Tuesday 6 December 2016

WHAT'S NEW | In My Beauty Stash?

Hey Everyone! 

So over the last couple of months I've completely missed and somewhat forgotten to a do a favourites post, these are one of my absolute favourites to share with you guys - so i do feel a little dissapointed in myself. I've managed to collect quite a few products over the last few months, some good and some bad! So instead of a favourites i wanted to share what's new in my beauty stash!

L'Oreal True Match Foundation | £9.99
I'm really torn when it comes to this foundation. They stock 23 shades which range from warm to neutral to cool undertones, which means all the fair skinned ladies out there - there will be a shade that suits you! Firstly, i do really really love the way it applies and initially sits on the skin however, i do find after about hour 4 it starts to go patchy and real oily. I would say it's a light to medium coverage and is build-able. I do normally mix it with the L'Oreal infallible listed below as that has longer staying power than this, which dramatically improves the result. 

YSL Mon Paris  | £46.50 30ml
I normally wear YSL Black Opium, so was delighted when i won this bottle of YSL Mon Paris in a twitter competition. It has a the following notes, Top - Pear & Fruit, Heart - Datura & White flowers and base - Patchouli & White Musk. The perfect sweet / musky scent for winter! It's long wearing just like all other YSL perfumes and is really lovely to wear!

Morphe 12NB Pallete | £13.00 
Oh my god this palette though!! This has to be my most favourite palette ever, it's super versatile and includes 12 warm everyday shades. It's really blend able, there's no fall out and it's incredibly affordable. You can now buy this America brand from Beauty Bay, so need to for hefty postage charges! I find for really pale skin (like myself) it has some amazing transition crease colours, without making you look like you've been punched.


Organic & Botanic Night Moisturiser* | £67.00 50ml
I was excited to try this product when i received it from the lovely PR team at Organic & Botanic. This mandarin orange enhancing night moisturiser works to heal and nourish the skin whilst your sleeping. I do like the idea of this product, however i do not think it's worth the £67.00 price fee attached as i didn't notice that much of a difference to my skin - a good dupe for this is The Body Shop, drops of youth bouncy sleep mask for £24.00 i find this works better and actually leaves noticeable changes in the skin. I found the actual product sticky and heavy on my face and broke out shortly after. So sorry Organic & Botanic, it's a no from me!

L'Oreal Infalliable Foundation | £9.99
Another L'Oreal foundation, but this time one i have been really loving. This buildable product is a medium to full coverage which has fantastic staying power. It blends amazingly with a damp beauty blender and the colour shade is gorgeous! The only con is, keep you face super hydrated as it can cling to dry patches!

Gerard Cosmetics Hydramatte Liquid Lipstick - Serenity| | £11.50
Another purchase from Beauty Bay and a collaboration from Gerard cosmetics and one of my faves Manny MUA. This is a gorgeous warm pink with hints of brown liquid lipstick, this is a really comfortable and non drying matte lipstick and i have been loving wearing it. 

L'Oreal Pure Clay Detox & Glow Masks | £7.99 per mask
Two of the BEST face masks i have ever used. If you have combination skin like myself, these are the perfect masks to compliment your skin type. I like to pop the glow mask (which has small exfoliating beads within) on my cheeks and the detox mud mask on my nose, chin and forehead where i get most of my break - outs. I use this combination 2 - 3 times a week and find it really helps to deeply cleanse my face. After using my skin is so smooth and healthy looking! At £7.99 per mask these are an absolute bargain - the two pots above have lasted me ages! 

Dermalogica Phyto Replenish Oil*| £62.00 30ml
I got this in my goodie bag when i went to the Beauty Blogger Awards. Dermalogica is a brand i have used in the past, when i was at college doing Beauty. I really love their products and this is no exception, this oil can be mixed in your moisturiser or applied on it's own. I have to admit, i'm always a little hesitant to try an oil before foundation as i'm quite oily - so i pat this onto my face before i go to sleep and after i have cleansed and toned!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer | £5.99
This concealer is a dupe for the Nars creamy concealer that i know a lot of bloggers swear by. I've been using the lightest shade and it does a fab job of brightening my under eyes. It's thick but not cakey, and it's really easy to blend! I do really love this, however nothing will replace my Collection lasting perfection concealer which will always be my number.1 bae! 

Becca Cosmetics Highlighter Opal*| £20.00 Glow On The Go Kit
My most favourite person Emma bought me the liquid and powder Opal highlighter from Becca Cosmetics when she went to Vegas over the summer. This is the most intense and beautiful pressed highlighter, the pigmentation is insane! I like to apply to the top of my cheekbones, tip of nose, cupids bow and brow bone. The glow makes me feel like a unicorn!

