After a hugely successful January in the beauty department, February has been a bit of a hit and miss month for me with trying out new beauty products - some have been complete gems which will definitely be re-purchased, while others have been a massive disappointment and a waste of money. Let’s start with the pick of the bunch, shall we?

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Berry

This was a very generous gift from a friend who visited the US recently - I’ve been after one of these to try for ages as I seem to be on the perpetual hunt for a tinted lip balm that actually gives a long lasting tint. And finally I’ve found it! Lip balm is essential for the winter months, and this one has fabulous moisturising qualities and smells of lemon sherbert. Berry is quite a strong looking shade which you can build up to give your desired colour. It has a good level of pigment when applied, but the best bit for me is that it fades down and leaves your lips with a tint which is perfect - my natural lip colour but better. Slightly rosy and perfect if you have olive skin. Fresh Sugar products aren’t cheap, and are hard to come by in the UK, but I’ve noticed that they seem to have opened up a couple of shops in London - hurrah!

 

MAC Lipstick in Mehr

I’d been lusting after Mehr for a while now, and finally managed to find a MAC store that had it in stock (it was also out of stock online but seems to have come back in now). It’s a lovely pinky brown shade with mauve undertones and the finish is from the Matte range, so it has a super flat finish. The colour is perfect for me - my skin isn’t overly pale (MAC NW20/25), and this just sits perfectly on me, making my face look less tired. It’s a beautiful natural pink shade. I find that although the colour is very wearable on a daily basis, the matteness of this makes it quite a glamourous choice. And because it’s so matte, you do need to make sure your lips are in good condition before applying (but that’s no problem, because I’m using my Fresh Sugar lip balm!)

 

Nailtiques Formula 2

Not the most exciting purchase perhaps, but I’ve been suffering from a few flakes in my nails lately, which is a sure sign I’ve been neglecting them. My beauty salon recommended the Nailtiques Formula 2 to try to repair them, which I’ve been applying religiously and it does appear to be working. You apply like a nail varnish and the protein conditions and protects your nails. At £11.65, it’s not much more pricey than a nail varnish, so feels like a worthwhile investment. I’ve been combining it with my long-term cuticle oil, Dadi Oil.

 

Nails Inc Gel One Coat in Rose Lane

I was quite excited when Nails Inc brought out their new Gel range as I like the staying power that gel polishes have. But this has been a disappointment for me. Although it goes on nicely with one coat, I found that it didn’t last any longer than my regular Nails Inc or Essie varnishes, chipping after around 2 days. I also didn’t find the colour very flattering against my skin tone as it seemed paler on the nail than in the bottle. An all round disappointment for me.

 

Have you tried any of these products? I’d love to know what you think of them - leave me a comment!