I seem to have acquired a few new beauty products recently; some repurchases, some beauty vices and just some other rather fabulous things. How does this happen? Treat yo'self 2017 or something like that? Anyway, if you're also excited by beauty, keep reading...

Birthday Balm Dotcom: Ahh Glossier, my vice. My utter favourite beauty vice. This is the latest addition to the Balm Dotcom lineup, in collaboration with Milk Bar. It smells like vanilla cake, delicious and is clear but has slight glitter reflects throughout. These multipurpose salves if you will can be used on your lips but I also like to throw them on my eyes for a bit of the glossy lid look without the thick, uncomfortable texture. 

Milky Jelly Cleanser: This is one of Glossier's hero products and I have heard mostly good things about it. Heck, Anna even cut hers open to get the last of it out and bought several backups. It's a lightweight, gel-like textured cleanser that is incredibly gentle and soothing. I've not used this yet but have tried my friend's and was impressed by it. If I end up loving it, this will not be the last time you hear about it.

Dusk Cloud Paint: Cloud Paints were all over the Golden Globes and Oscars red carpets I believe. It was around that time they launched anyway because I remember seeing some of my favourite starlets and muses, cough Alexa cough, having them used on their complexions. Lisa Eldridge is a fan too so if it's good enough for Lisa... I do not typically go for cream blush but these shades just look so lovely and easy to work with. I could not pass them up. Dusk, a nude-pink is right up my street. Again, if this is love in a painter's style tube, you will hear.

NARS True Story Cheek and Lip Palette, limited edition: This was part of the NARS Christmas 2016 collection featuring Sarah Moon's imagery that sadly isn't available anymore. One of my lovely friends is moving house soon and was having a clear-out of product she'd accumulated so I took this beauty. I am loving these blush colours at the moment and they're all shades I wear fairly regularly. My favourite is Outlaw, the far right. It's actually a permanent colour too which is great if it takes your fancy as well. 

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Painterly: During one of my ruthless culls, my MAC paint pots were looking worse for wear, i.e. expired. I've been without my ride or die eyeshadow base for months and have missed having a Paint Pot so badly. They just can't be beaten when it comes to priming the eyelids, creating a neutral canvas for whatever's layered on top and even for lazy, slapdash makeup days. I love this colour and won't ever be without one again now.

Simple Kind To Eyes, Eye Makeup Remover Pads: I usually always have some kind of eye makeup remover pads in my bag. It sounds bizarre but they're perfect if you're like me and love to swatch products when you're out beauty browsing and shopping. Or you're like me and forget moments before an interview that there's a bright coral-red lipstick on your hand. Anyway, I grabbed these in Farmers on Friday and they were on special (thank goodness) because full price I think they're a bit expensive for what they are. $10 for reference. Anyway, I like them, they feel incredibly gentle on hands and eyes plus they're a lot friendlier on the ingredient front.

-Have you purchased any new beauty odds and ends recently?

There's been a few underdog beauty brands that have seemingly appeared from nowhere and thus taken the beauty world and beauty enthusiasts by storm. None have done it quite as spectacularly as Glossier though, more on that here. Brainchild of Into The Gloss founder, Emily Weiss, Glossier has gone from strength to strength since its launch. Oh and if you're wondering how I managed to get those products to NZ, I used NZ Post's YouShop service. Glossier's manifesto is: A new way of thinking about (and shopping for) beauty products. Because "beauty" should be fun, easy, imperfect and personal. Above all, we believe that you give life to products-products don't breathe life into you. So a couple of months back I made a little order and here is what I grabbed. These are really first impressions as I've not really had enough time to form concrete opinions on everything just yet. For now though, I love everything and am particularly fond of just how simple yet effective their products are.

Super Pure Serum-Containing the hero ingredient, niacinamide which Morgan did a informative post on, it is designed for combination skins, prone to breakouts and the odd spot of redness. Although Glossier say this serum is suitable for all skin types, one of the other two may be better for you. Do your research first. It is super lightweight and feels more like a liquid version of a hyaluronic product like Hydraluron. I've not been using it long enough to notice if it's working, partly because I have been somewhat noncommittal with my skincare lately but I will definitely do an update on it sometime early next year.

Boy Brow Styling Pomade in Brown-This has been dubbed the Number One brow gel by Buzzfeed, Teen Vogue and numerous other outlets so you know it's going to be good. That and the fact it is often sold out on Glossier. It's a bold claim but this may be my new favourite brow gel. It's not too heavy a product, meaning it's a bit subtler on and because it's a bit wetter, rather than thick it gives you more time to work with it. Oh, and more importantly it keeps my brows in place all day. My only gripe is it's tiny. Please do a larger size soon G team! 

Generation G  Matte Lipstick in Cake-These lipsticks are designed to give your lips what Glossier dub the popsicle effect. Think lips that are stained with the subtlest hint of colour. They're partway between a matte lipstick and a tinted lip balm so they're not the most hydrating of lip products. In saying that, I don't find this drying out my lips when I'm wearing it and it doesn't settle into the creaselines of my lips like some insanely matte products tend to do. The Generation G lipsticks are a lovely option for people who don't want to commit to a matte lipstick or find bolder colours a bit intimidating. Cake, a peachy-brown nude is one of those colours that suits every kind of makeup look so it's been getting a fair bit of use for me. In fact, I think it's been living in my makeup bag for the last week or so-that's how much I like it.

-Have you tried any Glossier products before? What did you think of them?

#fact I love Instagram. Whether it's stunning food photos, cute cat snaps or beauty and fashion themed pictures, there is something about it that is addicting and we all love it. Today I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite Beauty Instagram accounts to follow. This is by no means all of my favourites but of all the beauty-folk that I follow, these ones probably see me reaching for the heart button the most.

Evachen212 Eva was the Beauty Editor over at Teen Vogue until last year when she became Editor in Chief of Lucky magazine. She regularly shares photos of new products across her desk, macarons, skincare and what she's used up lately. If you want snapshots of upcoming products to look forward to, or even instant recommendations then you should give her account a follow. 

Into The Gloss The ladies who bought us the infamous top shelf posts on their blog also share their lives in photos. They post inspiring quotes, beauty editorial photos and of course stunning pictures from their blog posts. ITG is such a brilliant blog if you're looking for product recommendations or the scoop on what some of fashion and beauty's famous faces love and use. 

Mecca Cosmetica Readers outside Australia and New Zealand, Mecca is like a very scaled down Sephora or Space NK. Expect to see behind the scenes snaps from Mecca HQ, new products arriving on the shelves and even staff favourites. Their regular nail polish photos will have you wanting to rush out and buy the shades they're sporting too. Give them a follow if you love all things beauty.