Aurelia Probiotic Moisturiser* | £52.00 60ml
Another moisturiser i was sent by the lovely folks at Aurelia as i wasn't able to attend a brunch event in London, so was able to get my hands on some sample sizes of their beautiful products. I LOVE this moisturiser, it's lighty whipped and leaves you feeling radiant, glowing whilst preventing skin ageing. It contains probiotics petide technologies which hydrate and sooth dull and dehydrated skin. This product is for all skin types and is Vegan friendly!

Geeeeeeeeeze, that was a long old list!


What's your favourite product? Let me know your thoughts!


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*Products marked with an asterix (*) have been gifted / PR Sample. All opinions are 100% my own
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Friday 2 December 2016

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2016

Hey Everyone!

Yesssssss... the countdown to Christmas is FINALLY here! And I am SO excited - I've actually already done most of my Christmas shopping. However, that doesn't stop me from adding things to my own wish list and hoping either my lovely boyfriend or family see this!

I have chosen 6 items over 4 categories, these include - Beauty, Travel, Homeware and For Him! I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration if your struggling for gifts.

For all the Beauty lovers out there I've put together a few bits which have appeared heavily on my own wish list. My personal favourite's are the Zoeva brushes and the Charlotte Tilbury Quad - if this colour isn't for you they have a selection of different colours so make sure you check out the website! 

1. Zoeva Bamboo Makeup Brush Set | £65.00 

2. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Skin Frost (Peach Goddesss) | £25.50 

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit | £69.00 

4. Charlotte Tilburry Luxury Eyeshadow Quad (The Uptown Girl) |  £38.00 

5. Mac Lipstick (Velvet Teddy) | £15.50 

6. Jeffree Star Cosmetics Beauty Killer Palette | £40.00 

For those friends or family members who just can't seem to stay in one place and love an Adventure! My favourite is the Lonely Planet Ultimate Travelist - the pictures are gorgeous and it is so much fun to flick through and plan your next trip. 

1. Louise Vuitton Keepall Bandoulière 45 | £1,170 

2. BANDO Passport Cover | £30.00

3. BANDO Luggage Tag | £13.00 

4. Cable For Two | £16.50 

5. Lonely Planet Ultimate Travelist | £18.80 

6. Oliver Bonas In Flight Kit | £15.00 

For the people who love homely homeware, I know some bits are more expensive.. (anthropologie ahem..) but the beautiful Olver Bonas frame makes a brilliant present and you could even personlise with a special picture!

1. Marks and Spencers J Alphabet Cushion | £15

2. Oliver Bonas Modena Frame | £14.00  

3. Anthropologie Meguro Duvet | £148 + 

4. Molton Brown Coco and Sandalwood Reeds | £39.00  

5. Saskia Salt and Pepper Shakers | £14.50  

6. Tapio Champagne Glasses | £30.00


Last but not least, a few gifts for the man in your life. My personal favourite is the Harley Quinn Marvel Christmas jumper and the coffee set from Whittards!
 
1. Liz Earle Gentleman's Grooming Collection | £35.00 

2. Townsman Fossil Watch | £185.00


3. Harley Quinn Christmas Jumper | £29.99 

4. Leather Aspinal Wallet | £95.00 

5. Ugg Slippers | £80.00

6. Dolce Vita Coffee Hamper | £80.00

So, that was my Christmas Gift Guide for 2016, I hope it gives you some inspiration! Let me know if you buy anything from the above and what's your favourite item?

Merry Christmas! 


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Wednesday 23 November 2016

BLOSSOMING GIFTS | Christmas Flowers

Hey Everyone!

Who doesn't love receiving a beautiful bouquet of flowers hand delivered to your door? No one?.. Didn't think so! Blossoming Gifts certainly does not disappoint with their stunning hand tied bouquets! I was lucky enough to be sent the Christmas Lily & Rose bouquet* which was beautifully packaged, arrived promptly and was tied with delicate white tissue paper and a cute grey vintage bow! Not only are the flowers presented wonderfully, they came in a large box fastened around the bottom -  this is brilliant and a fantastic way to ensure the flowers aren't moving around and damaged during transit!

