My name is Isobel and I'm a shopaholic

Yes, it's true. And the fact I'm a poor college student doesn't help my situation in the slightest, so to keep my longing for all things materialistic and beauty related at bay, I've decided to make a list of the items I currently want to buy.

This might give you some ideas and inspirations for things you want, and if you're a shopaholic trying not to spend money like me..well..I'm sorry for tempting you. *Hashtag first world problems*

1. Bobbi Brown Face Blender Brush - Thanks to YouTuber Tanya Burr mentioning this brush in her video, I now have to try it. You can find the video HERE.

2. MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in "Creme cup" - Cremesheen lipsticks by MAC are my favourite and this shade is a beautiful light pink, perfect for a natural everyday look or to accompany bold eye makeup.

3. Elizabeth Arden Fragrance in "Mediterranean" - I remember having a sample of this yonks ago and absolutely fricken loving it so I've decided it's about time I go back and repurchase in a larger bottle...when I have the money of course. Sad face.

4. Doc Martin Shoes in Black - I think these shoes are a fashion staple as they can pretty much be teamed with any casual outfit, are comfy and look really cool.

5. Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara - I don't own a bottom lash mascara and I think it's about time I did as I'm constantly having the struggle of trying to make my bottom lashes not too heavy looking and getting rid of any bits that have smudged below my eyes. I've heard good things about this one.

6. Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream- This cream claims to do a lot of great things and it's been raved about constantly so clearly I need one for myself...

7. MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in "Peach Blossom" - Again, I love MAC cremesheen lipsticks and this is a beautiful peachy, pink colour. Would be a gorgeous everyday wear.

8. NARS Blush in "Orgasm" - Such a cult favourite and I'm a little ashamed I'm so far behind on the band wagon. I'm on the hunt for a new, natural looking blush and this seems to fit the bill perfectly...plus a little shimmer never hurt anybody.

9. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation - This foundation, although very much on the pricey side, has been talked up about massively and would be great for special occasions. It's got such a gorgeous texture and finish from the pictures that I've seen.

10. OPI Brazil Minis Collection - I saw this the other day in the chemist and I now absolutely have to have it. I've been collecting OPI for some time now and to say I have an obsession is an understatement. I love the minis as you can buy more for less and I highly doubt I'll ever get through one of those massive bottles. The colours in this collection are very summery, exotic and predominately opaque. The shade that stands out most for me is "AmazON...AmazOFF"; a deep jungle green colour.

11. Lorac Pro Palette - Once again, this is such a cult favourite that I feel as though my makeup collection isn't complete without it...but then again, will it ever be complete? Probably not.

12. St Tropez Classic Tanning Mouse - I fake tan a lot of the time and from reviews, this seems to be one of the best. A lot of professional salons use St Tropez, as do a lot of my friends and the results look flawless.

13. Clarins Lip Balm Crayon in "Pink Me" - This seems to me like such a staple lip product and one that I would wear a lot. Not only is it a gorgeous, sheer pink colour but it's also moisturising on the lips and the fact that Clarins have now spiced things up a bit from the regular crayon lipsticks, intrigues me.

14. Nars Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base - My current MAC eye primer isn't satisfying me (for reasons I may explain in a review later on) and so I thought I'd give this one ago.

So that's my very long list of things I really want to buy, I hope you enjoyed it. It's relieved me a little of my desire to go and spend more money!!

Have you tried any of these products/items? What things are you hanging out to buy? 

xx

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April Favourites

Hi Guys!

Another month, another favourites. This month has been an interesting one for me as I've spent much of it laying in bed sick. Sad face. I'm better now though and more ready than ever to continue achieving my goals in May!

Here are my most-loved items from April:

1. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water 

I bought this cleansing water about a month ago and it has been an absolute life saver! I'm not a huge fan of using makeup remover wipes because I often have allergic reactions to them and I also think they're quite harmful to the skin, however it is very handy to have an easy way of removing makeup on those nights you're not up to face cleansing (*cough cough* maybe a few too many cocktails?) and this does the job wonderfully. It's very gentle on the skin, has zero odour, removes waterproof makeup and leaves your skin feeling fresh. It literally feels as though I'm wiping my face with water. Cannot recommend this product enough! 

