My Winter Beauty / Hair Essentials

Winter has rushed in a lot earlier than we expected this year, meaning it's time to forget our summer beauty routines, and give ourselves a little extra beauty TLC throughout winter. It's amazing how the weather can have such an effect on our skin and hair in both positive and negative ways, and the winter certainly takes all of the life out of your skin and hair. I've dug out my favourite winter hair and beauty products which I use throughout winter ensuring my skin and hair continue to be healthy.

1) Moroccan Oil

I SWEAR by this product. After being introduced to it by my cousin I have continued to use this dream product on a regular basis, and boy has it made a HUGE difference to my hair! This product is designed for the ends of your hair, locking in moisture, and it does exactly that. I use a pea sized amount on my hair when it is damp / towel dried, and it keeps the ends of my hair silky soft. I use this product all year round, yet more so in Winter as I find my hair tends to become more dry. I got this little bottle for roughly £12.50 and it was worth every penny. It's lasted me since August and I'm not even half way through the bottle. You can use this as little or as much as you wish on your hair. 

2) LUSH Face & Body Cleanser (Angels on bare skin)

Skin exfoliation is a big must for me during winter. Theres nothing worse than applying your foundation on to a bed of dry flakey skin. Eugh. I'm a big fan of Lush's products as they are all fresh ingredients so can rely that they will not be too harsh on my skin. I use this on my face 2-3 times a week, depending on when I think my skin needs a bit of attention. This one provides a lighter exfoliation, so is less likely to irritate skin and is good for an every day routine. 

3) Dove Winter Care Nourishing Lotion (Dry Skin)

There is nothing worse than having dry skin in winter. As much as you try to keep warm with plenty of  layers, the cold always manages to suck the moisture out of our skin. This moisturiser keeps my skin well nourished and soft all through winter.

4) Dove Purely Pampering Hand Cream

Sometimes that trusty pair of gloves just aren't enough, and you have to keep your hands well nourished underneath your winter woolies. Dry Hands are one thing I dread in winter. Nothing looks worse than a dry pail of hands and a chipped set of nails. (Take note girls!) I carry this round with me everywhere, and it's a life saver. Pop a little bit on throughout the day and your hands will be soft all winter long. 

So, there we have it. These are my top winter favourites. What products do you rely on during winter?

Rachel 

x

Winter Is Here

It's that time of year again, time to put all of your summer clothes to the back of your wardrobe and dig out the woolly hat, gloves and scarf ready for the daunting season that is Winter. Winter is a love / hate thing for me. Firstly because I hate being cold, I'd much rather be snuggled up in bed watching films with a nice cuppa than dragging myself out of bed for an hour lecture in the cold and rain. Although, I do love hunting around for cosy jumpers, scarves and all things wintery. This year I decided that I needed to invest in a good pair of gloves. And with this in mind, I chose to head to Primark. Yes, I know what you're thinking 'hardly the best quality' but at £3 a pair, I couldn't complain. They had a wide variety to choose from. Some plain, come printed, and others (which are my favourite) with Animals on, so obviously, being the mature 20 year old that I am, I picked the ones with Foxes on. (Not sorry!) 

The next thing that says Winter for me, is a weather proof coat, and nothing says winter more than a coat with a fluffy hood! This one I picked up last year from Internacionale (Kids Section) Yes, the coat in the kids section fits me, be jealous! Im proud to say that this coat has got me through one winter, and I'm hoping it's going to get me through another.

Now... you know it's certainly winter when the Christmas decorations are up. This has to be one of my favourite things about Winter. Although all of the decorations go up early, I love how festive everyone gets, and the mad shopping rush. Although it isn't so fun when you have to work in a retail store and there are mad shoppers everywhere. 

Next up is Bonfire Night. Although I don't enjoy being outside in the cold, I do enjoy getting all snug in my winter warmers and standing outside with a cheeky hot chocolate watching the fireworks. For me, I love how unpredictable the fireworks are. No one knows what to expect, how many will be let off, or what the colour will be like. This year we had a display put on at my University Halls, and I have to say it was pretty impressive. 

Finally, It's all about the dark nails. For me, lighter pastel shades of varnish just don't work in the winter, and I prefer to stick to darker shades such as blues and reds. This year, I'm loving the Burgundy colour. 

What are your favourite things about winter?

Rachel

BarryM | Autumn / Winter Nails

When it comes to winter, I feel that Dark nails are essential. They fit the cold weather perfectly, and as much as a bright summery nail varnish puts you in a good mood, nothing says Winter more than a dark christmassy coloured manicure. Now, firstly my nail varnish obsession is out of control, and by that I mean a huge box of colours that I regularly never wear, just buy with the intention of wearing them because they are pretty, or my usual weakness of glitter. But these 4 that I selected are the perfect winter colours, and will look great day or night. 

The first colour I went for was a Dark green, or as titled 'Watermelon'. I'm not usually a fan of Greens so I thought I would step out of my comfort zone, and try something a little darker than usual. This Varnish goes on smoothly without any little air bubbles (which may I add are a pain in the butt!) I managed to get away with just 1 coat of this, but for a stronger and shinier look 2 would do the trick. I'm still to try out this one a little more, but so far, so good and I can definitely see myself using this one nearer christmas teamed with a dark red for a little Christmas nail art.

The second colour I went for was one I've been hunting around for for a while now. Indigo. I saw this colour on a friend and instantly liked it, although the colour was a shellac, so the finish was a lot shinier than usual, this colour is eye catching, and a great autumn winter varnish. I figured I would wear this colour a lot, as I'm fairly fussy when it comes to nails and outfits. They have to somewhat go together. And being someone who wears a lot of white, black and grey, I figured this colour would look good. Plus teamed with some gold or silver rings, this colour will really stand out. I used 2 coats for this, as it is fairly thin. I also teamed this look with a coat of silver glitter on the top, which looks great. Although glitter varnish is a NIGHTMARE to get off.

Thirdly, a dark shimmery purple caught my eye. I've always been a fan of purple polishes, although I'd never opted for one quite as dark. This colour has a really nice glossy finish and again works great from day to night. I found that this colour shows up more under or in the light, but again is great for a casual wintery look. 

Last but not least, I got drawn back to the blues. This time I chose a shimmery navy colour. With all my reasons being the same as the other blue I got, I figured this colour would be good for when I fancied a different shade, or depending on my mood if I wanted to go a little darker. The only issue I had with this colour is that it really stains your nails when removing it, so I found it best to apply 1 or 2 under coats of clear varnish to prevent staining. Other than that, it is a lovely colour and one I'll find myself wearing a lot through winter.

As always, Barry M never fail to disappoint with their amazing products. I've lost count of how many of their nail varnishes I have now, but can assure you that more will be making their way to my collection very soon.

What are your favourite colours for Autumn / Winter? 

Rachel x