As i mentioned above i was kindly sent the Lily & Rose bouquet from the Blossoming Gifts Christmas flowers range. Personally, I think these would make the perfect Christmas present for any loved one! You can pair these beautiful hand tied bouquets with bubbles, chocolates, vintage vases and even personalised gifts making it the ideal Christmas present! The flower quality is incredibly fresh and they smell amazing - Blossoming Gifts guarantee the flowers to last for 7 days (the above pictures was taken on day 5!) This bouquet has certainly brought a touch of early festive cheer to my kitchen.

The Blossoming Gifts Christmas range start from £17.99 - however I have been given a discount code for you lovely lot, so if you enter 'BGIFTS3' at the check-out you will receive a huge 33% off all flowers - this does however exclude all products on the 'flowers by post' page.

Let me know if and what you order! I would love to see pictures..


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*Products marked with an asterix (*) have been gifted / PR Sample. All opinions are 100% my own
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Wednesday 16 November 2016

DRAGONFLY TEA | Tea House Collection

Hey Everyone! 

In my opinion, there's nothing better than snuggling down with a warm cuppa! Especially as the festive season has officially started. Dragonfly tea is company that i had heard of before but never tried, a few weeks back i was kindly invited to an event they where holding in London but due to work commitments i was unable to make it. A few days later i was absolutley delighted to be offered two tea's to sample from their new Tea House Collection.
Dragonfly tea are currently celebrating fifteen years, so happy birthday Dragonfly! Bruce Ginsberg the founder of Dragonfly Tea must have tea running through his veins, he has spent his life exploring monasterys in Japan and studying tea in South Africa. Not only that, Benjamin Ginsberg, Bruce's grandfather was the founder of rooibus tea!

With their 15th birthday in mind, Dragonfly Tea have created the 'Tea House Collection' which includes 10 wholeleaf teas, sourced from the finest gardens around the world. The selection includes the following;
Jade Orchid Green Tea 
Genmaicha & Match Green Tea
Lemongrass & Ginger Infusion
Bai Mudan White Tea 
Garden Mint & Verbena Infusion 
Jasmine Pearls Green Tea 
English Breakfast 
Earl Grey Tea 
Dragon Well Green Tea 
Eastern Beauty Oolong

They above teas come in boxes of 15 and retail from £4.75 upwards.
I went for two of my favourites - Jasmine Pearls* and Earl Grey*. The tea bags are made from biodegradable pyramids which lets the loose whole leaf tea properly brew inside. As soon as i received this parcel i could smell the tea through the box - the smells are incredible, however when brewing this is not overpowering to the flavour! My favourite part was that you can actually see the tea and buds expanding in the teabag. 

From the pyramid tea bags to the loose leaves inside, this product is high quality and a real winner with me! I've already got my eye on the luxury tea and candle gift set on the website.

Have you ever tried Dragonfly tea? What's your favourite flavour  


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*Products marked with an asterix (*) have been gifted / PR Sample. All opinions are 100% my own
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Sunday 13 November 2016

DAYS OUT | Christmas With IntuVIB

Hey Everyone! 

Eeeeeeep, the Christmas countdown is officially ON and i have been to my first Christmas event of the year! You have no idea how much this excites me.. being the huge Christmas fan i am i was so excited to be invited along to the launch night of the Intu Lakeside Christmas Village. The Christmas village is complete with a very large ice rink, cocktail crystal bar, a grotto to meet Father Christmas, Christmas market and festive treats - making it the perfect destination for all the family this Christmas! 

As soon as we entered, we headed straight for the Crystal bar for a little dutch courage before the ice skating began! They had a huge selection of alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages including mulled wine, hot chocolates with whipped cream and delicious Bellini cocktails - i personally can't say no to a glass of fizz so opted for the Berry & Winter Spice Bellini which was so delicious! The prices vary but the cocktails started from £6.00. 

The undercover ice rink is located near House of Fraser and is a whopping 600msq and fully sheltered from the rain! The ice rink is now open and will be running until the 1st of January. The prices vary but for an adult it costs £9.75 and for under 16's £7.75, you can book online through their website and they are running special events throughout the season.. they even have a silent disco! The atmosphere on the rink is brilliant complete with a ring side DJ! From the ice rink staff to the bar staff, everyone was incredibly helpful and lovely - massive shout out to a member of the Ambulance crew who helped me get my skates on!

Just remember to wrap up warm and bring your gloves!
A HUGE Thank you to Intu Lakeside for the invite.. it was the perfect way to start the festive season and we had so much fun!


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Monday 31 October 2016

VICHY | Purete Thermale 3 in 1 Cleanser Review

Hey Everyone!

