January Favourites - 2014

How exciting it is to start a year with some new cosmetics and new favourites. I got to try a number of amazing products last month and got to re-discover some old ones too. Some of them may even become my all-time favourites. Check out this post to read more about what I used in January.

Left: Organique Shea Butter Body Balm and Rituals Ginkgo's Secret Hand Cream

I really take care of my body during winter months as it tends to get dry really quickly in harsh weather conditions, especially my hands, legs and elbows. Out into the cold and inside in the overheated rooms - this mixture can be so damaging for our skin. My first favourite this month is a hand cream that I've had since April but I only got to use it in January as the formula is too thick and sticky for warmer months. Now, Ritual Ginkgo's Secret Ultra Rich and Repairing Hand Cream has really helped to restore moisture to my hands, making them soft again and generally bringing some relief to my dry skin. I like the smell as well which I would describe as semi-citrusy. It takes around 5 minutes for the cream to fully sink into the skin but it is worth the wait as the effects are almost immediate. 
Similar role in my body care routine has been played by Organique Shea Butter Body Balm, which I talked about more in my Christmas Haul post. It has white colour and seemingly hard consistency but it melts easily into a delicate oil when scooped with your fingers. I use it instead of my body butter and I like the fact that my skin feels soft and nourished all day. It smells nicely of grapes and Shea butter. 
Buy the body balm here:
Buy the hand cream here:

Sephora Angled Natural Blush Brush

As for the make-up tools, I really took to my latest purchase, that is Sephora Angled Natural Blush Brush. I was looking for a perfect angled brush to use with my bronzer and I think I found the one. It has great shape that allows for precision when applying the product and soft bristles that help with the blending process. I like it not only with my NARS Laguna or Benefit Hoola bronzers but also with blush and highlighter.
Buy it here:

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

This is not a big surprise as you all knew I was planning on putting this palette to test throughout January. Urban Decay Naked 3 is definitely a great release from UD as it delivers everything it promises - great quality eyeshadows (think buttery, blendable and well-pigmented) and an interesting take on the whole "nude eye" trend. I like all the colours but I have to say I am not impressed with the way those glittery ones apply, especially Dust and Buzz. All the remaining colours are beautiful and you can create quite a versatility of looks despite the whole palette being generally on the rosy/purple side of the spectrum.  I apologize for the bad quality photo but the lighting was terrible that day. I did a separate post about this palette however and you can read it here. 
Buy it here:

 Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner

No big surprise there either as I' have been raving about Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner for weeks now. To cut it short: great, long-lasting waterproof formula that doesn't smudge, stays more then 12 hours on the eyelids and is easy to remove with good make-up remover. Moreover, it offers extremely black colour and thin tip with allows for easy application. I have never tried a better eye liner in my life and I will definitely be repurchasing this one over and over again. 
Buy it here:

Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick in Rose of Attraction

Maybelline Colour Whisper Lipstick in Rose of Attraction is another re-discovered favourite and it really solved my lipstick-vs-nourishing balm dilemma. January was an unkind month for my lips (really low temperatures plus being outside a lot) so I had to refrain from using most of my favourite lipsticks. Colour Whispers, however, have a very moisturising formula. I would say it is similar to Revlon Lip Butters but less sticky and much easier to apply. These are not full coverage lipsticks as they meant to be more like tinted balms but that makes Rose of Attraction a perfect lip colour for work. It's cheap and available in almost every drugstore selling Maybelline products.

Buy it here:

And here are the swatches of both lipstick and eyeliner:

Left: Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner and Maybelline Color Whisper Lipstick in Rose of Attraction

What were your favourites in January? Did you also suffer from some winter-related skin problems?