REVIEW: 17 Make Up Collection

When this make up collection came on offer a few weeks back, I immediately asked my mum for it for Christmas. When I saw it in the Boots Christmas catalogue, I wasn't interested. But after spending a day surrounded by it, I fell in love. It's a beautiful collection that really doesn't contain everything that you need make up wise. I originally wasn't going to write a post on it as I didn't think there'd be any left but when I was at work yesterday, I saw that we had a few left (in Lincoln) so I quickly wrote this post in case any of you wanted to check out your local stores to see if they have any left. (There aren't any online).

It's no secret that I'm a big 17 fan. I've featured their products a lot on my blog and I'm constantly searching their make up stand to see if they have any new releases. I think the brand provide great quality products at a low price. Some gems from the brand include their mascaras, liquid liner, face powders and their eye shadows. So even if your local store doesn't have this exact collection in stock, I'd definitely recommend checking out the 17 make up stand anyway.

 Pink Ice, Twinkle Toes, Fuzzy Yellow Petal, In The Nude, Very Berry lipsticks.

All of these lipsticks are nicely pigmented and glossy. I don't usually like lipsticks that come in a pan but these ones are lovely. They last pretty well for drug store lipsticks and feel nice on the lips.

 8 baked eye shadow powders.

These baked shadows are wonderful. They contain just the right amount of shimmer in them and they really do not budge once they're on the eye. They're also a pleasure to blend.

5 eyeshadow powders in Natural, Pink, Brown, Light Blue and Black.

Just like the baked shadows, these are pigmented, blend-able and have great longevity. 

Metallic Cream for eyes, lips and face, Bramble Frost blush, Limited Edition Bronzer, gel eyeliner in black, eye pencil in black, eye pencil in coffee.

The Metallic Cream is a lovely and I can't stop using it as a highlighter. The blush is a great every day shade and the bronzer adds a beautiful glow to the skin. The gel eye liner is very easy to use and lasts all day long and the eye pencils are just okay. As well as all of the above, you also get the following: Blusher brush, Eye shadow brush, Angled eye define brush, Lip brush, Eye liner brush, 17 Photo Flawless primer, sharpener, Hints & Tips book, Eye lash curler, Limited Edition Mascara in black.

This set is a beautiful set and it's great for those who are just getting into make up or those who love playing around with make up. The brushes are also good quality (especially the lip blush and the eye liner brush) and I also love the 17 primer. The eye lash curlers are just as good as my No7 ones. What do you think about this set? Or as 17 as a brand?

xxx

2012 Favourites

I was originally going to post this tomorrow but good ol' Sunday night reading and all that... I couldn't end the year without a favourites post. I've come across a lot of new products this year and rediscovered a few ones too. It's been a great year for product releases and a lot of new and rediscovered ideas have found their way onto the market; BB creams, nail art, temporary tattoos to name a few. These are my favourites with little explanations as to why.

Skin Care -

Make up remover: Super Facialist by Una Brennan Neroli Lift & Hydrate Facial Oil* I've been loving pre-cleansers this year and this one melts make up away whilst hydrating the skin.

Cleanser: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish* A classic. Removes make up, exfoliates and hydrates the skin whilst still being extremely gentle.

Toner: Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist* Such a refreshing mist that brightens the complexion.

Serum: Estee Lauder Perfectionist CP+R Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum* Leaves skin looking and feeling beautiful and I've also noticed a reduction in my scarring since using this.

Day Moisturiser: Clarins Multi Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream I may only be 19 (nearly 20) but prevention is better than cure! Hydrating without being greasy.
Night Moisturiser: No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream for normal/oily skin Adds the right amount of hydration to the skin overnight.

Spot treatment: HoMedics Tanda Zap Acne Spot Clearing Device* Clears up spots within a few days, isn't drying and is a pleasure to use.

Face scrub: Neutrogena Visibly Clear Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub* Removes blackheads instantly and leaves skin looking and feeling refreshed.

Face mask: Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask* Quick and easy to use and leaves the skin looking like it's had a facial.

Body Care -

Fragrance: YSL Parisienne & Liz Earle Botanical Essence No 15* I couldn't choose just one! These are completely different but very lovely.

