2013// The Round Up

So we are a week in to the new year now and I've been working on compiling a list of all my favourites from beauty to movies to share with you all! I won't go in to great detail about every product because if it's made this list, it's probably already been spoken about loads on my blog somewhere haha! Instead, I will just tell you my favourite thing about it. I have divided all my favourites in to categories to make it easier too. So, without any more rambling, let's begin....

Makeup

This was by far the hardest category to narrow down because I have tried so many amazing products this year, so it was really hard to narrow it down, but I managed to condense it to just 8 makeup items!

Bourjous Happy Light Foundation this is a fairly new discovery for me but I've worn it every day for the last month and it's the best foundation I've tried yet. Stays on all day with minimal shininess. Full coverage but not cakey- perfect!

Revlon Lip Butters amazing colour range. The perfect mix of a lipstick and moisterising lip balm, as the name would suggest, they're super soft and buttery.

Sleek Contour Kit amazing for contouring, not too orangey or ashy. Lovely highlight that doubles up as a beautiful champaign eyeshadow.

MAC Eyeshadows unbeatable quality and every single colour you could think of. You can make your own palette with 2, 4 or 15 shades which is so cool. They last all day long without any creasing, even on my oily eyelids.

MAC Lipsticks available in tonnes of colours and finishes. They're so buttery and creamy and you can eat/drink and not worry about getting lipstick everywhere.

Maybelline Gel Eyeliner I prefer this to my bobbi brown gel liner. Worn it pretty much every day since February and only used about half and it's nowhere near to drying up. Glides on the eye beautifully with ease using any brush and doesn't smudge at all. A must have!

Maybelline The Falsies a reccomendation from Tanya Burr last winter. I have repurchased this time and time again since then because I've literally used it almost everyday. Gives you length, volume, definition without clumps. Definitely the best mascara out there!

Maybelline Colour Tattoos these are incredible. I use these everyday as a base and I never get creasing. They should be a staple in anyone's makeup bag :)

Hair Care/Styling Products

I've dyed/bleached my hair sooooo many times this year it's ridiculous, so it's not in the best quality. I've really had to up my game in which products I use now and here are a few of my favourites!

Got2b Beach Matt Spray perfect for achieving that 'tousled' look. I spray this on damp hair and scrunch to get the messy, beachy look.

Bleach London Reincarnation Mask if your hair is anything like mine, dry and lifeless, 30 minutes with this on will save your hair!

Fudge Urban Coconut Hairspray keeps your hair in place all day without making it crunchy and it smells lush.

Babyliss Boutique Soft Waves Iron I absolutely love this, I use it on the lowest heat setting to create big, loose waves and it only takes about 6-7 minutes to do my whole head.

Tangle Teezer I use this on wet hair and it combs out all of my knots straight away without damaging my hair.

Body/Skin/Fragrance

This is more of the miscellaneous beauty section and there were so many products I wanted to include here, but the post would of been way too long if I did haha :P

St Tropez Bronzing Spray I use this all over my body every 3-4 days to create a natural looking tan. Doesn't smell too strong and doesn't look streaky either.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo this will save any skin problem- especially skin effected by the cold weather. You only need a pea sized amount though, so use sparingly.

Origins Zero Oil Cleanser this reduces excess oil build up without stripping your skin. I use this every day and it keeps blackheads at bay too.

Britney Spears Fantasy Perfume I have been through so many bottles of this stuff. It smells so sweet, but sophisticated at the same time, plus it's usually on offer at Boots or Superdrug!

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Butter I have tried most of the body shop body butters, but this one is most definitely my favourite. The scent and moisture last all day.

Nails and Brushes

I couldn't pick my favourite nail polishes because there were loads I loved last year, so I decided to pick my top Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer colour, based on what I wore the most that season (L-R). Picking out my favourite brushes was much easier, as there were 3 clear winners for me ;)

Essie Bahama Mama the perfect purple toned berry for autumn. Essie is my favourite nail polish brand because the finish is so glossy and they last for nearly a week with no chips!

Topshop Crystal Clouds a really unique metallic shade. A pale mix of gold and silver with fine glitter in. Goes on opaque in just one coat and jazzes up any Christmas party outfit in winter.

Barry M Gelly Greenberry I love the Gelly hi shine formulation and I wore this jade green shade loads in spring.

Jack Wills Hot Pink I haven't really mentioned this product, only because it's such a summery colour and I only started this blog in October. The camera doesn't really do it justice, but it's a bright, highlighter pink and it really compliments a tan in the summer time.

Real Techniques Blusher Brush large, fluffy and slightly tapered- perfect for blush, highlight or contour! All of the real tenchiques brushes wash really well too.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush this brush applies foundation amazingly and gives that gorgeous 'air-brushed' look.

Real Techniques Brow Brush I can never be bothered to spend ages on my brows, but a little bit of matte brown shadow on this brush makes it so easy and quick.

Fashion

I have spent most of the year finding my own styles, swapping from girly to grungey, but there have been a couple of key pieces that have stuck around!

Topshop Black Joni Jeans oh my gosh, I must have worn these literally hundreds of times. Because I have small, slightly chubby legs, these make me look.... Not so small and chubby :P I just think they're amazing and comfy and I've washed them dozens of times and they're still perfect! I love love love them, I wouldn't be without them :)

Black Boots this sounds a big vague, I know, but I've been through so many pairs this year so I decided to pick out my favourites. There are no words to describe these, they are my life and soul. Just look at them....

Random Highlights

Ok, so here I thought I'd just shove in a few random bits that I've been loving all year long! :)

One Direction this isn't really exclusive to 2013, it's been going on since 2010, but it's been a pretty crazy year for One Direction fans, 1D day, a movie, a book, a new album AND tour (31st May 2014 Manchester roll on woo!) so I thought I better mention them ;) Midnight Memories is incredible!! I love every single song on there; especially Happily and Why Don't We Go There!

Harry's Scream in Midnight Memories yes, this was one of my highlights of 2013.

Gossip Girl hands down my new favourite teen drama, I never thought I'd say this, but it's over taken One Tree Hill and The OC! Blair Waldorf is such an amazing person, I've fallen in love with Chuck, and then there's Blake Lively.... (Massive girl crush!)

The Great Gatsby this was without a doubt my favourite movie of the year. Directed by my all time favourite director, Baz Luhrman and starring the gorgeous Leonardo DiCaprio- what more could you want?! So similar to Romeo+Juliet with it's eccentric feel and aesthetically pleasing visuals, it also had a killer soundtrack!

Lou Teasdale I know I go on about her ALL the time, but I think she is the perfect human being and she's my role model in life, so I thought I'd mention her haha! I am so so so sooooo excited for her book to come out in April too- really proud of how far she's come :)

So that's pretty much it for all my favourites! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it haha! What were your favourite things in 2013? :)

Jess x