Beauty Resolutions for 2013

It's a rather peaceful time of the year in the world of beauty. Stores begin to clear their shops of last year's Christmas Collections to make way for new ranges, makeup artists start to plan looks for the up & coming Fashion Weeks & the beauty fans at home start putting their Christmas beauty gifts to use. A new year signals a change in the beauty world, whether that be through trends, or how you choose to approach beauty.

Today I'm going to share with you some of my beauty resolutions for 2013. I'd encourage you to try these yourselves & let me know your beauty goals in the comments below!

1. Be luxurious. Burn your favourite scented candle, spritz your bedroom & linen with your favourite scent. Don't do it because you have to, do it because you can. This candle by Tocca is perfect for those times when you want an indulgent scent to perfume the air & make you feel just that little bit more luxurious on an otherwise ordinary day. 

2. Be bold (literally). Beauty forecasts for 2013 predict that bold colours, particularly those worn on both the lips & the eyes are here to stay this year. Be brave here, with the return of MAC's Candy Yum-Yum lipstick you can rock the bold lip. If eye makeup is more your thing, how about a coloured eyeliner instead of the traditional black to line your eyes, maybe a sprinkle of glittery eyeshadow...the possibilities are endless here!

3. Be pampered. We all know that one of the best ways to feel better is by pampering ourselves. I Love...'s range of bath & body products are perfect for that pick me up you might need. It helps that they are reasonably affordable & smell amazing too! Having a relaxing bath or shower with some of my bath & body products is one of my favourite things to do when my spirits need lifting.

It's Christmas Time In The City

Well it's not quite Christmas [yet] but stores are starting to put out their Christmas themed products. This is great if you want to get an idea of what sort of products you'll be able to buy for Christmas presents, get a head start on your Christmas shopping or just to start feeling legitimately excited that Christmas is just around the corner.

Today I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite beauty picks for Christmas gifts for friends & family. Perhaps you want to treat yourself too, and any of these would be perfect for that!

First up we have The Body Shop's range of Christmas delights. This year they have three ranges; Cranberry Joy, Vanilla Bliss & Ginger Spice. Each of these ranges contain products like Shower Gels, Room Mists, Hand Lotions, Lip Balms & more. Depending on your budget you could mix & match products from the ranges or buy one of the gift sets available. All these products have been repackaged this year & the redesign is adorable.

Featured Products:

-Vanilla Bliss Lip Balm.

-Vanilla Bliss Shower Gel.

-Cranberry Joy Hand Lotion.

-Cranberry Joy Heart Soap.

Now for something luxurious, how pretty are all these colours from Chanel? They've released their Collection Noel for 2012 & it features this eyeshadow quad which you see above, 3 limited edition glossimers, a nail colour, lipstick & more. Everything is packaged in Chanel's signature black & gold boxes. If you want to treat yourself or someone special in your life then this is the range to look at!

Featured Products:

-Levres Scintillantes Glossimer #347-Allegorie.

-Regard Signe De Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow. 

Next we have what I like to think of as the Queen of Christmas treats, Lush! Each Christmas Lush bring out Christmas themed products which include bath ballistics, shower gels, bubble bars, lip scrubs & more. They also have gift packs available including a cheaper Secret Santa alternative if you're stuck on what to buy someone for that. I've tried some of their Christmas products already & if there's one thing I recommend you buy for yourself or gift to others it's the bath bomb you see above. Shaped like a Christmas gift once opened an array of colours & glittery stars are released into your bathtub. It's magical....and don't forget to rattle the present before you use it in the bath!

Featured Products:

-Popcorn Lip Scrub.

-Angel's Delight Soap.

-Golden Wonder Bath Ballistic.

-Magic Wand Bubble Bar.

-Ponche Shower Gel.

-Snow Fairy Shower Gel

MAC have released their Fabulousness range just in time for Christmas. A wide range of products have been packaged into gift sets & would make a welcome addition to any makeup fanatic's life. The brushes are miniature & would be perfect for travel. Some of these sets are a little on the pricier side but this reflects the quality of MAC's products. How cute would these look on a vanity?

Featured Products:

-Fabulousness 5 Smoky Eyes (Pale Pink).

-Perfectly Plush Brush Kit Mineralize.