Body scrub: Soap & Glory Breakfast Scrub Smells incredible and does the job.

Gradual tan: Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Body Lotion* Doesn't streak, smells decent and adds a lovely glow/colour to the skin.

Self tan: Xen-Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe* Doesn't streak, easy to apply, smells nice and lasts up to a week.

Body wash: Lush Shower Jellies Smell gorgeous and last a really long time. The scent lingers on the skin after use.

Moisturiser: Jergens Original Beauty Lotion* Sinks into the skin quickly, smells beautiful and hydrates without being greasy.

Hand wash: Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Hand Soap* Smells amazing and the packaging is lovely.

Hand cream: Renouve Anti-Ageing Every Day Defense* Hydrating, light, smooth, non-greasy and also a sanitizer. 

Make Up -

Face primer: Super Facialist by Una Brennan Anti Shine Pore Minimiser* Makes make up last longer and gives you a pore-free, airbrushed look.

Foundation: Lancome Teint Idol Ultra 24hr Great coverage, easy to blend, comfortable and lasts all day.

Concealer: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Flawless coverage, lasts all day, doesn't cake.

Powder: 17 Shine Control Loose Powder Controls shine without looking "dead" matte.

Eye primer: Urban Decay's Primer Potion Perfection. Eye make up doesn't budge all day long.

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette Beautiful colours, buttery soft, easy to blend.

Eye liner: Collection 2000 Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner Lasts all day, easy to use.

Mascara: No7 Exceptional Definition Mascara Versatile.

Bronzer: Liz Earle Natural Glow Bronzer* Natural looking and easy to blend.

Blush: Nars Outlaw* Warms the cheeks up beautifully.

Highlighter: No7 Deco Darling Loose Powder Highlighter* A gorgeous colour.

Lip care: Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner* Great prep to lipstick and tastes/smells nice.

Lipstick: Barbara Daly Cream Colour Lipstick in Tiger Lily* Allowed me to wear red lipstick! Great formula.

Lipgloss: Nivea Glamorous Gloss in Pink Sugar Natural, smells and tastes great.

Hair Care -

Shampoo: John Frieda Full Repair* Repairs the hair, doesn't weigh it down, great for everyday use.

Conditioner: John Frieda Full Repair* So moisturising but doesn't leave my hair greasy.

Hair masque: TRESemme Split Remedy Split Mend Intense Recovery Masque* Repairs the hair, smells nice and deeply hydrates.

Dry shampoo: Batiste Adds volume, clears up oil.

Hairspray: Schwarzkopf Got2b 2 Sexy Collagen Big Volume Hairspray* Smells incredible, volumising, lasts all day.
Heat Defence: TRESemme Heat Defence Styling Spray Doesn't leave my hair greasy.

Mousse: Tigi Bed Head Totally Baked Hair Meringue* Smells, oh my god, so nice! Adds volume.

Serum: TRESemme Split Remedy Split Mend Sealing Serum* Repairs the ends without weighing it down.

Others -

Blogger: The Sunday Girl Great swatches, lovely lady and interesting, informative posts.

YouTuber: Tanya Burr at Pixi2woo Such a sweetheart who's kind hearted and great with make up.

TV Programme: Hollyoaks I've been loving this! Easy to watch.

Album: Justin Bieber - Believe Perfection.

Film: Friends with Benefits Makes me laugh, smile and cry all in one.
Book: The Hunger Games Trilogy Changed my life.

Moment: University Just, breathtaking.

So these are my favourites. What are your favourites? I'd also just like to say another thank you for standing by me this year and I look forward to 2013 with you all!
xxx
*PR Sample but a lot of these I've then gone on to repurchase/will repurchase as they are my favourites after all :)

Favourite Pencourage Journals

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

I wrote about Pencourage a while ago and ever since the journals went live, I've fallen further in love with the website. Basically, it's a social network were everything that you write down in your journal is completely private. That's right, you can say whatever you want and your identity will always be kept anonymous. (If you do want to reveal who you are you can do though as you can edit what you want to see secret on your profile). Some of the journals that I've been reading are extremely heartfelt and beautiful. You can comment on people's journals, follow them, "love" them and basically just interact with people in way that you can't on any other social network. For me, it's a place to be 100% me and write down what I'm thinking that exact day. Some of my journal posts haven't been that pleasant and some have been uplifting. It just depends how you're feeling that day. So above I've linked my favourite journals. And I highly recommend checking this site out and possibly joining!

xxx

Have a lovely Christmas!

