Hello lovelies,

I've just realised I haven't done 'monthly favourites' post for a while so I've gathered some of my recent favourite products/things to show you.

I haven't been doing much nail art lately because I'm just so busy with the wedding preparation (we're leaving in 9 days!!!) but when I do I use stamping. I've rediscovered my love for stamping and I can't get enough of all those beautiful new plates out there. The one I really like using right now is Pueen Lace Blossom plate (reviewed here), a huge plate full of different designs ranging from lace, florals to geometric. So that my first favourite, here's the rest...

Next up is my almost empty pot of Simply Satin by Bliss Kiss - a whipped body fluff with pearlescent particles. I've loved this product from the moment I first tried it. I have a dry skin and it left it nourished, moisturised and shimmery. It is so soft and fluffy it just melts on skin. It does leave oily film on skin but that didn't bother me because my skin loved it. It also smells very nice and sweet :) It is rarely available because it's a handmade product so if you want to try it, keep an eye on the website.

About (beacause the description says it better than I ever could):

Simply Satin™ Whipped Body Fluff soothes dry skin and helps re-balance your body’s natural moisture barrier. Over time your body will need less fluff to maintain its moisture. This all-natural, five ingredient, whipped body fluff is a non-greasy, fast absorbing, daily moisturizer that you will want to use from head to toe.

Simply Satin™ is a creamy colored, exquisitely light blend of Mango and Coconut butters, Jojoba Wax Ester, Olive Squalane, and Vitamin E. It’s perfect for sensitive skin since it’s free of gluten, parabens, and synthetic colors. The natural fragrance comes directly from blend of ingredients. We do not add any additional fragrance oils.

SpaRitual HandPrint hand serum is a serum I have been using for quite a while as well before applying hand cream and cuticle oil. It is very light and fast-absorbing and it doesn't leave any icky sticky layer. To me it smells like tangerines or those fizzy vitamin C tablets. It's a nice product with lovely packaging (matte glass bottle and a pump) but the price is a bit higher with £21.50/$40 per 30ml.

About: Handprint Hand Serum is formulated with Swiss Apple Stem Cells and infused with Ginger Root Extract to soften and smooth skin's texture, Pumpkin Fruit Extract to build collagen and promote elasticity, and Licorice Root to help treat discolouration.

And FINALLY, the nail art book of the year (for me)! The lovely Sophie Harris-Greenslade aka The Illustrated Nail has released a book called Nail It! full of nail art tutorials and nail care and nail art advice. I genuinely squeeled with joy when the book arrived and I spent good 10 minutes just flipping through and looking at the 100 nail art tutorials. There are simple and intricate designs and picture and worded step-by-step instructions so everyone can find something for them.

I've already recreated one design called Ditsy (in photo above) and will be doing a whole post on it later. Nail It! is available on Amazon UK for £13.48

So those are some of my recent favourites - which one do you like most and would like to try?

Have a lovely day! Lucie x

*Post contains products previously sent for consideration

1. Aromatherapy Associates Joy Candle* - I love candles and this one currently ma go-to candle. It is large with three wicks so you really get a lot of scent released. It smells lovely with lots of rose and some other scents. I also really like the whole design of it from the matte glass to the gold Aromatherapy Associates logo. Simple, clean and elegant. It is a limited edition re-released for the holidays so it won't be available forever! Here's a bit more information about it: "This decadent multi-wick candle makes a much anticipated return to the Christmas collection for 2014. Complete your festive decorations with this elegant candle which boasts a delicate yet seductive combination of rose and ginger essential oils to enrich your home with a warming and welcoming atmosphere. Our candles are hand-poured and made in the United Kingdom from the highest quality soy wax with unbleached cotton wicks. 100% GM free."

The Joy candle is available here. For £45 it's on the pricier side but I like a bit of luxury from now and then.

2. A England Crown Of Thistles and Queen Of Scots* - These two new shades stood up for me the most and I absolutely love them! They are both from the Elizabeth & Mary collection that has been recently released. I love their flawless formula and stunning colour! I've reviewed them here.

3. All That Jazz Louise’s - From Riches to Rubies - I got this polish just last Thursday, painted it on Friday and I'm still wearing it on my non-swatching hand! It's so pretty and sparkly! Even though it's not Christmas yet (and this truly is Christmas on nails) this red glittery polish is something I'll never tire of wearing. I'll do a proper review later but I wanted to show you early in case you want it for the holiday season! If you like China Glaze's Ruby Pumps and Essie's Ruby Slippers then you'll love this one! It is available here (you need to register to shop).

4. Models Own Ebony Green* - I'm not usually swooning over green polishes but this one grabbed my attention. It's vampy and dark and it has slightly jelly formula. It also represents all the new HyperGel shades added to this line. They are all super glossy and jelly-ish and I must say I like them all! Thay are available at Models Own website for £4.99 each.

5. Glossybox Harvey Nichols edition* - I simply must include this month's Glossybox because I love it! I used to subscribe to Glossybox for around two years but none of the boxes was ever as good as this one. This is a special Harvey Nichols edition valued over £150 and you pay only £30 (+P&P) for it. My favourite items out of it are:

• OPI Avoplex Moisture Replenishing hand lotion with generous 120ml. This lotion is very light, fast absorbing and doesn't leave sticky residue. Great to carry in a handbag! I'm so glad I got this lotion rather than OPI polish
• Macadamia Natural Healing Oil 10ml - I love this stuff and all products from this range, makes my hair super soft and glossy! I've tried all of them and I'll purchase again if I'll find some good offer
• Laura Mercier Foundation Primer 30ml - I like this one because it feels very light, I can't feel any silicone and it doesn't leave a sticky feeling.
• SHOW Beauty Sheer Thermal Protect - this is a full-sized product you'll get worth £35! I don't know about you but I'm terrified of damaging my hair with heat so I don't use tools (iron, curlers, wands) very often. But when I do I like to use heat protecting sprays so I'm very glad for this one.

Those are just some of my top picks but I will use most of the items like the Benefit mascara, Harvey Nichols Party Candle, NARS Satin Lip Pencil... This limited edition Glossybox is available from 17th November but you can register of one at Glossybox.co.uk now!

6. Macadamia Oil Extract Hair products - I really want to share this find with you even though it's not nail-related! I have come across this video from Laura aka Fitz N Bitz where she talks about a new range of macadamia oil products being released for Lidl in Ireland. I watched it but thought that it probably won't be in the UK for a while. And it's not, I have been to Lidl yesterday and didn't find it BUT I have found it in Savers some time ago! I really like the packaging - it's black with white or orange ' floral doodle' drawings on it, very pretty. I purchased shampoo, conditioner and hair mask and in just one wash my hair went from hard, tangled and horrible to smooth, non-frizzy and without tangles, all for £1 each!!! I can't recommend this enough and big thanks to Laura for making the video!

So that's it, those are my favourites from the past month! I hope you've enjoyed this post even though it's a little bit different to what I usually do. Leave a comment, I want to hear your thoughts ;)

Have a lovely day! Lucie x

*Products previously sent for consideration