Saturday 24 December 2016

Lush Haul Part Two - Bubble Bars & Shower Stuff



If you have seen my blog post from earlier in the week then you will know I went a little bit spend-happy on Lush's Christmas collection, so to try and justify the excessive amount I have brought I have decided to share with you the all of the lovely things that I have picked up! I showed all of the Bubble Bars in my post earlier in the week, so if you missed it you can check it out here, but today I am going to showing everything else I picked up, and there's quite a bit!

Friday 23 December 2016

Wickford & Co Christmas Candles - The Perfect Yankee Candle Dupes


Although I love burning candles all year, I especially love burning them in the winter, particularly at Christmas time as I just think that having a candle burning creates a lovely cosy and homely atmosphere which you cannot beat!

My favourite candles that I have tried are Yankee Candle's, but as I like to burn candles all the time it can work out very expensive as they are £21.99 each for a large jar, so I'm always on the hunt for brands that produce candles that can live up to Yankee - and I think I may have found a pretty good dupe  - and the best part is that they are only £2.99!

Thursday 22 December 2016

Lush Haul Part One - Bath Bombs


Every year I get so excited when I start to see Christmas Lush hauls appear in my blog feed and youtube subscription box as I love seeing what Festive products Lush has come up with, as they are always so beautiful! However, I had never actually brought anything before as I had always found it so hard to choose which products to buy as my wishlist was probably 90% of their Christmas Range, but this year I decided to give in and treat myself to a few bits, which then turned into a lot! (doesn't it always!) So I thought I'd share with you guys what I picked up. I have actually bought so much that I have decided to divide the haul into two parts - one on all the bath bombs I picked up; which is what I am going to share with you today and then the second post on all the bubble bars and shower bits I picked up in a that will be going up on Friday so keep your peepers peeled for that!

Can we also just appreciate how cute the bags are this year - it's pink with an adorable Butterbear on! The bags for the individual products this year are special too, the ones from the store I went to are orange with a the Christmas Penguin on (there is a better picture of it for Part 2 of this Lush Haul) although I have seen a couple of different designs online so I am guessing it depends on what the store you go to has, but to be honest there all so pretty!


Butterbear - £1.95

In my opinion, this little guy is thee cutest of all the bath bombs lush has to offer. He is made using Fairtrade cocoa butter, cocoa powder so not only does he smell delicious, the cocoa butter is super beneficial for the skin too! I have actually picked up two of these little fellas as I love the scent so much I know I just won't be able to wait until next year to pick him up again - it's also the cheapest of the Christmas products they have to offer so I don't feel quite so guilty about it! 



Star Dust - £2.95

Out of all the Christmas bath bomb's they have this one looks like the most boring, but it's probably my favorite scent out of them all. It is scented with Vanilla Absolute, Rosewood and Bergamot oil and to me has a lovely warm vanilla and a hint of marzipan to it which I absolutely love! The scent isn't overpoweringly strong either (by LUSH standards anyway!) which works really well with this scent as it is quite sweet, so it's not too sickly!  Although on the outside it looks quite plain, once put in water it looks very pretty having seen it on the lush website, so I'm very excited to give this one a go! Like Butterbear, I also picked two of these up as the scent is just heavenly!


Father Christmas - £3.75

Father Christmas is an adorable, candy floss scented and is Very sweet! The scent is also very strong too so I imagine when you pop him in the bath the whole room will smell amazing! The scent is the classic Snow Fairy scent which is a Christmas Lush Classic - and I love it! It's definitely the most traditionally festive out of the bath bombs they have this year and I'm very excited to pop this little guy in the tub on Christmas! Although just a word of warning, if you don't like strong sickly sweet scents this might not be one for you, but I would urge you to give it a sniff and see as it's too cute to just dismiss!


Lord of Misrule - £3.95

Although Lord of Misrule isn't strictly a Christmas product and is released with the Halloween range, but it does stick around until Christmas so I'm counting it! When I read the description online that it is Black Pepper Oil, Patchouli and Vanilla Absolute I was slightly skeptical as to what it would smell like as it is very different to anything I've ever gone for before as I usually go for sweet scents, but I love it! It has a lovely spicy scent with a hint of the sweet vanilla which stops the spice from being too overpowering so it has lovely warmth to it.