359 posts later and this will be the last post (ish) of 2012. I'm going to sign off for the year and spend some time with my family as I haven't been able to. I have scheduled a "favourites of the year" post and that is scheduled for New Years Eve but other than that post, this is the last one.

I hope that you all have a lovely Christmas and a wonderful New Year. I want to thank you all for standing by me this past year and supporting my blog. I've gotten so much into blogging this year that it's decided my future for me; I want to be an online journalist. For the past few years I've been umm-ing and ahh-ing over whether I want to be a magazine journalist or an online one. But I just love online blogging so much that I don't think I'd be able to live without it. Once again, thank you for your love and support and I look forward to "seeing" you in the new year!

xxx

REVIEW: John Frieda Frizz-Ease and Full Repair

John Frieda is a hair care brand that I absolutely love. I use the Full Repair range religiously and my mum has started using the Frizz-Ease range recently. I'm someone who doesn't tend to stick with the same hair care products however, since I started using the Full Repair range I haven't switched (other than for reviewing) yet. You can see all of my posts on the range here.

Full Repair Full Body Conditioner*:

This product is wonderful. I have long, thin hair that is prone to oilyness and tangles - basically, it's a nightmare. This conditioner (as well as the shampoo) cleanses the hair beautifully without weighing it down. It also helps to revive over-styled hair which is something that I have a problem with. Because my hair is so long and I used to use a lot of heat on it without heat protecting spray, it's prone to breakages. But since using both the shampoo and conditioner  I've noticed an improvement in the way that my hair looks and feels. I've also been able to stop washing my hair every single day as this doesn't grease it up whatsoever.

Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum*:

Until recently, I hadn't been able to using hair serums on my hair because of how quickly it produced oil and also because of how flat my hair gets. But since switching to the Full Repair shampoo and conditioner, I've been loving hair serums and oils. This serum is infused with silk proteins which aim to deliver a layer of crystal clear gloss that leaves you with shiny, frizz-free hair. I use this after I've washed my hair and before blow-drying it and it works a treat. My hair feels beautifully soft and it also does a wonderful job at making it look glossy and shiny. It doesn't weigh my hair down and it doesn't make it greasy either (I only use it at the ends). This serum is also safe to use on permed and coloured hair.

Frizz-Ease Straight Fixation Smoothing Crème*:

This Smoothing Crème is perfect for those of us that love straight hair! My hair can sometimes be a nightmare. I go through all of that effort of washing, blow-drying and straightening my hair for it to just look like a curly frizz ball in humid/damp weather. This crème aims to hold the hair straight without any heaviness. The formula is very lightweight and just like the hair serum, it doesn't weigh my hair down it make it greasy. It contains sweet almond oil and milk protein which aim to smooth and condition the hair, smoothing away frizz and keeping the hair straight. It also contains a ThermaGuard™ Complex which protects against heat damage so you don't have to apply this and also your heat protection. You use this on wet hair and blow-dry it straight and then style as usual and you're left with beautifully, glossy, straight, bouncy hair!

Here, you can see the entire John Frieda Frizz Ease range and the Full Repair range here. 

What is your favourite range from the John Frieda collection? You can also check out their YouTube videos which has videos full of expert hair styling tips and also step-by-step styles!

xxx

*PR Sample

WHAT'S ON: My Bedside Table

I've seen a few of these floating around the blogosphere recently and I thought I'd join in. I love my bedside table as it has some great essentials on there and I personally think it looks really pretty!

