The Month // February

February has been quite a big month for me. I accepted the fact that I was on the wrong course at Uni, transferred from said course and moved back home, knowing that I would not be returning to Uni until September, when I will be starting a new degree from scratch. I moved in with the Boyfriend with a day's notice, went back to work full time and have blogged pretty consistently, something I have wanted to do for a very, very long time.

Naturally, I got through all of this with a little help from my somewhat extravagant cosmetics collection. I'm only human. As such, my favourite products of this month include stress-induced blemish busters, anything that makes me look less tired and a good, old fashioned hot bath. Let's get started.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo+ - I've already mentioned this product on the blog and sung its praises. It really is a brilliant reformulation of the cult classic product. It's more hydrating than the original, works wonders with hormonal/stress related breakouts and smells pretty good too. I still find it to be a bit too drying when used consistently for weeks on end, so I now just slap it on the acne patches on my cheeks and chin then pop on some moisturiser over the top.

REN Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser - An all-time favourite of mine, great for when my skin is freaking out. I'd recommend this for anyone, but it can be drying when used over a long period of time. Saying this, it is great for calming my skin down when it's having a bit of a paddy.

Aurelia Miracle Cleanser - I've been using this towards the back end of this month to counteract the dryness brought on by the two products listed above. Combination skin, how I love thee. It's a great cleanser that both clarifies and moisturises. A definite repurchase to be.

Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator - I've had a bit of an off-and-on-again relationship with this moisturiser. I tried a sample of it, loved it, bought it, wasn't wowed by it, left it alone for a while, fell back in love with it. It's great at reducing redness and smoothing over dry spots. A good all rounder in my opinion.

Percy & Reed Finishing Polish - AKA a good hair day in a tube. I love it.

NARS NARSisst Eyeshadow Palette - A 15 pan palette of perfection. I am so happy that I bought this and use it most days. It's just an awesome selection of shades that gets me from work during the day and evening, to going out for a drink at 1 in the morning when I finish. If you see one and aren't put off by the price tag, get it. You won't regret it. 

Super Beauty Ginger and Pear Shower and Bath Gel - (Not pictured) A great smelling shower gel that makes a regular bath into a super awesome bubble bath that is absolutely bargain-alicious.

Short Hair, Don't Care

Having had short hair in one form or another for the last few years, I consider myself to be something of an expert when it comes to hair products. I've gone from bobs to a pixie cut and everywhere in-between and these are the products that have got me through it...

First of all, the basics. For me, this means a hair oil and heat protectant. When it comes to oil, my pick would be Moroccanoil. It's been a staple products for me since 2011 and I've never looked back. My hair isn't unruly by any means as it's naturally quite fine, but it's so much sleeker when I use this. I'm also heavily reliant on heat to style my hair, as I can never be bothered to wait for it to dry naturally but never manage to blow dry it straight or curly, so a heat protectant is essential. I'm currently using L'Oréal Elnett Heat Styling Spray, but if I'm being honest, I don't really have a preference. This is great because it definitely plumps the hair up and adds volume without any fuss. From here on, it's time to get creative.

Next up, I'm talking volume. Much as I love the look of a sleek shoulder length 'do, it just doesn't do it for me. There ain't nothing wrong with a little bit of oomph. My go-to option comes in the form of Percy & Reed Finishing Polish. Strictly speaking, this is meant to be used on dry hair, but I slap some in when my hair still pretty wet as it thickens my hair up and gives it some texture and grip. A newer addition to my haircare stash that has become a new fave is the L'Oréal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Double Serum. Not so catchy name, but an incredibly effective product nonetheless. I've been using this in conjunction with the shampoo and conditioner from the Fibrology range and have found all of them to be great for adding volume and thickness. Big fan. When it comes to adding a bit of texture, I give you two options. On a budget, look for L'Oréal Studio Matt & Messy Shine-Free Salt Spray Tousled Look (what is it with L'Oréal and the crazy long names?!). This was my go-to product during the summer to create an après-beach look and adding some grip to my locks, plus it's a great 'dupe' for Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray. Win. If you're looking to spend a bit more, I'd recommend Bumble and Bumble Dryspun Finish Spray. This is great for a short-term quick fix if your hair is looking particularly flat, but the effects don't last that long. Blasted into the roots, however, this is fab for plumping things up a bit. Aaaand finally, hairspray. Again, I don't have much of a preference, but I do love L'Oréal Elnett Supreme Hold Hairspray purely because the smell reminds me of my childhood. Judge me not.