2. The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

I'm actually only half way through this book which makes it sound a little silly that I've added it in my April favourites but I'm very much enjoying it so far and would recommend it to any of you hopeless romantics (which I am). Nicholas Sparks is my all time favourite author, all of his books are romantic, sad and happy at the same time and just wonderfully brilliant. Many of his books have been turned into movies such as The Notebook and A Walk to Remember which I'm sure many of you are already familiar with. 

3. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder 

I have combination/oily skin, which I am often in denial about because it limits me to very few foundations that I like, and this powder is my holy grail product. It honesty does exactly what is says and that is, if you apply this over the stop of foundation/BB cream or even straight on to bare skin you are guaranteed not to look like a grease ball at any time of the day. I am past the days of cashing out on expensive powders that don't set my makeup for very long because this is by far the best powder I have come across and it is at a very reasonable price too. Love! 

4. Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Mascara 

Once you try this mascara you will never go back. So many beauty gurus rave about the it and I know why. It has quite a wet consistency that is very easy to apply with the plastic spoon shaped applicator. This mascara is easy to build up with about 2-3 coats. I find myself not needing/wanting to apply false lashes when I use this mascara because a false lash effect really is achieved...time saver!

5. Neutrogena Oil Free Sensitive Skin Moisturiser

I've actually been using this moisturiser for about 4-5 months now so I thought it was about time I include it in a monthly favourites. I love this moisturiser one, because it's oil-free which is great for my current acne prone skin, two, because I have extremely sensitive skin and it doesn't cause any reactions and three, because it's very light and simple yet effectively hydrates and moisturises my skin. 

6. Australis Go Longwear Semi Matte Lipstick in 'Glam' 

As it is now Autumn in Australia, moving into Winter, I've begun to use darker red lipstick shades a lot more frequently as I think it's the perfect colour for the colder seasons. I'm currently loving the Australis lipstick in the shade 'Glam'; a red lipstick midway between a deep red and a vampy, dark red. It's very easy to apply for a semi-matte lipstick and is not drying on the lips at all which is a must for the colder Winter months when lips have a tendency to become dry and cracked (providing you apply a little lip balm prior to application). As this lipstick is part of the Go Longwear range, it does last for a very long time which is a winner in my books!

7. OPI Nail Polish in the shade 'I'm not really a waitress'

Much like wearing the deep red coloured lipsticks throughout Autumn and Winter, I also think it's the perfect time of year to wear red nail polish. OPI is my all time favourite brand of nail polish and this red shade has been my favourite in the month of April. It has a slight shimmer to it, is an easy application and has fantastic lasting power.

8. Arkadia Vanilla Chai Tea 

Last but certainly not least, it's been all about the vanilla chai lattes for me in the month of April. I actually discovered that many of the cafes I've been ordering chai lattes from use this powder which is sold at the supermarket so I thought, why waste money on a store bought beverage when I can make it at home whenever I please?! With a sweet but slightly spicy (not chilli spices) taste and delicious aroma, this has been the perfect drink to warm me up on those cold and chilly nights.

So those are my favourites from April, what are yours? 

Much love. 

xx

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March Favourites

Crikey, three months in to 2014 already! It seems like yesterday I was just moving in to college, feelings of nerves and excitement everywhere, and now I am completely settled in and have been living here for over a month. Anyway, my first monthly favourites that I posted in February went down quite a treat, so here I have another one; March favourites. I hope you enjoy!

1. French Connection Handbag.

For a decent amount of time I've been searching high and low for a bag that fits my new 15 inch MAC laptop. I also required it to fit notebooks and the extra crap that I normally carry around in my handbag. And of course, I wanted my new handbag to be simple so I could wear it with any outfit, but also stylish. Yes, I know I know, it's a lot to ask for in a bag but I was determined, I knew it had to be out there somewhere! Well, I was right. One week into University and I found my perfect bag, sitting on the pristine clean shelves of French Connection. It does everything I want it to, is simple, stylish and I've had many compliments on it already.