The Phone Holder is from eBay and I think it's really cute. I also like it because it holds the phone from the bottom and therefore I can see when my Blackberry flashes red. The mirrored photoframe (hello me) was a moving to university gift from my dad and his partner so I'm not entirely sure where it's from but it holds a picture of me, my sister, my dad, his partner and two sons in it. The other Photoframe is from IKEA and this is what I use for pictures of me and my friends. The current one is a Christmas one as well, it's Christmas! I keep the Cuticura Anti Bacterial Hand Serum* and the Renouve Anti-Aging Hand Sanitizer* by my bed just in case I get dry hands. These are also great as they're sanistizer so I can keep my hands clean without having to go into the bathroom or kitchen. I then keep the No7 Cocooning Body Balm* and Champneys Distant Shores Body Butter* on my bedside table as the packaging is cute and I like having them on display. The candle holder was a present from my mum and it says Daughter around the outside which glows when lit. The candle I currently have in there is the Yankee Candle Linen one which smells clean and fresh. My alarm clock was a Christmas gift a few years ago so I'm unsure where it's from but it's extremely useful as it tells the time, has an alarm on it and it tells me the date and day. Finally, the coaster is from a set of 4 that I bought when I first moved to university so I can't remember where I got them from. I keep one by my bed for when I'm drinking tea! What do you keep on your bedside table?

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Schwarzkopf Got2B Range

Winter is well and truly here. I've seen no end of grey skies, rainy days and miserable faces clouded by the sad, colourless weather. However, it's not all doom and gloom. This season's hairstyle trends are beautiful. Whether you're a messy, cascading curls kinda girl or a sleek, highly polished ponies and buns kinda girl, there's something for you. And Schwarzkopf's Got2B range is the perfect place to get started.

The range is huge. It includes the Play It Straight Straightening Blow Dry Kit, iStylers Define Hyper Wax, iStylers Texture Clay, iStylers Restyler Fibre paste, Powder'ful volumizing Styling Powder, Powder'ful Mattifying Texture Powder, Glued Spiking Glue, Glued Blasting Freeze Spray, 2 Sexy Big Volume Hairspray, 2 Sexy Big Volume Mousse, Guardian Angel Heat Protection, Beach Matt Paste, Sparkling Shine Hairspray and the Rockin' It Dry Shampoo.

I was sent three of the products and try out. These were the 2 Sexy Big Volume Hairspray*, Rockin' It Dry Shampoo* and the Play It Straight Straightening Blow Dry Kit*. I will start by saying that I'm yet to use the Blow Dry Kit. This is because I have absolutely nothing to do and I'm sure that by sitting in my flat all day, bored and lonely, my hair will remain straight anyway. So I'm going to use it over Christmas when I'm here, there and everywhere and give it a proper, full review in the New Year.

First of all, the Rockin' It Dry Shampoo*. I've tried a lot of dry shampoos from many different brands, ranges etc. And I personally think that they're a godsend. I used to have to wash my hair every single day but now, I can go 2-3 days without washing it, which is perfect. This dry shampoo has a beautiful smell for starters. I love using hair products that smell amazing and this is very fruity and just gorgeous. It absorbs the grease in the hair without leaving a nasty, grey residue and it also increases softness and boosts volume. I really love this dry shampoo. It's a great all-rounder and it's one of my favourites that I've tried. Price wise, I don't think it's too bad. £4.07 and it's on offer a lot so I can see myself repurchasing this. Especially because dry shampoo is something that I just can't live without! 

Now, I've been saving the best until the last. The 2 Sexy Big Volume Hairspray*. I don't use hairspray a lot mainly because I don't think it does anything. I don't have my hair up a lot; I only have it up at work on Sunday's and even then, I don't need hairspray because my hair manages to stay up without it. What I do need hairspray for is for volume and generally just to keep my hair in place when it's straight. This does that. It's a volumising hairspray and I'm not going to lie, I thought it was just a gimmick. I've tried many "volumising" hairspray's before that just haven't done a thing. But this one is special. I spray this underneath my root from about 6 inches away and it immediately adds volume to the hair and keeps it in place all day long. Just like the dry shampoo, it smells amazing too. Very fruity and fresh. I've gone from never using hairspray to not being able to live without this. It's truly, truly wonderful and I think that this will forever be a part of my hair routine.

These are all currently on save £1.50 at Boots. I'm not sure how long for but if you're heading shopping, Boots is definitely worth checking out as they're all pretty cheap at the minute! You can see which products qualify for the offer here. You can also find out more about the range here. All products from the range are priced from £4.07 and are available from Boots, Superdrug, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Savers, Amazon, Bodycare and Wilkinsons so they're very easy to get a hold of.