Shoot for the Stars - £4.25

Firstly can I just say that the smell of this reminds me of Chocolate Orange - It is scented with Brazilian Orange oil, Cocoa Butter and Bergamot oil which is probably why! Shoot for the Stars has been part of the Christmas range before but this year it looks slightly different; this year it is all blue with glittery gold bath melts which are amazing and moisturising for the skin. I also can't wait to pop it in the bath as I think it will look like a beautiful starry sky - although I'm not sure my bath will be a fan of all the glitter!



Mistletoe - £4.25

Mistltoe Bath Bomb is scented with Jasmine Absolute, Vetivert and Ylang-Ylang oil which isn't usually the kind of scents I go for as I'm not really a huge fan of floral scents, however, I actually really like it as I find that it's quite a subtle floral scent and not like a very perfumey floral fragrance - it also has a lovely sweetness to it which is lovely. The actual design of the bath bomb itself is beautiful too!


Luxury Lush Pud - £4.25

The Luxury Lush Pud is a classic! Not only does it look amazing with all the bright multi colours and the adorable piece of holly in the top but it smells amazing too! It is scented with Lavender, Tonka, and Benzion Resinoide so it would be perfect for a pre-bedtime bath as the scent is very calming and just makes be feel so relaxed whenever I smell it!


Golden Wonder - £4.25

I couldn't buy bits from Lush's Christmas range without picking up a Golden Wonder! Every video or blog post watch it appears that it is one of everyone's favourites and I can see why. It is scented with Sweet Orange oil, Cognac Oil, and Lime Oil, so although it doesn't smell traditionally festive it has a lovely fresh citrus scent. I also really like the design of this bath bomb with it being an adorable shimmer gold present - although I feel like the gold shimmer is going to be a nightmare to clean if it leaves any residue as it is soo fine so it's deffinately one to use when the bath is in need of a clean, not just after you've cleaned it! Did i forget to mention how big it is, because it's huge! So you deffinately get your moneys worth with this one as if you were to cut it you could probably get two baths out of it although I think I'll use it in one go as I don't want to ruin the effect - especially for my first time using it!


So that is all the bath bombs that I picked up from Lush and I am so excited to use them all! I'd deffinately reccomend picking up some of the Lush Christmas products before they disaper! Especially in their amazing boxing day sale that they usually have each year!

Are there any Lush Bath Bombs that I didn't pick up that you love? or any that you love just as much as me? Let me know as I'd hate to miss out on any amazing products in the future - although I think it will be a while before I need to treat myself to anymore!

(Links for each product are the Name of the product and price, so if you click on it, it will take you straight to that product!)

Tuesday 20 December 2016

The Body Shop Vanilla Chai Christmas Range


The Body Shop is one of the brands that I get most excited for when it comes to the release of limited edition collections, especially at Christmas time and this year they did not disappoint! They have actually released products in 3 different limited edition festive scents - "Spiced Apple", "Frosted Berries" and Vanilla Chai, which is the one I am going to be sharing my thoughts on today.

The products in the Vanilla Chai range are scented with, vanilla, cardamon and star anise, which just invokes the smell of Christmas entirely. It really reminds me of the smells you get when you're baking at Christmas so it has a lovely warm and homely spicy scent with some sweetness to it.

They have a whole aray of different products available in this gorgeous scent, but I decided to limit myself to just picking up my favourite body products that they do, because in all honesty all the products look amazing!


Firstly I picked up the Shower gel as it's always an item that I'm guarenteed to buy when I love the smell of it as it means I get the enjoyment of the scent every single day! I really like The Body Shop shower gels as all though they're are slightly more pricey at £5.00 in comparison to your regular drugstore one I find that they are much better quallity and go a hell of a lot further which means one bottle lasts a pretty long time!


When I saw that they did a Body Scrub in this scent I HAD to pick it up! I tried the one from there Pinita Colada collection in the summer and loved it! It's deffinately on the pricer side at £15.00, but I really like the texture of them as they are slightly thinner than other scrubs I have tried so you dont need to use as much as it's easier to spred across the skin. The particles are also finer, so they are gentler on the skin but still does at great job at exfoliating.



