{the rachelle lust list : 14th january 2013}

The only thing good about a Monday morning is the Rachelle Lust List, no? A collection of my new favourite things - even if it is a bikini in January; of which the best thing to come of the month is the re-release of the Cadburys Creme Egg.. 

t h e  f o u r t e e n t h  o f  j a n u a r y . . .

1. One positive aspect of endless dull winter nights is being able to socially close your blinds at 4pm (the only other benefit is being able to car-sing-and-dance without inhibitions and curious looks from passing traffic) and begin burning candles in the fashion of a large church, my favourite scent at the moment is - of course - a Diptyque number, Ambre (£40 at John Lewis) Yum. 

2. Another River Island bikini to tempt me. I'm going to order this cut-out beauty and pretend I'm not sat at my desk shivering over a cup of green tea watching snow fall through the window. 

3. After about three weeks of use, I think I'm finally qualified to say I'm suitably impressed with Mac Prep & Prime 'Skin Base' primer. I have dry skin, yet my t-zone and chin often get incredibly oily throughout the day. I need a primer to keep my makeup in place all day (who can be bothered with hourly touch ups?) but also provide a silky base to keep my dry skin nourished and behaving well. This is performing very well so far; I'm not a one-product-review kinda girl but this may require a dedicated post..

A Guide To: Your Best-Ever Red Lip

Its impossible to sport a red lip and not feel festive; with upcoming Christmas parties, dinner invitations and some very merry days - a simple slick of lippy works wonderfully.

If we're doing things properly, and by the book, we should start with a quick exfoliation with a lip scrub (or simply gently brush your lips with your toothbrush, apply your favourite lip balm and allow to sink in nicely before applying your lipstick.

I've rounded up some of the best red lipsticks before, but my all time favourite and fail-safe combination is a careful lining of the lips with Mac Lip Pencil in Cherry. Take a lip-brush and fill in your lips, following the shape you created with your pencil with the Mac Matte Lipstick in Ruby Woo, a highly pigmented and glamorous red that really will suit all skin tones. I love a matte red lip, but should you want to add a little gloss, Mac Pro Longwear Lipglass in Driven by Love complements Ruby Woo perfectly.

The Rachelle Edit: My Current Skincare Routine

I'm one of those skincare geeks. The annoying ones who spend ages researching what to buy, how it works and what ingredients will work with what I know about my skin. Its timely, often expensive - but worth it. I've never been blessed with a flawless, baby face - since I was about eleven. Teenage spots, dryness, flakiness, spot-scars, redness, and an oily t-zone are just some of the horrors I've encountered over the years.

As a beauty blogger, I've tried millions of skincare products claiming to cause miracles; some work, some don't. I've created a collection of the truly miraculous skincare products that really do what they claim on the tin which I rely on a daily basis..

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish £14.25 | Each night, I take my makeup off with a pump of the famous cleaner, leave a moment and polish off with the cloth. I always double cleanse with a half pump of this massaged onto the face and rinsed off, I've used this stuff for years and never looked back. My skin is thoroughly cleaned, soft and gently exfoliated. Kiehl's Extremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover £16 | I don't always use this, just whatever I find next in rotation, but I always prefer a swipe of this on cotton wool as opposed to removing eye makeup with a cleanser, never a pleasant experience I find! Garnier do an excellent one for about £3! Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair from £44 | This has become another staple in keeping my skin, clear, supple and fresh. It works wonders on all skin types while you sleep, I always apply this at night straight after cleansing. I'm only twenty and not worrying about ageing just yet, but I do love the sun and I'm hoping this will act as 'insurance' against that as promised within time...