-Primped Out Look Bag: Luxurious Pink.

-Primped Out Look Bag: Drama Taupe.

Sometimes Christmas themed products don't appeal to everyone so here's some other ideas to consider for Christmas Gifts.

Featured Products:

-Dot by Marc Jacobs. This is the latest fragrance from Marc Jacobs & it is gorgeous for Summer if you're in the Southern Hemisphere. The scent is very fruity & not too heavy, just perfect really. If you're not wanting to purchase a full fragrance you could consider scented hand creams or even rollerball fragrances as alternatives.

-Laguna Bronzer & Orgasm Blush Duo by NARS. This duo contains two of NARS' cult products & would be perfect for Summer. The bronzer and blush look amazing together.

-Essie Nail Polish. Nail Polish is a perfect stocking filler & with a wide range of colours available there is something to please everyone. 

Beauty Corner: How to wear makeup during the day.

A lot of us love wearing makeup day or night. I'm sure some of us would live in makeup if it was designed to be worn longer than any of the current 'long lasting' products on the market!

Today I'm going to talk you through the products I use for my day makeup & why I use them. If you want to make this look a little bit more exciting then you can apply eyeshadow &/ reflects glitter to your lids to draw attention to the eye area, or wear a lipstick or tinted gloss, or perhaps both.

If you have any products you'd like me to cover or want to know how I achieve certain makeup looks then head on over to my Facebook page & leave a comment. Alternatively you can just comment below this post. Enjoy!

Pre-Application

1. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream, $54 for 50mL. -This product is part of my skincare regime & I apply it in the morning & before bed. It is incredibly hydrating (especially if your skin is prone to dryness) & will leave it smooth.

2. Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub, $12.20. 

3. Maybelline Baby Lips in Mango Pie, $4.30. -I put a coat of the scrub & then the lip balm on my lips to provide some extra hydration before I put my lip products on. Not all lipsticks & glosses are hydrating for the lips so this helps protect them a bit.

Face

4. MAC Fix+ Spray, $27.00.  -I spritz this before, after & even on days when I'm not wearing makeup. Your skin will love you for this. Beauty Water works just as effectively.

5. MAC 190 Foundation Brush, $75.00.

6. MAC Studio Moisture Tint in Medium, $48.00. -This is a great alternative to foundation. I find it's the right consistency as it is not too thick. It also has the added benefits of being a moisturiser & containing SPF15. 

7. Concealer Brush.

8. Benefit Cosmetics Erase Paste, $26.00. -Apply this to your face with a concealer brush & then blend it in with your fingers. 

9. MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Powder in Medium, $24.00. 

10. Natio Blusher Brush, $12.99.

11. Natio Blush in Rouge Glow, $13.95. -This blush is fantastic for cooler-tones. It adds radiance to the cheekbones without being too overpoweringly pink.

12. Eyebrow Brush & Comb.

Eyes

13. Natio Pure Mineral Eye Brightener, about $17.00. 

14. MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter in Light Boost, $42.00. -Usually if I'm not wearing eyeshadow I only apply this under the eyes to hide any dark spots. 

15. MAC Hey Sailor! Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Handforged, $34.00. -This goes along the waterline to brighten up the eye. White pencils work just as well here.

16. MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack, $35.00. -Liquid liners are not my best friend so I love this retractable pencil. It is easy to apply & lasts well.

17. MAC Opulash Mascara in Optimum Black, $33.00.

18. MAC Lip Conditioner, $20.00

19. MAC Hey Sailor! Suntints Liquid Lip Balm in Abatone, $28.00 -This lip balm has a slight pink tint to it so your lips aren't completely nude. It is extremely hydrating & isn't as tacky as other liquid balms can be.

-All product photography has been sourced directly from the brand's websites.

-All Natio Products are priced in Australian Dollars except for #13.

-All MAC Cosmetics Products are priced in Australian Dollars.

-Benefit Products are priced in American Dollars.

-Kiehls, Lush & Maybelline are priced in New Zealand Dollars.

-This post was guest written by Nana Wintour of Nana Wintour blog. Nana Wintour is a second year University student. She loves Fashion & Musical Theatre & is never without a notebook, pen & camera by her side.