And of course, what would a Body Shop collection be without there much loved Body Butter. They are amazing and one of the best body moistriser I have tried - especially this one as it smells delicious! You also get a decent size tub for £14.00 as well!

I'd deffinately pick up some of these products before they disapear after Christmas. They'd also make some pretty amazing christmas gifts if you're still stuck what to but for someone (or as a little pre-christmas treat for yourself!) The Body Shop also has 40% off instore and online  until the 21st so now is deffinately a good time to get your hands on a few bits.

Have you tried any bits from The Body Shop Christmas Ranges? Let me know what you thought of them!

Sunday 18 December 2016

Zoella Beauty Christmas Collection - Gingerbread and Vanilla Fragrance Set & Hungry Hands Hand Cream Review


I love Christmas and I love Christmas scents, there honestly my favourite! So, I think like most beauty blog followers I was very excited when Zoe announced her Christmas range and that it was GINGERBREAD scented. I love gingerbread (so much so that almost the entirety of the decorations on my tree in my bedroom are gingerbread themed!) so this pleased me immensely!


The First product I knew I had to get my hands on was the "Hungry Hands" hand cream as like most people my hands suddenly resemble those of a reptile when winter hits and are in need some serious TLC. I usually opt for The Body Shop hand creams as I find that they do a really good job at leaving my hands feeling nourished but not greasy whilst still being pretty affordable, however after trying this one out its safe to say that I have found a new favourite. Like The Body Shop hand creams, they are super moisturising without leaving your hands greasy afterward, but I also find that "Hungry Hands" leaves my hands feeling nourished for longer and really absorbs into the skin, so  the cream is actually improving the dryness of my hands as opposed to just masking it with a layer of moisture that sits on the skin -it's also better value for money as you get 3 times the amount of product in comparison to The Body Shop hand cream for the same price (£5), so I will definitely be stocking up before it disappears after Christmas. The Scent is also lovely! Zoe did a very good job in choosing a gingerbread scent that isn't overpoweringly spicy, as although I love really strong and spicy gingerbread  I know some people can find them too overpowering, so with the addition of the vanilla it has created a scent that is still very festive but won't blow your nostrils off! So it would be perfect for anyone!


The packing has a lovely traditional feel to it with the red and gold on the brown paper background which I don't think you could make more festive if you tried!


The other item in the Christmas collection I knew I had to pick up is the "GingerBread and Vanilla Fragrance Set" which is a beautiful gift set containing a body mist and body cream. Again like the majority of the products in the Christmas range, they again share the same gorgeous gingerbread scent. I was surprised just how strong the scent actually is with the body spray  and how long it lasts once spayed, I'd say it definitely has a payoff that is closer to an Eau De Toilette than a standard body mist.




The Bottle of the Body Mist feels and looks much more luxurious than it actually is, with metal gold and raised foil writing on the bottle, and of course the super cute little gingerbread men on the reverse of the bottle,which is probably my favourite thing about the packing as I just think it a genius idea as you can see them through the bottle at the front. 


The other item in the gift set is a body cream. I have tried a couple of Zoe's body creams before and I really love them, so much so when I found out that the tutti frutti range was being discontinued I stocked up on the body cream from the range. I find them to leave my skin feeling very soft and they don't take an eternity to sink into the skin, so you can get dressed pretty much straight away after applying, and the ginger cream is no different. I also like that the fragrance of the cream is strong enough for the scent to linger on the skin but is not soo strong that it overpowers any perfume that you're wearing.



The products also come beautifully packaged in the brown box with red detailing which I think really complements the styling of the products and ties it all together nicely, which makes it a lovely gift to give someone (or just a wonderful treat for yourself!), especially as it is only £10 which is a pretty good deal as the body mists retail for £8 on their own! I honestly think any of the products from Zoella's Christmas range would make a lovely gift as they all come wonderfully packaged so they look beautiful so any beauty lover would not be disappointed!

Is there anything that you've picked up from the Zoella Beauty Christmas range that I should check out before it's gone?


The Zoella Beauty Christmas Range is available in store and online in Superdrug and online at Feel Unique until Christmas.