What do you think about the range? Have you tried anything from it before? Will you be doing so?

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Sixth 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

I'm very, very happy with my latest 3 Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender* products. First of all, I received the Foot Scrub and the Foot Repair Moisturiser which I've reviewed here. These are the best foot care products that I've ever tried. The scrub is a wonderful consistency that isn't too harsh on the feet but harsh enough to make a difference. The moisturiser sinks into the heels beautifully so you can instantly put your socks and shoes on. It leaves the skin feeling so soft and after about a week or so of continued use, the skin on your feet has been completely transformed! The smell of both the products is also lovely and very minty. The Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion is also another one of my favourite products. I originally reviewed it here and I still stand by that review. It really wakes the eye area up and leaves your eyes looking brighter and clearer, as the name suggests. It's a great every day product and also a lovely pamper product.

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Great British Interactive Pub Quiz 2012

I have a bit of a different gift for you for my final gift guide in my Christmas series. This time, it's a family favourite and the perfect gift for everyone, young or old. The Great British Pub Quiz* has been the top-selling interactive DVD for the past 3 years. The game has over 1000 questions that have been written by some of the nation's most successful TV quiz writers.

I've fallen in love with this game. I love pub quizzes enough as it is but they end up being pretty expensive. So to have the game on a dvd for you to use and play whenever you like is amazing. Me and my friends have played this game a few times and we've really enjoyed it. I'll also be taken it home over Christmas to play with my family. There are 5 categories: the arts, history, science and the natural world, film and TV, geography, sport and pop music and you can either play alone, in two teams, three teams or four teams. It's really easy to use and the questions are suitable for old and young. I'd highly recommend it this Christmas!

You can either buy the 2012 game on its own or you can get the bumper pack which has been released this year. It retails for £25.99 and it gives you the new title with the previous 3 years' titles too! You can buy the bumper pack here. You can also buy the 2012 interactive dvd here for just £12.50.

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Fifth 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

I'm not going to lie, I haven't been that excited opening my Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender* recently but that's mainly down to personal preference. I love the Energising range as the products are spectacular but the scent of the products just isn't my favourite. But onto what I've received the past three days...

The past three days have all been products from the Liz Earle Energising range which uses invigorating botanicals and essential oils that aim to lift the spirits and leave skin feeling refreshed, smooth and more toned. All of the products work together to achieve smoother and firmer skin. Don't get me wrong, the smell isn't bad. I like the smell but it's just not my favourite smell. It's very pine based (which is great for Christmas) and it certainly wakes you up. The Energising Body Lotion and Energising Body Scrub have been reviewed here and still stand by the review to some extent (minus me absolutely loving the smell). The body lotion is wonderful in texture and it really sinks into the skin well and leaves the skin feeling beautifully soft. The body scrub grains are fantastic. They really buff away dead skin but without being too harsh. The Energising Body Wash has been reviewed here (and you can see that this is where I changed my view on the smell) and once again, the really cleanses the skin and leaves it feeling soft. The whole range works very well together and if you love the scent, go for it because the products themselves are so good.

I'm also aware that I'm not one day behind but two days behind on this calender just because I keep losing track! So you will have another advent calender post up tomorrow. Sorry!

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Beauty Blogger's Top 5 Picks by Perfectly Polished

I've already done a blog post on John Bell & Croyden this Christmas but I wanted to do a separate post for their wonderful Beauty Blogger's Top 5 Picks by Perfectly Polished (£81) set. This set is a handpicked, bespoke selection of John Bell & Croyden's in-house beauty blogger's pick of the ultimate beauty products.

So many beautiful products have been included in this gift set including the Caudalie Beauty Elixir which I've tried before and fell in love with. It aims to smooth, tighten and create a radiant complexion. It also smells beautiful and really just perks the skin up. It's like a drug! You also get an Eylure Lash Food which is a revolutionary liquid that has been formulated by cosmetic scientists for thicker, stronger lashes in just one week! This is perfect on the run up to Christmas and New Year as imagine all of the parties you'll get to go to false lash free. This is a product that is exclusive to John Bell & Croydon. Another exclusive is GiellyGreen's Volumising Shampoo and this naturally adds strength, thickness and shine to your hair whilst removing treatment residues and cleaning your scalp. As well as these you get the OPI Golden Eye Nail Polish from the Bond Collection and this polish is a sparkling gold glitter shade that was released to celebrate the release of the new James Bond film, Skyfall. And finally, you also get some Bodytox Foot Patches which help to draw out toxins from the body whilst you sleep. These are definitely perfect with the amount of late nights that you get over the Christmas period! 