Skincare in the winter has to be one of the most important things, with the season change the harsh cold air can cause your skin to go dry. Whilst coming to the end of my loved Clinique take the day off balm, i didn't really want to fork out another £22.00 so went for a slightly cheaper drugstore option and i have to admit I'm SO happy i did! 

The Vichy Purete Thermale 3 in 1 Cleanser can be found at boots or on feel you unique for around £12.00 for 200ml. Vichy is a brand which has been perfecting skincare for over 70 years, this European brand is owned by L'oreal and uses thermal spa water from the hot springs of the town Vichy in France in their products. Their powerful formula's have been tested by dermatologists who have specifically tested on sensitive skin and eyes - the cleanser is  hypoallergenic with no parabens which makes it the perfect product for all the sensitive skinned people out there! 

The Thermale 3 in 1 cleanser claims to have cleansing milk, toner and eye make-up remover in the one product.. which did make me a little sceptical - as you can imagine! The product itself is not as thick as other cream cleansers I've used (Liz Earle & Burts Bee's) however it goes on easily and provides a very deep cleanse, leaving you feeling refreshed and squeaky clean. The eye make-up removal part of the product is by far the best I've used, it removes it with such ease and pretty much one go! It doesn't sting and doesn't leave clouding in my eyes! Once I've used it to remove eye make-up i like to go in with a second cleanse to get rid of any stubborn make-up - to do this i use a warm muslin cloth. I'm not really sure where the toner comes into play, but maybe that's why the product isn't as thick as normal cream cleansers.

All in all, this is a product i would definitely buy again! It does everything it says on the tin and is super affordable! 

Have you tried any Vichy products? What's your favourite? 
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Tuesday 18 October 2016

COLOURPOP | Haul

Hey Everyone! 

I recently got an email through from Colourpop Cosmetics, offering $5 international shipping for one weekend only. And as you can see.. I obviously jumped at the chance. Colourpop a Los Angelo's based company founded in 2014 has been huge on the blogasphere and Youtube scene for a year or so now, the likes of Desi Perkins, Lustrelux, Nikkietutorials and obviously Kathleen Lights all rave about the products. The thing i like most about these products is that they are seriously budget friendly, with each product being around $5 - not only this but the products themselves are not tested on animals. 

Below are the products i picked up.
The 'Where The Light Is' eyeshadow quad was the first thing I put in my basket. These four shadows designed by the YouTube beauty Kathleen Lights are the perfect foursome to create that statement Autumnal smokey eye every blogger dreams of. 

Clockwise starting from the back; 

Glow - A beautiful vanilla base shade with a matte finish 
Kathleenlights - A gorgeous golden copper with a pearlised finish 
Blaze - The winner out of the four for me, a coco bronze sprinkled with multi dimensional glitter and a metallic finish
Cornelious - A mid tone warm brown / caramel with a matte finish 

I have to admit, these are the most insanely pigmented shadows i have ever used. The colour pay off is amazing for such a cheap product. They are very easily blended and do not crease, they are so creamy that they almost feel like a cream shadow when swatched.
Next up, after much deliberation i went for 3 Lippie Stix and matching Lippie Pencils. I went for two matte's and one gloss finish and love them all so much! They are so easy to apply and work really well as a combo.
The colours i went for are as follows; 

Another perfect shade from the Kathleenlights collection, this product is a dusty mauve shade and my favourite out of the three. It has a matte finish, but doesn't feel drying - it is really easy to apply and feels comfortable throughout the day. The pencil makes a perfect base for the lippie stix.
I wanted a new red shade for Autumn but not a dark berry shade, more of a bright red channel. Again, this is another matte finish and wears and applies well like lumiere on the lip. It is such a vibrant red shade and I love how bright it is.
This lighter nude pink has a gloss finish, this super sheer gloss looks gorgeous on it's own our paired with the matching lippie stix. I must say, this is the only one which doesn't match perfectly - the lippie pencil is so much more brown than the stix. Even though it appears browner in the swatch when paired together with the stix it's a truly gorgeous combo!
In regards to getting to the items, Colourpop now do international shipping. I managed to get a special offer of $5 but I think it's normally quite expensive - I then wasn't expecting the hefty customers charge of nearly £15.00 on top (so just bare in mind when ordering). However, it still made the items I bought around £5.00 per product, which is incredibly cheap for the quality that your getting!

What would you recommend from Colourpop, are there any products you love?
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Thursday 6 October 2016

TRAVEL | Disneyland Paris Tips & Tricks

Hey Everyone!

