I’m not sure how popular my beauty posts are proving with you guys, but I’m really starting to get back in to makeup and looking after my skin so I’ll carry on with them. Anyone who doesn’t want to read, well, just skip this post- I promise more of the usual posts from tomorrow onwards.

The first product I’m loving is the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water which is currently on offer at £3.33 in Boots and something like £2.66 in Tesco. I bought this a couple of weeks ago after seeing it pop up on instagram a few times and instantly loved it. Since buying it I’ve used it every night to remove my makeup and it leaves my skin feeling so fresh and clean. I’ve already made the most of special offers and bought another bottle despite it’s claims to last for 200 uses

Next comes a product from an unlikely source. Waitrose have recently launched their own line of skincare products called “pure” and I picked up the Beauty Balm out of curiosity, lured in by the introductory offer price. I’m really taken with this, I’ve been applying it before bed- it’s a thick paste really that I warm in my hands and massage in to my face and I wake up with baby soft skin. I want to try a few more products from this range, especially the facial oil- currently only £1.99!

I’ve been wanting to try Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for so long and recently Mum treated me to a gift set of three different products from the range to see which I liked best. I love them all, but it’s the original orange coloured thick gel that really wins for me. I’ve used it as a lip balm for the last few weeks and my lips have never been in such good condition. I’ll be investing in a big tube of this soon!

Body care is something I’m not very good at and the skin below my face gets neglected more often than not. Years of bad habits are finally being broken thanks to Rituals and their amazing products. I won a competition last year and treated myself to their Imagine Hand Lotion and Touch of Hammam Body Cream among other things. These products smell and feel so good I just want to use them all the time. Rituals is a brand that is usually out of my price range so I am dreading these running out, but for now I have soft skin and a pleasant scent. Perfect.

I would love to know what you guys are using and loving right now to inspire me to take better care of my skin and overall self. I find using nice products and making the effort really boosts confidence and happiness levels, so I must not let myself slack off!

Two beauty posts in as many days? I know, it’s not really like me but since I’ve had so much sick leave over the last few months I’ve rediscovered my love of all things beauty and started to get in to better habits/actually making an effort some of the time. This post contains some products- old and new that I’ve really been enjoying lately

First Picture: L’oreal Miss Manga Mascara I’m SO fussy with mascara and everytime I try a new one I tend to love it for a day or so then turn on it. This hasn’t been the case with this little tube of wonder, weeks have passed since my purchase and I’m reaching for it more than any other. MAC Fresh Daisy eyeshadow (limited edition) is one of those products I wish I had bought in bulk when I first discovered I loved it. I use this on an almost daily basis as a base and highlight under whatever other colour eyeshadow I’ve selected to wear, or at weekends I use it alone with a flick of eyeliner. My Oriflame brow kit has become such a staple, before I was sent this I didn’t really bother with my brow but now I feel odd without filling them in and defining them. I tend to mix the shades together to get my natural brow colour and use a Real Techniques brush to stipple it on. Simple Kind to Skin Illuminating Radiance Cream is another daily staple for me, used under foundation to give my skin a healthy, dewy glow and stopping it from drying out. I love Simple products as they are so perfect for sensitive skin, it’s a brand I grew up with (thanks Mum!) and will continue to fall back on.

Second Picture: Elizabeth Arden High Shine Lip Gloss (c/o Fragrance Expert) in Honey Glaze is a new addition to my makeup collection and has become my go-to daily lip colour either over lipstick or alone when I’m feeling not so bold. It gives a lovely nude shimmer without looking too washed out. I’d never tried Elizabeth Arden cosmetics before but will be purchasing more of these once I’m in a position to. Seventeen Cheek Stamp Blush in Blushing is such a genius product and perfect for in my handbag as it requires no brush to apply. I’m aiming to eventually own all of the gorgeous shades in this range as at £4.99 they are a bargain for such a highly pigmented and nifty little product. Also from the Seventeen range I finally braved the orange lip thanks to the Lip Crayon in Bold another bargain at £4.99 this was an impulse purchase thanks to the 3-for-2 offer and one I don’t regret. Such a long lasting and buildable colour that I’ll be wearing all Spring/Summer long.

Third Picture: It’s very rare for me to share hair products on the blog as I find myself constantly being let down by them. I recently picked up the two pictured here though and have been impressed. Long lasting waves that don’t have that crispy feel to them or have that full of product weighed down feeling. I’m not one to bother with my hair much; a wash, towel dry and scrunch/spray and I’m good to go. I wish I could say I bothered more but at the moment I don’t, this may change though with a new colour to try and plans for more changes ahead it may give me an incentive. In the mean time I’m going to be using an awful lot of V05 Give Me Texture Dry Texturing Spray and High Definition Curl Mousse.

What products are you currently loving? I pick up so many ideas and wants from other bloggers that I thought it might be time to share some of my own favourites.

I fell in love with a makeup around the age of twelve, my best friend’s Mum was an Avon Lady and there were always samples available for pre-teen experimentation (with some rather interesting results!). Living in a small town the choice of brands available to me was, and still is quite limited but one that really sticks in my mind is Miners.

Miners seemed to dissapear off of the radar for a few years and then I slowly saw them filter back through on some of my favourite beauty blogs. I was desperate to try out my once staple brand but clearly, being a small town girl I couldn’t get hold of it (and I refuse to pay high postage charges online, cheap!).

I recently had my cravings satisfied by Fragrance Expert who not only sell perfume but a whole host of makeup and beauty products too, including Miners of course (as well as Elizabeth Arden, Tigi, Crabtree & Evelyn and Fake Bake to name but a few).

I clearly fail as a beauty blogger as I have NO photos of my wearing any of the products, bar my random instagram selfies but when I do have a day where I don’t hate my face then you can (maybe) expect a FOTD. Pictured above is: Define and Line eyeliner (from £5.40), Lip Colour Lipstick in Icon (£7.20), nail polish in Marshmellow (£5.40), Dip and Define eyeshadow in Khaki Gold (£6.30) and Complete Base FoundatION (£9.00).

I was a bit surprised at how much prices had risen, before realising that it was a good decade since I last purchased a Miners product and Fragrance Expert have some pretty discounted prices. I was especially impressed with the nail polish which was the most perfect pastel pink and lasted a good five days, but everything was higher quality than I expected and the only product I didn’t get along with was the eyeliner through my own incompetancy!

Fragrance Expert also have a pretty awesome blog, which I’ve contributed to and it’s worth checking out for hints, tips and just a bit of fun really.

What brands do you associate with your youth? Are there any other Miners products I need to give another go?