/blog post here)"
2. “I would like the opportunity of winning all of the necklaces. sailorjennie[at[googlemail[dot]com.”

In an attempt to avoid the mad Christmas post rush (and run the risk of items getting lost/delayed) this giveaway will close in the New Year on January 2nd 2011. So you have three weeks to enter. I will stop accepting entries at 11:59 GMT on Sunday 2nd January 2011. Once I have all the entries for each necklace I will put all the names in three hats and pick one winner from each.

Please make sure you’ve read the rules & good luck!
xoxo

November Favourites.

Phew, it’s finally December! Although individually each month seems to have flown by, all in all it has felt like a very long year! Lets just say I’m determined to make 2011 a better year in every way possible. I need a fresh start. It wasn’t difficult at all to pick out my favourite products of November so I shall stop waffling about nothing & begin waffling about pretty things!

November was the month I changed my pink ombre to violet ombre and loved it! Again I went with a dye from the brand Directions and the colour is simply called violet. I think it's a beautiful colour, I much prefer it to the pink & I think it suits me a lot more.

A few months ago I dropped my bottle of Lola perfume, the little spray nozzle flew off and I couldn’t find it for ages. My room got too messy to cope with, I had a huge tidy up and finally found the missing piece of the bottle! Lola is one of my absolute favourite perfumes and I’ve fallen in love with it all over again!

Superstar shampoo and conditioner by Bed Head have become my all time favourite hair products. Do they give me thick massive hair, no not really and to be honest, I didn’t expect them to. They have however definitely helped to keep my hair in much better condition and it’s so manageable now. I love the packaging and the product smells so so good. I really love these and they're such good value for money if you find a good online deal!

The cold weather has prompted me to reach for more moisturising lip products and one I’ve been using a lot is Vintage Pink from Rimmel’s moisture renew line of lipsticks. It’s quite a dark purpley-pink colour, which I don’t usually go for, but I really like this one and I feel it suits my pale complexion.

Rooting through my blush drawer I came across an old favourite that hasn’t been shown much love in recent weeks so I dug it out and remembered just why I love it so much. This is the Paris Show blush from the brand Modelista and it leaves the prettiest pink flush on the cheek with just the right amount of shimmer. It’s beautiful, so if you can get your hands on Modelista & this is still available, I’d say it’s a good purchase!

Another blush I’ve shown a lot of love over the past month is Hippy Shake from Dainty Doll. This is so unusual and leaves the most beautiful lavender toned sheen on my cheeks. I’ve been using this over a variety of pink toned blushers and it just adds something extra to my make up while still being very subtle. It’s just gorgeous, really gorgeous!

Neal’s Yard Chamomile Cleanser has popped up in quite a few of my favourites posts and I still absolutely adore it. It removes all traces of make up, even waterproof mascara, without irritating my sensitive skin in any way. It has a lovely subtle & fresh scent and it feels so luxurious as you’re using it. If I could recommend only one Neal’s Yard product, it would be this one. It’s just lovely!

Finally I couldn’t not include this in my favourites because I have used it so many times in the short space of time I’ve had it and that’s quite impressive considering I’m not really an eyeshadow person. There’s not a lot I can say about the Naked Palette that hasn’t already been said, it’s such a lovely palette and you can create so many different looks with it. It’s quite pricey I agree, but I don’t feel the need to purchase any other neutral shadows now, I have everything right here.

What were your November favourites? Have you tried any of these products?
xoxo

What's in my travel make up bag?

I'm a serial over-packer & it was getting to a stage where it was just becoming ridiculous. I used to be that person who took a suitcase crammed full of stuff just for a few days away but I'm determined to not be that person anymore!

Base wise I think I keep it very simple. I do love my healthy mix foundation but I am on the lookout for something different. If any of you have tried Illamasqua's light liquid foundation please let me know, I think that might be my next foundation purchase. Benefit concealers are my current favourites and I always like to set my make up with a light dusting of translucent powder.

Considering blush is my absolute make up love, I think I've done well narrowing it down to just three to take away with me. Hippy Shake from Dainty Doll looks beautiful lightly dusted over any pink blush, Illamasqua Promise cream blush is still my absolute favourite & The Body Shop cool dusk trio is just too pretty not to love!

Having used my Urban Decay Naked Palette every single day over the past couple of weeks I'm really enjoying just doing a simple eye liner look at the moment. It took me a little while to get used to the Eyes Lips Face cream liner but now I absolutely love it but I do have to prime my eyes first to ensure it'll last a decent amount of time. I'm not a huge brow person but I do like to keep them looking as tidy as possible when the rest of my make up is quite simple.