Wednesday 9 November 2016

MAC Nutcracker Sweet - Magic Dust Powder in "Yum Yum Yum" Review

MAC is one of my favorite makeup brands and every year I get very excited to see what they have dreamt up for their holiday collection and this year they did not disappoint! This year's theme is Nutcracker Sweet which runs throughout both their colour collection and gift sets, and I for one am in love with it! I don't think that I have ever seen such beautiful and detailed packing for one of their collection and everything within it is beautiful and fills me with the urge that I "NEED" everything in it! However, I have (for the time being anyway!) managed to contain some self-restraint by only purchasing a few items from the collection, which of course I will be sharing my thoughts will you all!




One of the items I knew I had to pick up when it launched was one of their "Nutcracker Sweet Magic Dust Powder"'s as they simply looked beautiful. The powder comes in two shades "Sweet Vision" which is described as a "Pinky peach with gold pearl" and "Yum Yum Yum" - a "Soft pink with gold pearl". I ended up picking up the shade "Yum Yum Yum", however, I do have to say that "Sweet Vision" was my preferred shade of choice but it sold out so quickly on the MAC website that I missed out, but n reflection "Yum Yum Yum" is probably better suited to my  snowy complexion and I was thrilled to get either shade as they both looked stunning.




The magic powders themselves are described as "A translucent ultra-fine, light-catching pearlescent powder, for face, neck and decollete" which I don't completely agree with, I think that MAC has perfectly described both the texture and the finish it gives when applied as it is both ultra-fine in texture and gives a lovely glowy, pearlescent sheen to the face, but it is the description of the pigmentation and use of the powder that I disagree with. This powder is not translucent -as you can see from the swatch it is actually pretty pigmented and is far closer to being a light blush than a powder to dust all over the face, so unless you want to look like you have done a lot of exercise and are puffed out, I'd stick to using it on the cheeks!


It looks gorgeous when applied on the cheeks, and gives a lovely natural, rosy glow and although there is gold shimmer  running throughout it, it's very fine so when it is blended on the cheeks it looks more like a light glowy shimmer as opposed to a bunch a glitter on the cheeks, which looks far more flattering on the face as it doesn't emphasise any pores or uneven texture on the skin which is something that no one wants to show up! I also found that it wore pretty well on the skin and was still practically all in place when I came to remove my makeup at the end of the day which is a feat for any face product as I have quite oily skin, so product tends to move or wear off my face, especially on my cheeks!

I definitely recommend picking up one of the magic dust powders up as I think they are great value for money at £24, especially as the pans are quite a bit larger than a regular blush and are a similar size to their face powder compacts, not to mention that they are also of amazing quality! But I would recommend that if you want them to be quick as they are now sold out online, so I'd suggest popping into your local MAC store or counter or giving them a ring to see if it is still available because it really is stunning.

Is there is anything that you've got from MAC's holiday collection this year or anything that's gone onto your Christmas wishlist? Let me Know!

Saturday 22 October 2016

Too Faced Grande Hotel Cafe Christmas Gift Set | Review


So we're reaching that time of year again where the days are shorter, jumpers are worn, candles are being burned and all the Christmas Gifts set are being released - my favourite time of year!


One of the first brands to announce their Christmas offerings this year was Too Faced and I for one was very excited to see what magical collection of festive products they had come up this year and I was not disappointed! Every year they have a theme which all gifts are based on, with this years is "Christmas in New York" which I think is an amazing idea for this year's theme because let's face it, New York must be one of the most magical places at Christmas time! There are tons of different gift sets this year, ranging from £10 to £50+ which I think is brilliant as they really have catered for every budget. Today I'm going to be talking about one of the pricier items in the collection - The "Grande Hotel Cafe" set.


When I first saw the collection launch last month, I knew that I HAD to get my hands on at least this item if nothing else! First of all, let's just talk about how adorable the packaging is! All the products come in in this super cute case shaped like a little hotel (very reminiscent of last years "Le Grand Chateau"set!), which opens up to reveal the products inside! I think this makes it feel just that little bit more special, which is perfect for gift giving!


The Grande Hotel contains 3 festive scented palettes and a deluxe size of their best selling, fan favourite "Better than Sex" Mascara, which, unbelievably until now, I was yet to try until I got this set and I must say that I'm very much enjoying it, so much so that it could overtake  my years-long love for Benefit's "They're Real", although I feel like I need to test it out some more before I make such a bold claim, so keep yours eyes peeled for my thoughts on this in the future, but, for now, let's just say, I'm very impressed!


