'Tis not only the season to be jolly, but also the season to be toasty and warm.
When you think of winter; images of hot water bottles and marshmallows being roasted on a fire may pop into your head, or maybe you remember the constant lingering smell of cinnamon and gingerbread. Starbucks has brought back the festive red cups and nearly everyone and their dog has seen the coke advert, which means festivities have officially begun.
So, here is a few things that have become essential to me since the temperature changed.
NAVY BLUE PARKA
New Look, £49.99
This is by far one of my most favourite purchases for quite a while. I've not actually worn a coat for some years now, must have gone through a coat hating phase. Bad weather, or freezing temperatures would arrive and I'd throw on one of my hollister hoodies (admittedly, so warm and cosy, I never needed a coat.) I had my eye on an lovely coat from Topshop when I came across this one. After trying it on and falling instantly in love with the colour and fit, I had to buy it. I have never been so warm in my entire life. The only thing I'm disappointed with is the fact the hood is HUGE. When worn fully, it goes down past my eyes, making it difficult to see. But I love the fur trimming around the hood and how flattering a larger hood does make you look. It comes in two other colours, beige and khaki, but I feel navy co-ordinates with more of the clothing I own. I definitely recommend this parka to anyone looking for a coat of that style. Considering the other coat I wanted from Topshop was twice the price, I don't think I've done too badly.
My photos do not do the coat justice, I would definitely suggest checking it out on the New Look website.
BURGUNDY MOHAIR MIX KNIT SNOOD
New Look,£7.99
I've never worn a snood before I bought this and had absolutely no idea how to wear it, I'm still a little iffy about whether I'm wrapping it correctly but I'll get there eventually. I bought this on a whim, because the colour stood out to me. A few months back, I bought a bag of similar, if not the same colour. Since it's my favourite bag and I'm always in need of a good scarf, or snood in this case, I indulged. There are so many other colours and designs as well as this one, but this one was SCREAMING at me to purchase it. (That, and my local store isn't the best.) The only down side is that I often end up with stray fibers in my mouth of eye, which isn't the most pleasant thing to experience.
FLEECE LINED TIGHTS
New Look, £6.99
Even in the winter you'll end up finding me in a skirt or a dress. I don't know what it is but I really don't like wearing trousers. Black tights are like my saviour, and the thicker, the better. Which is why I adore these tights so much. They're near enough opaque, which I find looks better than the stretched, faded and easy to damage of the lower deniers. That's not even the best part. They're fleece lined! I've not owned a pair of tights like these before and believe me, I completely regret all those fleece-less years. These tights are so comfortable it's unreal, especially after you've shaved your legs. Not only do I never want to take them off, but they're so warm. Obviously wearing a dress or a skirt, or even shorts in winter when it may possibly snow is a dangerous decision, but while wearing these tights, my legs haven't been cold once. Even after washing, the lining is still so super soft.
VITAMIN E MOISTURE CREAM
The Body Shop, 50ml, £10
I actually got this as a free gift when I ordered from The Body Shop's website. But I love it. I've actually used this product before and adored it. Although I occasionally have oily skin, in the winter my skin tends to dry out a stupid amount and it leaves me with flakey skin on my nose and elsewhere. This cream is perfect for me. I only really need it during this time of year so in my opinion, it's affordable and it works well, so what more could I ask for? My skin looks and feels healthier, I get less paranoid about how my face looks, since sometimes make up accentuates the dry areas. It has a non-offensive smell, similar to the Vitamin E Facial wash, but nicer than the Vitamin E Face Mask. The consistency is perfect, in my eyes. It's not thick and allows the skin to absorb it without hassle. Some moisturisers can leave your skin feeling sticky and uncomfortable.This cream is perfect for everyone, of all skin types and ages.
CARMEX MOISTURISING LIP BALM
Superdrug, 7.5g, £2.55
I've actually mentioned this in my September Favourites post and this is actually the same pot I've been using for the entirety of this year. I've used this lip balm almost every day of this year and I still have loads left. For such a tiny pot, I'm genuinely surprised with how long the product lasts. As winter is now here and the weather is much more harsh than before, I find my lips drying out so easily. This little pot is all I need to keep my lips moisturised and even when they become dry, it's enough to help my lips recover. The Aloe Vera Vaseline is also a cheap and great alternative.
MONU ILLUMINATING PRIMER WITH SPF 15
Monu, 50ml, £24.95
I actually got this in my Glossybox from October, so it's only a sample size of 20ml, but it's lasted me such a long time. I find you only really need a little amount to get the best results. The formula is a little thick, in my eyes, but it doesn't leave the stickiness after being absorbed, so that's always a good sign. This is part of my winter essentials because whether or not your skin is highly moisturised, you still want it to look it and that's what I find this primer does. It's illuminating, therefore it boosts the radiance of the complexion as well as having light reflective qualities. It makes you feel like you're glowing, I'm so glad I received this sample and I'm definitely tempted to go out and buy the full size when I run out. It's for all skin types and is perfect for all year around, because the ingredients help form a barrier to protect your skin against harmful sun rays and help prevent UV damage.
