January Favourites // 2016

January 2016 has been a bit of a roller-coaster month. There were so many heartbreaks throughout the month with the loss of so many legends in music, film, television and broadcasting. There was a time when I was terrified to even open social media for fear of who would have been taken away so soon. Even in local news, it was heartbreaking to see so many young deaths. However, with the dark there was the light in January: I was trained up on a new department at work and I'm much happier than I was. I miss the craic from my old team but I couldn't handle it any longer - the crap outweighed the craic. So with that, there have been a few beauty bits, television shows and other bits and bobs that I loved during the first month of 2016. 

B E A U T Y

THE BODY SHOP ALL-IN-ONE INSTA-BLUR PRIMER

I have seen this primer doing the rounds on YouTube and blogs for a while now and I've never been one to really try out The Body Shop's makeup. Yes, I have the Honey Bronzer but that was about it until this month. I bought this as I gave into the hype (and there was a 3 for 2 offer going on - oops). This has been the only primer that I've used this month since I bought it. The way it comes out of the tube is extremely strange. It was off-putting at first but I developed a way to apply it that works for me and doesn't make it end up falling in chunks onto my lap. I've loved how it makes my skin feel and how it allows my makeup to apply. Both of my favourite foundations from this month have applied like a dream with this. 

THE BODY SHOP FRESH NUDE FOUNDATION - CHELSEA PORCELAIN

I was on a hunt for the Body Shop's lightening drops but when I popped into the shop early in the month, they weren't available. The Darkening Drops were but not the lightening ones. Ireland problems. But one of the girls that works there recommended this to me as a good match for me. I did a First Impressions video on my YouTube Channel where I take you through my initial application and what I thought about it during the day - HERE. 

URBAN DECAY NAKED SKIN FOUNDATION - 0.5

Or if you want it's full name, Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup. I have such a struggle when it comes to pale foundations. A lot of them appear light enough but they often oxidise to a tone that is a smidge darker once it sets. It's such a pet peeve and it always make me feel self-conscious. I decided to try out the foundation from Urban Decay as a few porcelain YouTubers use it and I'm just as pale as they are. I loved it. I'm still nervous about it but it doesn't have a line of disembarkation on my neck once it sets. It's buildable and it works so well on my skin. I love it and I even love the smell. I know. I'm weird. But I love it.

CATRICE COSMETICS ALL ROUND CONCEALER PALETTE

When I was first sent this palette in makeup swap with a friend, I knew the theory of colour correction. I knew that green counteracted redness and that the salmon shade concealed dark circles. But I didn't entirely know how to go about using it to it's full potential. Then I watch Ashley Landry's Foundation Routine and my eyes were opened and the Hallelujah chorus sounded magnificent. I use the salmon concealer underneath my eyes and the green around my nose and on any blemishes that are red. It's a nifty little palette to have and I reach for it practically every time that I do my makeup.

MAKEUP GEEK EYESHADOWS

The new year started with a Makeup Geek order from BeautyBay. As soon as I was paid, I was onto Beauty Bay and placing my order. I hummed and ha'ed about what to order because I didn't want too many neutrals and nudes but wanted all the colours. They're like Pokemon. Gotta catch 'em all. I did an unboxing video over at my channel - HERE - and there hasn't been a makeup look that I've done where I haven't reached for Makeup Geek shadows. My favourites have been Barcelona Beach, Vintage and Bitten. They are my favourite combination too. I haven't properly played around with them all yet but I will. Just you wait.

I placed them in this card tin with some MAC eyeshadows and some Barry M shadows. A blog post about everything in here will be up next week. Keep an eye out. 

L'OREAL COLOR RICHE COLLECTION EXCLUSIVE LIPSTICK - EVA'S NUDE

When I found out that Shy Girl from MAC was the lipstick that was being used on Mary McDonnell, I wanted to try and find a dupe for it. I was looking for an orange-peachy nude lip colour and I found Eva's Nude whilst in Boots one day. At first, I was quite terrified by it because I'm not used to using a lip colour like this. But again, when I'm wanting a nude colour to go with a smokey eye, this is my go-to. Or even with I'm wearing a more natural eye look, I still reach for it. It's so good.

CIATE x OLIVIA PALERMO LIPSTICK - PRALINE

Whilst rummaging around TK Maxx, I found this little beauty. It was marked down to just £5.99 when it's usually about £19. Absolutely bargain. I just couldn't resist. It has been a firm favourite throughout December and January. Any time that I've done my makeup for day to day, I've reached for this. It's so smooth and pigmented. It goes on my lips like a dream and lasts a good while. It's beautiful and the perfect deep nude shade for me.