Another thing which I think is very cleaver is that Too Faced have put "To" and "From" labels on the reverse of each palette, which makes them perfect to be given out as individuals gifts on their own to different people. This actually works out at as a pretty good deal too as they then only work out at costing just over £15 each (and that's without considering the deluxe size of the mascara!) Although I'm gonna be honest here, I will be keeping all 3 to myself!



Eyeshadows L-R: Frosty Nog, Eggnog Latte, Iced Coffee, Skinny Latte, Cold Brew, Central Perk. Blush: Peach Cobbler
What does Eggnog Actually smell of? I don't know! But, what I do know is that this palette just smells like straight up Christmas and this is the only way I can describe it! But I LOVE it!

I feel like out of all three, it's probably the most traditionally festive in terms of the colours it has to offer, with it's warm-goldy browns and of course that gorgeous metallic dark forest green (can we also appreciate that it's called "Central Perk"! Seriously fan girling right now!) I also really like that there is a real mix of different finishes, not only just in this palette but all three with a great ratio of shimmery to matte shades. I often find that brands sometimes neglect matte shadows, especially in Limited Edition sets, so I'm pleased to see that Too Faced haven't done this here.

The only shade that I would say I was a little underwhelmed by was "Egnogg Latte" as in the pan it looks like an intense, metallic gold packed wth gold glitter, however, when it's swatched or applied to the eye, the base of the shadow is actually quite sheer. That being said it is still packed with glitter so it works really well applied on top of another shadow and so it gives a beautiful gold sheen to whatever you put underneath it.

"Peach Cobbler" is a very pretty blush colour, that I actually really like, which, if I'm honest surprised me as I'm not usually one for peachy/orange tone bush but it gives a very pretty slight peachy tint to the cheeks and is definitely way less scary and bright then it looks in the pan. (I promise!)



Eyeshadows L-R: Peppermint Cream, Festive Blend, Peppermint Mocha, Candy Cane, Sprinkles, Coffee Chip. Blush: Santa Baby

When I first saw these palettes online I knew that I would just love this palette in particular for it pinky-berry and brown shades, and I was not wrong! I'm a big lover of wearing these kinds of shades, especially in winter months, so I know this palette will be seeing a lot of love. My personal favourites would have to be "Festive Blend", "Peppermint Mocha" and "Sprinkles". Even a light baby pink like "Candy Cane" is actually really wearable as it's very subtle!

"Santa Baby" is a very typical blush colour for me, but again like "Peach Cobbler" it can be very subtle if applied with a light hand to give a lovely rosy flush to the cheeks.

I'm not gonna lie, it also helps that it smells like mint and chocolate and so it reminds me exactly of an After Eight! (who doesn't have "After Eights" at Christmas time?)



Eyeshadow L-R: Ginger Cream, Maple Syrup, Gingersnap, Winter Dream, Cup of Joe, Black Coffee. Bronzer: Gingerbread
I thought that this would be my least favourite out of all three as it has some of the more cooler toned shades, but, it actually has two of my favourite shades in, which are Gingersnap and Winter Dream; there different to all the other glitter shades in the two other palettes and remind me more of a foiled finish and are pack full of glitter! They would look super glam, packed all over the lid, even with just a brown blended through the crease and makes it look like you have made far more of an effort than in reality, you actually have.

Now let's take a minute to appreciate that there is a bronzer in this palette called "Gingerbread" that actually smells like gingerbread! (This makes me far happier than it should! BUT gingerbread is my all time favourite festive scent - it's also pretty tasty too!) I also worry a bit with bronzers that they will be too orange for my ghostly complexion, but this one sits nicely between being warm and cooled toned which I really like. I also think that it would work for a range of skin tones too as it can be applied lightly for the palest of pale girls like myself or that little bit heavier for those of you that have more of a tan.


Overall I'm very impressed with this set and the quality of the eyeshadows themselves; They are all really pigment (with the slight exception of eggnog latte as I mention earlier) and I didn't get any fall-out under the eye which is often a problem with eyeshadows with glitter in. They also blended really well which can be an issue with matte shades that I've personally found but these were lovely to work with! I also this that this set is a pretty good deal for £46 as you do get a good amount of product as each individual pan is actually quite big! So I think it's definitely one to pick up!

