Am I the only one who uses Christmas as an excuse to stock up on beauty and skincare to last me the year so I don’t have to buy it? I can’t be. I GUESS THIS IS GROWING UP, KIDS.

I’m sure people will say this is me trying to brag or whatever but it would be weird to run a beauty blog and not blog about the new products I received at Christmas? And by default of being a ~beauty blogger~, I did get a lot of beauty products, admittedly. Also, apologies for the weird, over exposed flash-taken (crime scene looking) pictures. It was dark and I had to use flash and I’m still getting to grips with my new camera (Santa must have read my wish list!).

Anyway, Not really sure what this post will consist of, as I’ve tried most of the products (but only briefly once or twice) so I’m not sure I can give full reviews. Maybe this will be some kind of hybrid review/list? Idk. Without further ado, these are the products I got this year.

Skincare stuff:

I got a Clarisonic Mia 2! AND I WILL NEVER WASH MY FACE WITH A FLANNEL LIKE A BASIC AGAIN. It’s amazing. Buy one.

I also got top ups of skin stuff I use regularly (like Pixi Glow Tonic which I use by the bucketload) and Kiehls Oil Free Gel Moisturiser, which is the best moisturiser for greasy skin ever, I am convinced. Also, the combo of Pixi Glow Mist and Pixi Setting Spray is honestly the only thing I’ve ever tried that’s actually kept my makeup on my face.

Fragrance:

Look at this tiny Diptyque solid perfume! SO SMOL. SO YUMMI.

Brushes:

Real Techniques Bold Metals (you can’t really tell but there are cleaner looking ones in here that are new, the dirtier ones are older) and Morphe Contour Brushes.

Firstly: soz I couldn’t resist and I used them before photographing them but OMG, in particular the huge arched powder RT brush (only in an exclusive set from Boots) is AMAZING. So are the Morphe brushes (although the handles are a lil chubby and wide for me, might be v good for complete makeup beginners tho). Overall, both sets of brushes are v good quality (very surprised at how good the Morphe ones are tbh for their price).

Face Makeup:

Illamasqua Skin Base in 02. OH MY GOD A FOUNDATION IN EXACTLY MY COLOUR!!!!!!!!

Three new beauty blenders and a BB re-hydrator. #blessed

ABH illuminator on Starlight. Not 100% sold on this yet (kind of feels like a lower brand version I have? Can’t see much difference? It’s pretty tho, will maybe do a longer review when I’ve used it more).

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone. Yet to use it, maybe I’ll do a comparison post with the ABH one later?

Tom Ford blusher in Frantic Pink. The only time my boyfriend has ever complimented me sincerely is when the counter lady put this on me once. This innocent compliment and my constant need for validation cost my mum £48.

Eye Makeup:

Bare Minerals Lash Domination. Needed a new mascara, I’ve tried so many and this Bare Minerals one seems ite. Nothing really to report. Good, imo.

Stila Lash Stunner Extreme Lash Primer. My #lifehack is to always use lash primer under mascara. I usually use the Esteé Lauder one but they changed the formula and it’s not as good, this one however (combined with the above mascara) seems to do the trick.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Dark Brown. I never really use brow pencils (being a huge fan of Dipbrow), but sometimes on lazy makeup days Dipbrow looks a bit extreme with a bare face. This pencil seems to do the trick on cba 4 face days.

Miscellaneous:

Some random beauty bits, including the Real Techniques gel brush cleaner (I’m so bad at cleaning brushes, anyone got any tips/techniques tbh?).

A re-fill of Mac’s Soar, like, because you can just never have too many dotted about.

SO. What beauty stuff did you get for Christmas? Have you tried the illuminators I got and love/hate them? Send me tweeeeets: @perrrrin, or comment below.

Amelia x