Best of 2012

It may be January 9th, but I figured there was still time to put up this 'best of 2012' post. I've got some nail polishes to share, some lip products and a few more bits too...

1. Deborah Lippmann 'Happy Birthday' - I bought this over the summer and whenever I want some sparkle, there is nothing better than nude nails with this as an accent on the ring finger. Yes, it's expensive, but I haven't yet found a high-street dupe that's as good. 

2. Essie 'Fiji' - I lusted after this for quite a while and I saw so many swatches and photos of it actually on nails that I knew I had to have it. It's a bit like 2012's version of Models Own 'Utopia' (in that it's done the rounds on blogs and YouTube and is a gorgeous pale shade that's very close to white) but I think the hype is justified.

3. Urban Decay 'Naked' palette - I use this on an almost daily basis, and I do actually think that for someone who is new to higher-end make-up, this palette is worth buying. If I were to purchase any of these shadows individually, I'd probably only choose 'Toasted' (4th from right) and 'Creep' (2nd from right), which are both beautiful colours that I use a lot. 

4. Rimmel Vinyl Gloss in 'Born to Bling' - I can't remember how long I've had this lipgloss but it is pretty much the only gloss I'll wear at the moment. It's a pretty peachy-beige colour and isn't too sticky at all. I love wearing this over nude and neutral coloured lipsticks to give them a bit of shimmer.

5. L'Oreal Paris Rouge Caresse in 'Nude Ingenue' and 'Tempting Lilac' - I love, love, love Caresse lipsticks. They're pretty much everything I imagined Revlon's Lip Butters would be and they're just so easy to wear and apply that I find myself reaching for them on a regular basis. 

6. L'Occitane Hand Cream in 'Rose Petals' - I got one of these in Marie Claire magazine back in the autumn sometime and I liked it so much I went and purchased a back-up almost straight away. I adore the smell of this hand cream and I've been using it almost every day and it's lasting forever. L'Occitane hand creams are, without a doubt, my favourites. 

And that's it! There were lots of products that I used and liked on a regular basis this year, but I think these are probably the best of them. Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments below :) I'd also love to know what your 2012 favourites were.

Thanks for reading,

Rachel x

Twitter: rachelizabethxo

Personal blog: estoy mejor sin ti

Instagram: iRachey

Email: rachelelizabeth.xo@googlemail.com

Welcome & November Favourites

Hola everybody! Welcome to So She Dances. This is the sister blog of my personal blog, estoy mejor sin ti, and the place where I am going to feed my obsession for all things beauty related. To ease us all into things, I thought I'd start off with a good old November Favourites post. 

November has been an interesting month, lots has been going on in my life and I haven't had much time to get ready before leaving the house to go anywhere. So, I've pretty much been sticking to the same products...

Lips:

Chanel Rouge Coco in 21 'Rivoli' - I got this sometime around the start of the month because my mum had points on her Debenhams beauty card and let me spend them. It applies easily, lasts well and I find that a lip liner isn't necessary - although obviously it wouldn't look any worse for applying liner before using it. This is one of those purchases that is absolutely unnecessary but will make you feel a bit more special whenever you wear it. In the photo below, this is on the right. 

Benefit 'Wanna?' - I only purchased this on Thursday, but I feel it needs an honourable mention because I already know I'm in love with it. While the Chanel lipstick is my winter red, this is my winter 'pink'. I use quote marks because it's more of a raspberry than a true pink. Of course, this isn't a cheap lipstick either but again, it applies easily and lasts incredibly well. I would personally use a lip liner with this because it bleeds slightly on me without, but it's no trouble when a colour is this beautiful. This is the lipstick on the left in the photo below.

Face:

Benefit 'Boi-ing' Concealer - I bought this on a real whim. I was fairly content with my Collection 2000 (or Collection, same difference...) Lasting Perfection but I had heard a lot about Benefit concealers and I happened to be in Debenhams (I promise I don't just live in there) and there happened to be a discount. Anyway, I was colour matched to shade 02 and I do think it is better than the Collection 2000 concealer. It doesn't take a ton of blending in, which is a real bonus when you have 10 minutes to get ready and leave the house, but also doesn't look cakey or too 'obvious' on the skin.

L'Oreal Lumi Magique Primer/Highlighter - I have been mixing this into my foundation throughout all of November and even though I like a fairly matte finish, I like the effect this has. It doesn't absolutely shine through my foundation but I like the subtlety of it. 

ELF Studio Powder Brush - It's fairly well documented that this brush works well as a foundation brush, and I'm pleased to add myself to the list of people saying so. I use this when I've finished applying my foundation to just buff away any bits that I've missed with my actual foundation brush and I like how quickly and evenly it applies it. 

Eyes:

Benefit 'They're Real' Mascara - I'd also heard great things about this and while purchasing my concealer, I had this tried on me and decided to just go for it. I usually use the Urban Decay Supercurl Curling Mascara (hands up if you think that name sounds ridiculous) but recently it just hasn't been cutting it for me. I took one look at this on my lashes and knew I wanted (needed) it. I've heard it dries out quickly but only time will tell if this happens to me.

Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in 'Perversion' - I'm a big Urban Decay fan and I probably own far too many of their liquid and pencil eyeliners. Being a commuter and a student, I'm often out of the house from 8:30am to 7:00pm and I tend to rub the inner corners of my eyes. Therefore, I need an eyeliner that lasts. I love this. The brush is thin and allows me to get into places that a pencil wouldn't, and most importantly, this stuff is near impossible to shift. 

Misc.

Nails Inc. mini in 'Covent Garden Market' - I got this as part of a trio of minis, and I actually only bought the set for another of the polishes, but this is the only one I have used so far. I love how distinctive it is, and I'm yet to find a dupe (although I'm sure there are plenty, I haven't really looked that hard). Yes, it's a real bitch to remove, but it's so pretty that it's worth it.

GOSH 'Holographic Hero' (unlinked as I can't find it online) - This is/was the highly anticipated re-release of the previous limited edition holographic polish. No, they didn't bother to change the formula and yes, that was very lazy, but I still love this polish regardless of the 24-hour wear tag they've given it. I also find that it lasts way longer than 24 hours on me, and it's more like 4 days before any real chipping occurs. 

Origins 'United State' Balancing Tonic - This is a toner, apparently. Skincare is not my strong point, so I can't tell you what it's supposed to do. To me, this is a nice, refreshing toner that leaves my face feeling...wait for it...refreshed and also looking brighter and generally better. I'm not sure if that justifies the price tag, but I like it and that's good enough for me.

Here are swatches of the swatchable things...

So, that's it for my November favourites. I know this post has been long, but I had a lot to get through. I'll be back soon with a nail tutorial, but for now I'd love it if you let me know what your absolute November favourite has been :)

Thanks for reading,

Rachel x

Twitter: rachelizabethxo
Personal blog: estoy mejor sin ti
Instagram: iRachey