Rrp: $129.95

2. 'Retread' conditioner by Lush.

I've previously written a review HERE.

Rrp: $23.95

3. Bourjois Paris Colour Boost Glossy Finish Lipstick in '04 Peach on the Beach'.

I was actually inspired to buy this product at the beginning of the March from watching one of Zoella's YouTube videos (if you haven't seen them, click HERE). I love this lipstick because it feels as though I'm applying a non-sticky lipgloss, but is actually a very pigmented and creamy/glossy lipstick. The colour payoff is magnificent! I bought the shade 'Peach on the Beach' which is a really lovely light pinky/peachy colour (surprise surprise) and I just love the packaging as it looks like a giant crayon. It also claims to be waterproof (haven't actually tested that yet) and is meant to last for up to 10 hours or more, which is not really true, but it's lasting power is very impressive.

Rrp: $15

4. Benzac AC Acne Gel by Galderma.

Truth be told, my skin has really been suffering this month. I look back to photos of my skin last year and wonder how it can change so quickly. I've never had problem skin in the past, aside from being sensitive, but all of a sudden I've had nasty breakouts everywhere and it's driving me crazy! I decided that enough was enough and picked up a couple of products at Priceline to see if I could get rid of all the breakouts, one of being this amazing acne gel. As I was researching for the best products to cure acne before I went to Priceline, I found that most people said Benzoyl Peroxide is one of the ingredients you should look out for in products, as it is a very effective treatment. This acne gel has 5% Benzac and you simply apply it to the affected areas one to two times a day. Easy and so effective. I'm noticing massive results already.

Rrp: $19.29

5. OPI Nail Polish in 'Congeniality is my middle name'.

A deep purple/plum, slightly shimmery nail polish that is the perfect shade for Autumn, coming into Winter. I do indeed have an obsession with OPI nail polishes and just nail polish all together, and this has been my favourite of the month. I've had many compliments on this one.

Rrp: $19.95 (I bought 2 for $25 in different shades)

6. 'Cosmetic Warrior' Face Mask by Lush.

Holy mackerel, I cannot say enough good things about this face mask. This has to be my all time favourite face mask, not just in the month of March. The reason I love this face mask is because not only is it freshly made and feels very natural on the skin, it also does an amazing job of fighting breakouts (due to the garlic and tea-tree oil), deeply cleansing (due to the kaolin and fresh grapes) and softening (due to the honey and and free-range eggs) the skin using. Also, because this face mask is so fresh that it must be kept in the fridge, my skin instantly appreciates the cooling and calming effects, leaving my face looking visibly fresher and feeling smooth.

Rrp: $16.95

7. Bubblegum Lip Scrub by Lush.

In my previous monthly favourites, I mentioned how much I love the Lush lip scrubs but really disliked the smell and taste of the popcorn flavour. Well, I can safely say that the bubblegum lip scrub tastes amazing and smells delicious. My lips are left soft, clean, smooth, poutier and I always find myself licking my lips to remove the scrub rather than washing it off. This lip scrub comes in a very convenient little tub that I often carry around in my handbag. Never going back.

Rrp: $9.95

8. Sigma F50 Duo Fibre Makeup Brush.

Last but certainly not least, I thought I'd mention how much I've been loving the Sigma F50 Duo Fibre Makeup Brush. I purchased this brush online in a set called the Mr. Bunny Essential Brush Kit. I love this brush because it's so soft and light on my skin and makes blending foundation very simple, leaving a beautiful airbrushed look. This brush makes my foundation look very natural and non-cakey on my skin which I find to be a very impotent aspect in applying makeup. A definite must have.

Rrp: $23

So there are my monthly favourites. Have you tried any of these products and if so, what did you think? I'd love to know what your monthly favourites are so please leave a link below and I will check them out! 

xxx

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