If you follow me on any of my social medias, then you will know I'm a pretty huge Disney fan. I've been going since i was little, but most recently have visited during Halloween, Christmas, Spring and Summer! I wanted to share with you my top tips & tricks for Disneyland Paris - please bare in mind, that this is just the way i like to do Disney and it might not be everyone's way! 
Pre Disneyland Paris 
Accommodation
I know that most people stay in the Disneyland hotels and get some great perks, including extra magic hours and food options. However, as Emma and I normally book these trips on a spur of the moment thing and on a budget we book a hotel which is based around a 15 minute walk from the park. I have stayed in the Hiperk Serris three times and each time my stay has been enjoyable. It's cheap, clean and close to Disney (they even have a free shuttle that takes you too and from the parks if you can't be bothered to walk!) - this makes it the perfect base for your trip.. to be honest, you barely spend any time at the hotel!

Train Tickets
If your coming from Charles Du Gaulle Airport, pre book your train tickets online. The TGV high speed train runs about every hour and takes you directly into Disney. I once didn't pre-book and it cost me about £30.00 for a 9 minute one way train journey - which i didn't even have a seat for! The last time i went however, i pre-booked and got a return journey for £25.00. The train from CDG Airport will take you to Marne La Valee-Chessy train station which is located inside the Disney grounds. 

Park Tickets
Disneyland Paris is split into two parks, the Disneyland Park and the Walt Disney Studios Park. I would say the Disneyland Park is more traditional where as the Walt Disney Studios has more fast paced roller coasters and action shows. I ALWAYS go to Disney for the weekend so buy a 2 day park hopper (which i would recommend) However if travelling on a day trip from Paris i have also down the 1 day ticket. 1 day can be slightly rushed, but me and my boyfriend still managed to fit in everything we wanted to do. I always buy online through a company called Attraction Tix, they send you an e-code and you literally go up to the fancy touch machines and print your tickets!

What to take in to the park?
Firstly, take a water bottle with you! They are expensive to buy but free to fill up at water fountains. Obviously, check the weather and make sure you're packed for all situations, it might start off sunny but your In the park until 11pm so will need a jacket. Comfortable shoes are a must as your walking miles each day (i would suggest trainers). And last but not least, if your a huge Disney fan like myself and love a theme.. then always co-ordinate with your bestie!

Disneyland Paris Park Tips
Disneyland Paris App
Download the Disneyland Paris App.. and use it! It's free on the App Store and is an absolute life saver, you can check parade, firework and show times in advance making planning your day incredibly easy! It also gives you real time line queueing updates - when we sat down for lunch or breakfast we roughly planned out what we where going to do based on the line times.

Pre-book meals
So instead of paying more for a hotel, which your barely in - i like to spend a little more on dining out once inside the park! If your not sure on what you would like, or never been before you can check out the DLP guide in advance - this is a super handy guide with example menus for each restaurant inside the park and in the Disney village. I like to pre-book for around 8 o'clock, have a long leisurely lunch drinking vino and then make my way to watch the fireworks. My favourites include the blue lagoon inside the pirates of the Caribbean ride (you watch the boats go round..) Walt's Dinner directly outside the castle and Annettes American Dinner, because it makes you feel like your in grease! 

Fast Passes
These are great, but I've only used them a handful of times (I'm really not sure why, should of use them on my latest trip!) You can go up to your favourite rides and they will release fast pass hours (example between 13.00pm - 13.45pm) you scan your ticket and it prints you out a ticket to use between these hours. The only downside is you can only use one at a time, and you basically have to be in the right place at the right time in order to gain one! They are useful for the rides with longer lines. 

Fireworks
They are by far my favourite bit of the whole weekend! Paris have a light, laser, water and firework show which projects all the Disney classics on to the castle. You do not need to sit and wait in front of the castle for 3 hours in order to gain a good spot, to be honest each time i have walked down about 15 minutes before the firework show started and slot in either side of the castle and always have a fantastic view!

Parades
If your staying for more than 2 days (which is recommended) I suggest you see the parades on one of the days only. This gives you a wide window of time during the parade when the best rides quieten down - I always head for the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean and find the queueing time considerably less.

Disney Village
Make sure you check out the Disney Village, it's awesome. They have restaurants, sports bars, western bars and numerous shops! Me and Emma had an absolutely fantastic night in Billy Bob's western bar and they played some classics hits! 
Last but not least, how many hidden Mickey's around the park can you see?!

So that's all my tips & tricks for Disneyland Paris, do you have any good tips - i always love hearing new advice for my favourite place!? 

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