The Goodies and Baddies of Winter 2010

As the harsh winter of 2010 is finally lifting and the Spring/Summer collections are gradually appearing, it's finally time to contemplate the products- skincare, clothing, footwear, haircare and make up, that have been my highlights and lowlights of the season :o)

The "Goodies"

The first product is Garnier's Skin Naturals Essentials Day Moisturizer for dry and sensitive skin. Due to the sub-zero temperatures (it hit minus 17 here!), my faithful Olay Beauty Fluid just wasn't enough. As a long time lover of Garnier skincare I am happy to report that this product didn't disappoint! It is rich in texture but light on application with a pleasant, fresh scent. Not bad for a mere £5/€7.50, product available here.

Next, is my footwear staple for the season. As pumps were out of the question due to the weather, and my dislike of ugg boots, these became my go-to footwear for every occasion. They aren't leather, but do not look cheap in the slightest, and after excessive wear (and i mean excessive), the fur detail is still intact, as is the heel tip. A bargain from New Look, £26.99/€35. Similar available here.

I could not make this guide without some recognition to the coat in which I have lived in this winter (hence the rushed picture!). It is a dark tan colour with cute toggle detail in all perfect match to my favorite boots! It came with a fur trim on the hood which I removed. Quite inexpensive at a mere £44.99/€55, again from New Look, available here.

Next is my hair styling must-have, Umberto Giannini's Backcomb in a Bottle. This product is quickly establishing cult status and its not difficult to see why. It is a spray that when applied directly to the roots and "jujjed" (Umberto G's words, not mine!), gives a backcombed effect without the damage resulting from usual the comb and hairspray attack! It is not heavy or greasy and is really a star for those days when a little volume is required. Avaliable from Boots for £5.61, here.

The "Baddies"

I have been mostly sensible with my purchases this season so big mistakes have been few and far between. However this product turned out to be a major dissapointment. It is a Calvin Klein cosmetics Fully Delicious plumping Lip Gloss in Enchanted. It ticked all the boxes, light, glittery, sheer, PINK! Until this major fail...

The gloss came without any funnel type insert to wipe away the excess, and it is unusable (trust me- I've tried!).

Finally, my biggest disaster of the season...

Yup, like many others before me I fell for the "see, grab, buy" philosophy of Primark clothing and footwear, and I was stung, badly. See, I have been looking for simple suede boots with a small heel since last winter, but to no avail until a trip to Primark where I snapped up these boots in tan (pictured here), black and grey. I know that £15/€17 isn't expensive for boots this cute, however it turns into a pretty expensive mistake when this happens...

This happened to my grey pair after just one ten minute walk to college. Like any sane person I took them off and brought them straight to a cobbler who told me that the material is too poor to attach a new tip to. I had been wearing the tan and black pairs that week already with no problems so I just returned the grey. By the end of that fortnight though, the others had a similar fate (as above) but as the return deadline had expired, I wasn't offered a refund or even credit note- although they are quite obviously faulty! Also, it's not just my pair or a faulty batch, many of my friends have had similar problems. Previously complained about here.

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Happy New Year everyone!

Loves, H xoxox