I've kept it super simple with my lip products too. I've stuck to lipsticks that I know won't be at all drying and are just easy to wear, no faffing around here! In all honesty I'll probably be sticking to just lip balms because it's so cold here at the moment.

Eyes Lips Face brushes are among my favourites because they're such good quality and so inexpensive. I've decided to bring 2 powder brushes; one for foundation & one for blush, a complexion brush for loose powder and a small angled brush for cream eyeliner.

I think I kept it pretty basic and I wouldn't say I went too overboard! What do you think? What would you take on a short trip away?
xoxo

Sunday Snapshot 008.

001. I cannot believe it actually snowed here this week. I was probably about 5 the last time it snowed this much! I sort of got my very own snow day too, which made me smile lots! We all love unexpected days off work!

002. Today I have to go to work for 3 hours, it would seem a little pointless but it gives me an excuse to have a quick look around a few shops after so it’s okay. I’m hoping Primark have some weekend type bags in because I really don’t want to have to take a proper suitcase on the train with me on Monday. I know accessorize have some lovely ones in at the moment but they’re so pricey!

003. I can’t believe I’m at 730 followers, I’m astounded and so happy! So as a little thank you I’m going to pick up a few pretty things for a mini Christmas giveaway. That post should hopefully be up before the end of the week! What would you lovelies prefer – a few winners to get a couple of little prizes or one winner to get all of the prizes? I’m not sure, but I think I’m leaning towards a few winners. That sounds more fun! Either way it’s not going to be a huge giveaway although I really wish I could afford one!

004. I have decided to disable my formspring account indefinitely. I’m pretty sure that it's just more trouble than it’s worth. You should all read Gem’s fabulous post about haters and also read the way Beth fabulously addressed someone’s idiotic ‘question’ directed at her.

005. My house is officially on the market and I’m a little bit sad. This is my childhood home so part of me wants to keep hold of it forever and not let anyone else have it but I know that’s not possible. I think sometimes you have to embrace change even if it’s the last thing you want.

Have a lovely Sunday sweethearts!
xoxo

Eyes Lips Face Loot.

After a bit of a palaver, many trips to my post office & a few emails to ELF customer services I finally received the order I placed over a month ago! I wasn’t very impressed, but to be fair, nothing like that has ever happened with any of my previous orders so I guess it’s just one of those things. I still can't help but feel a little annoyed though!

I use my studio powder brush every single day that I wear make up to put on my foundation and cream blush so I figured that having two would be more practical. This is probably my absolute favourite brush because it applies products so flawlessly and the last thing I want in the mornings is streaky foundation! I also find it quite easy to keep clean, after every use I give it a quick spot clean with my ELF brush cleanser and then once or twice a week I’ll deep clean it properly. I must admit I’m a bit of an obsessive brush cleaner!

I needed a new mascara & I’ve had the waterproof, lengthening and volumising one before and I quite liked it. It’s nothing amazing but I do think it does a great job of lengthening my lashes, which I always need, and it’s only £3.50. It’s perfect for those lazy days when I wear minimal make up.

Lip balms in winter are one of my must needed products! I’ve had the blackberry crème before which I really liked, but my boyfriend absolutely hates, apparently it reminds him of cough medicine. This time I opted for the orange crème which I don’t like as much, but it’s okay. I really like the feeling of these balms on my lips and they’re only £1.50. I just wish I'd got the vanilla one instead! 

After seeing pictures of the new nail polish shades I knew I had to have a couple & I picked out the shades Twinkle & Golden Goddess. They’re both glitter polishes so I know they’re going to be a pain to remove but I’m a sucker for a bit of glitter, especially at Christmas time. I’m not sure how good they’re going to be but I’m excited to use these over my favourite polishes to make them glittery and pretty!

The mineral lipsticks are among my favourite lipsticks of all time. I have three other shades and I think they’re amazing value for money and great quality. This time I picked up the shade Pouty Petal which looks really natural on my lips but makes them look a little prettier. Lovely! For £3.50 that’s a bargain!

Finally, this pretty little palette was the whole reason I made this order in the first place. As soon as I saw pictures I knew I had to have it & for £3.50 I figured I couldn’t really go wrong. I must say, going on first impressions alone, I’m very impressed. All the shadows are quite shimmery which I personally don’t mind and for the most part they’re decently pigmented.

I can’t seem to find these palettes on the website so I’m not sure if you can get them anymore, if you get the opportunity though, I’d say go for it! I also like the packaging; it’s simple and sleek & also comes with a particularly useless looking teeny tiny brush!

Have you tried any of these products before? What do you think of them?
xoxo