T E L E V I S I O N

January was the month when my fangirl went into overload because all of my shows were back or starting. There wasn't a weekday where I wasn't watching a new episode of something. So here are the shows that I've been loving this month...

MARVEL'S AGENT CARTER

I couldn't wait for this show to come back. Agent Carter is just love. I'm so glad that they made this into a series because Hayley Atwell and James D'Arcy are a match made in Heaven. I just adore them. Hayley is phenomenal as Peggy Carter. I find myself loving her costumes and makeup but I love her intelligence and sassy personality even more. She doesn't take crap from anyone and the girl can hold her own in a fight. 

But the star of the show for me is Mr. Jarvis. I find myself loving every single word that comes out of his month. All I can say is....Bernard. 

DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW

Another show that I was excited about. What excited me most was that Caity Lotz, Arthur Darvill and Victor Gerber were going to star in it. I was so happy that Caity would be back on my screen. I was devastated at what happened to her character in Arrow and so when she came back, I was beyond excited and then she's a leading role in this show as the White Canary. I'm loving it so far. I love all of the characters. It has Rory from Doctor Who and that makes me so happy. I loved him in Doctor Who. I'm even having a moment for Captain Cold (Wentworth Miller). I've only watched two episodes so far and I cannot wait for more. 

EVER AFTER HIGH

Yes, I'm secretly a tweenager. Sssh. I got an email from Netflix telling me that there were new episodes added for this series. Cue me instantly opening Netflix and marathoning the four episodes. I loved it. I loved that they included dragons into this new season and that the Evil Queen really got to show her true potential as a villain. Apple White still continues to try my patience but I honestly do like her. My favourites are still Raven Queen and Maddie Hatter. That being said, this season was really the Apple White and Raven Queen season. 

THE X-FILES

How could this not be in my January favourites? I watched this show was I was younger. I probably shouldn't have been watching it but I found it on BBC2 randomly one night and feel in love with it. I'm a science-fiction geek, what can I say. 

When it was announced there they were coming back for a handful of episodes for a new season, practically everyone I knew completely lost their shit. It was a dream come true for a lost of us because Mulder and Scully were our original OTP and the X-Files was our favourite show. I watched this before I watched Star Trek. I think I was still in Primary School when I started watching The X-Files and I just love it. It's so good having Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny back together. The story-line has been intriguing so far and I cannot wait for more. But at the same time, I want to prolong the new episodes for as long as possible. It's the X-Files, come on. 

M U S I C

QUEEN OF PEACE - FLORENCE + THE MACHINE

This is probably the song that I have played the most throughout January. I bought the album at the drop of a hat. It came on the radio in Castlecourt in Belfast and I stopped and went into Headgear and bought the album so I could listen to it in the car on the way home. Queen of Peace was my favourite song that Florence performed when I saw her live in September and it's my favourite on the album. I always repeat it. It's so good. 

LOVE SHACK - THE B-52s

A bit of a throwback but I was obsessed with this song towards the end of last year and throughout January. I loved this song when I was younger and it's on one of my Spotify playlists. It never fails to cheer me up and get me dancing in my chair. I have such good memories of dancing to this at discos when I was younger. It's such a fun song. 

Y O U T U B E

I'll be honest, I've been rather bored with my subscription feed this month. I don't now what it is but a lot of the uploads have not interested me at all. But there are a few videos that I've loved but there is only one channel that has really excited me and this will come to no surprise to anyone...

ASHLEY LANDRY

This girl is just amazing. I don't even know where to begin to express my adoration and admiration for this girl. She's amazing. She's phenomenal and she's so incredibly talented. I adore her. Every time she posts something, my makeup wishlist gets a good foot longer and my bank balance has an anxiety attack because I just want everythiiiiiiing. Plus, I am envious of her talents. Ashley creates such stunning looks and the girl cannot take a bad photo. It's impossible. With every video that she uploads I learn something new. It has been a long time since I feel like I've learnt anything from any YouTuber but with Ashley, I feel like she teaches me something important - like how to use colour correcting concealers. 

I follow her on all of her social media platforms like a good little stalker and I've even had the privilege of the odd chat here and there with her over Snapchat. She's beyond adorable and sweet. I heart her, okay. I heart her. Nuff said.

See what I loved in beauty last January here.

What were your favourite things from January?