Ugghhh! I am so tired this evening. I had a tiring shift at work (crazy Christmas shoppers) followed by the usual mad dash across town to collect both of the children. Now that I’ve manged to get them fed, bathed and snuggled into bed I feel like collapsing on the sofa rather than hitting the books. I’m trying not to panic about the 2 5000 word essays I have hanging over me at the moment.

Anyway, before I fall into a coma for the remainder of the evening, and because I’m clearly incapable of posting my monthly favourites punctually, I thought I’d share a few of the things that have been making me smile recently…
1. Lush Maple Taffy Lip Balm – I’ve always been of the opinion that Lush’s lip balms are, well… pretty crap. I’ve tried a few over the years and, despite all the lovely natural ingredients listed on the dinky pots, they have always had a habit of leaving my lips feeling drier than they did pre-application. Not so with this little gem. It softens beautifully and seems to leave a slight residue (without being gunky) that acts as a great barrier against the cold weather. But the best bit has to be the delicious maple syrup scent and flavour. It’s not perfume, each pot contains masses of the stuff and that’s where the balm gets its deliciousness from. Plus it’s a bargain at only £2.50. I’ll definitely be stocking up on this LE item!

2. Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in ‘Lover’ – When it comes to essay writing I tend to operate a ‘carrot and stick’ approach. So, whenever I hand over an assignment to the University Gods I hotfoot it down to Debenhams and treat myself to a small reward. The prospect of this gorgeous Chanel lippy was the perfect incentive while working on my latest piece of prose. I have to say that this shade is a definite contender for my wedding day, I’m really loving it.

I added the colour to my wish list after watching this Pixiwoo tutorial. Nic was inspired by the fabulous picture of Drew Barrymore that I posted recently. Definitely worth a watch.
3. While we’re on the subject of Chanel I have to say that, having recently dusted off my bottle of Coco Mademoiselle, I’ve once again fallen in love with this scent. I can’t even remember why I stopped reaching for this fragrance but now that we’ve been reunited I’ve realised how perfect it is for wearing on cold, grey wintry days when I’m bundled up in a jumper, scarf and gloves. The scent makes me feel feminine and just a little bit ‘Audrey’. Perfect.

4. Lush Dream Cream – My winter skin saviour, I’m never far from my trusty pot of this luscious cream. With an oat milk base and a blend of lavender, chamomile and rose essential oils (plus the teeniest amount of tea tree to give it a healing kick), this is by far the best body moisturiser that I’ve ever used. It gets wheeled out for all the family (it works miracles on nappy rash) and I often describe it to friends as ‘first aid in a pot’. It sinks in quickly, leaves my skin deeply softened and the scent is subtle enough not to interfere with my choice of perfume (see above). 5. My love affair with Lush’s LE edition Gloog shower gel continues and this has become my favourite follow-up product. I only recently realised just how heavenly the Ginger scent is and I must say that I’m longing to purchase a few more goodies from the range. When first applied this smells like cola bottles (yum) and then as the scent settles into my skin I’m left with a sophisticated spicy scent (yummier). The cream feels silky and sinks in quickly (can you tell I’m always in a hurry to get dressed? Speed of absorption is very much a priority!) and I could honestly eat myself after I’ve slathered it on, I smell so good. Go sniff it, I implore thee.

What are you loving right now ladies?

Loveaudrey xxx