I will definitely be getting some Too Faced products in the future and I even have my eye on some of their other Christmas set as well (The Merry Macaroons" and  "Merry Kissmas" sets). 

Are there any products from Too Faced Christmas collection that you have your eyes on this year? or any products from them in general? Let me know your favourites so I can add them to my ever-growing list too! 


The Grande Hotel Cafe is available from Debenhams, Sephora, Ulta and at Too Faced for £46/$49.


Friday 26 August 2016

Kat Von D Beauty comes to the UK - "London Calling" Limited Edition Set Review



So I am sure that you have all heard about Kat Von D and her fabulous Makeup line, that up until now you couldn't get in the UK unless you wanted to incur the risk of a massive customs change or pay a hefty postage fee -  but no more! As Kat Von D will be Stocked in Debenhams Online from the 13th September and in their Oxford Street 8th October (But don't hold me to these dates, these are just what I heard through the grapevine - and by "the grapevine" I mean what I've read on the other blogs that I read! haha) and I for one am very excited!


So to get us all excited about the launch (although let's be honest, from what I've seen people are already pretty hyped!) Debenhams and Kat Von D have launched a Limited Edition Set "London Calling"; which consists of 3 of her favourite and best selling products in "deluxe minis" for the bank holiday weekend. Which of course, as always, I had to buy and then share my thoughts and excited with you guys!




The first is one of her "Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks" in the shade "Double Dare" which is a lovely Dusky pink/Peach brown shade, which although isn't the typical shade I go for (I usually prefer more pinkish tones) I actually really like it, and I think I'll reaching for it quite a lot as we go into autumn. The formula of these liquid lipsticks are lovely - they almost go on like a soft, creamy mouse and are so easy to apply. They also dry down pretty quickly and set to a lovely matte finish. I don't know exactly how long it would wear for on the lips as I only got it today and just applied it to see what it was like, but from how difficult it was to remove from my lips and the swatch on my arm, I'm guessing a good old while! 

Studded Kiss Lipstick in "Lolita".

The second item is a "Studded Kiss Lipstick" in "Lolita" - Oh my, I am in love with this colour! It's a really beautiful dusky rose toned brown, which is my go-to shade as we go into autumn and winter; it kind of reminds me of "Soar" by MAC but a little less brown toned. This lipstick again has a matte finish, but in a completely different way; it feels kinda creamy and almost moisturising, unlike the liquid lipstick which sets too much more of a dry almost "powder-like" feel - so if you're not usually a fan of how matte lipsticks feel on the lips, then I would definitely give these ago! 




The last item you get is the highly coveted "Tattoo Liner" in "Trooper". Now as a winged eyeliner lover this is a product that I have lusted after ever since I first saw it and was very excited when I discovered that I would finally be able to try it out. Now I'm going to be completely honest here when I first tried it as I didn't find it was all that pigmented, however, the more I have played around with it the better the pigmentation, so I'm guessing it just takes a little while to get going! One thing I that I do really  love about this liner though is the nib; it's actually made up of lots of little stiff individual fibres that make up the tip which allows for really precise application and it allows you to draw really fine lines (as you can see in the swatches), the more pressure you apply the thicker the line. It's also got a handy spring mechanised lid which only stays on when it fully pushed on, so no more dried up liners where you haven't pushed the cap on properly! (Yay!). Overall I do really like this liner and think that it will grow on me to become one of my favourites after I'v had a bit more practice at using it! 
Everlasting Liquid Lipstick "Double Dare", Studded Kiss Lipstick "Lolita", Tattoo Liner "Trooper".
As a whole, I'm really impressed with Kat Von D Beauty and trying these products as only cemented the fact that I will definitely be picking up some more products in the future (probably when they launch!).

As I said in the beginning of the post, it is a limited edition set which I believe is only available until the start of next week or when stocks run out, so if you want it I suggest you jump on it now. It's available exclusively on the Debenhams website HERE for £19.50, which I think is a pretty good deal as you get to try 3 decent size products.

Have you tried anything from Kat Von D? Or is there anything that you are dying to try? Let me know in the comments!

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