COLLECTION 2000 LASTING PERFECTION CONCEALER
Boots, 4g, £4.19, Fair.
I have no idea why the lettering always manages to come off almost every product I own. But I am in love with this concealer. It claims to give you up for 16 hour coverage, and it completely does. The only thing I'm not happy with is how quickly it dries on the skin, you have to blend it fairly quickly otherwise it can look patchy. Also, I've found you only really need to use a little amount otherwise you start to look cakey. The coverage is buildable and I found the one I use (fair) to be a lovely shade and perfect for my skin tone. I honestly would not expect a concealer so cheap to be such a high quality product. This is essential to me because I often get very little sleep so my under eyes are disgustingly darkened. This concealer gives me the lift I need, completely covers the darkness and brightens my entire face.
'FLASH' BY JIMMY CHOO
Boots, 60ml, £45.
I love the Jimmy Choo fragrances and actually got a sample of this one when I re-ordered my Naked 2 palette this time last year. I wasn't too sure at first, the Jimmy Choo EDP is my favourite fragrance and has been since I bought it a couple of years back so I was a tad apprehensions that the second fragrance would completely disappoint me. It didn't. It was different, I admit that, but it was far more sophisticated. The perfume is extremely floral and fruity with main notes of Tuberose, Strawberry and Jasmine, but as it starts to dry it matures with notes of White Wood and Heliotrope. Only a couple of sprays is needed as it actually can be a little overpowering and obnoxious. But it is strong and the strength lasts for an extremely long time, maybe about six hours. This is perfect for this time of year because nearing the end of the year everyone celebrates. With christmas and new year's eve the month of December is just a huge excuse to have and attend as many parties as you can. This perfume is perfect for that. It's glamorous, long wearing and although it can appear highly sophisticated, it's also really playful.
THISWORKS PERFECT HANDS INTENSE MOISTURE CREAM
thisworks, 75ml, £18.
I love thisworks. The brand can be a little pricey but their name says it all, because the products they sell really work. So, where do I start? The fragrance. I love it, but I feel like I'm the only one who does. Everyone I've asked the opinions of claim 'it smells old womany' but I'm convinced it's the rose oil. Most rose scented products I've tried often leave that impression of being 'old womany'. The cream itself is highly moisturising, it hydrates my hands instantly without leaving the greasy shine that some hand creams do. The cream also is a lovely consistency and only a little is needed to keep your hands moisturised. The aims of this cream is to reduce the appearance of dark spots, tighten the skin and to lock in moisture. I believe it does all of these things. If these objectives are what you're looking for in a hand cream and don't mind the price. I would more than suggest to buy it. If the price is concerning you, I have had mine since April, although I use it twice a day, I still have way over half the tube left.
LIPSTICKS
(Left to Right)
| Captive | MAC | £15 |
| Capricious | MAC | £15 |
| Jewel Red | Bobbi Brown | £19 |
I'm aware and stupidly frustrated that the photos on this blog post are terrible and I'm looking into buying a decent camera rather than using my phones. But I never realised before how difficult it is to photograph lipsticks and capture their true colours. The swatches could have came out better, as well. Oh well.
Enough of that, these three are my favourite lipsticks to wear this time of year. I love to wear them on their own, but also sometimes a combination of them.
Captive is a dark pinky plum colour lipstick, it's one of the lipsticks MAC do with a satin finish, meaning it's almost matte but more creamy. I love it because it's highly pigmented, meaning you get a rather bold look. Captive will definitely go with all skin types, in my opinion.
Capricious is more of a rosey plum colour. The finish you get from it is lustre, which I was quite disappointed with, I find the lipstick is rather sheer and doesn't stay on for too long, especially whilst drinking etc.
Jewel Red isn't actually available anymore, but it's one of my favourite red lipsticks,considering I accidentally bought it. It's sort of brick like in colour, but with a hint of gold and shimmer. It's an extremely sheer lipstick, which I dislike but when blended with one or both of the two lipsticks I've mentioned, it looks lovely. This really puts me in the festive mood, purely because of the colour.
I'm actually yet to find a pair of gloves or wellies I have fallen in love with, chances are, when I do I will update this post. I can't believe I'm prepared for winter for once hahaha.
Those are my winter essentials for this season.
I'm so excited now winter has actually arrived.
What products and items are essential to you this season?
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