It is an expensive gift set but it's definitely one for all of the beauty junkies out there!

xxx

REVIEW & SWATCHES: Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

When I first heard that Urban Decay were bringing out another Naked palette, I think I died a little inside. However, after a little bit of research, I discovered that it was a fully matte palette. Not going to lie, I don't really like matte colours. I love shimmery, smoky eyes but being a Naked lover, I had to order this palette anyway. 

 You get 6 eyeshadows in this palette. Venus is a new soft, off-white demi-matte shade, Foxy was in the Naked 2 palette and is described as a cream bisque matter, Walk of Shame (W.O.S) is a very light nude matte, Naked 2 is pretty much like Naked from the Naked 2 palette and is a new taupe matte, Faint is a new warm, dusty brown matte and Crave is a new deepest, darkest brown/black matte.

The packaging is beautiful. It's a lot smaller than the other palettes (obviously as it contains 6 less shades) but it has a huge mirror inside it and the eyeshadows themselves are still full size. The actual outer packaging is bang on. If you can remember the original Naked palette then you'll know that however beautiful the packaging started out, it still wasn't exactly travel friendly and it definitely isn't nice and clean now. The Naked 2 palette packaging was a big step up and the Naked Basics is even a bigger step up. 

So although I only bought this palette because I thought I needed it to complete my collection, I've actually fell in love with it. These colours really make creating that perfect shadow so much easier and having mattes is great for creating a basic day time eye look or building on top of. I absolutely love Venus and W.O.S as highlights, Foxy is a wonderful base colour, Naked 2 and Faint are so good in the crease and Crave is the perfect eyeliner colour. I haven't been reaching for my other two Naked palettes half as much since I bought this. I really love it. The pigmentation, as always, is outstanding and the shadows themselves are easy to blend. 

You can buy this palette for £20 here.

What do you think of the Naked Basics palette? Have you bought it yet?

xxx

CHRISTMAS: Champneys

Champneys. A brand which I love. I can remember when it was first introduced to Boots (last year I do believe) and I immediately fell in love with the warm, rich scents and the very reasonable prices. My mum also surprisingly fell in love with the brand. Never had she before spent a lot of money on shower gels or body lotions. She just used to pick up whatever was on offer but when I bought her a Champneys gift set last Christmas in the fragrance Thai Royale and she loved it so much that she repurchased the shower gel and body butter. Unfortunately, this range has now been discontinued which is sad for her but good for me as it's been replaced by a beautiful pink collection that has become my favourite! Their Christmas sets never, ever disappoint and I've picked out my favourites for you here:

This beautiful pink collection is the Distant Shores Collection*. This gift set retails for just £12 which is very good value for money considering that you get inside. The hat box that it comes in is super, super pretty and it holds my foundations inside of it. I also have a gold hat box from last year's Christmas collection which holds my nail polishes. So you even get uses out of the box - good, ey? I'm no good at describing scents, as you know, so I've taken to Champneys to tell you the smell of this collection:

"For this collection we've travelled the Earth to bring you wonderful therapies inspired by ancient rituals. Indulge yourself with this collection of tropical, uplifting blend of grapefruit, lemon and orange fragranced body care treatments."

Inside the gift set you get a 50ml Body Bliss scrub, a 45ml Shower Mousse, a 50ml Bubble Heaven, a 50ml Body Butter and a Champney's body polisher. As well as all of this, you get two vouchers; one for 25% off of a Champney's Pamper Day and another for 500 Boots points (equivalent to £5) when you spend £10 on Champneys. The Shower Mousse is wonderful. It foams up instantly and really cleanses the skin but it doesn't dry it out. The Body Bliss scrub is so good! It's really gentle on the skin but it buffs away dead skin cells and leaves it glowing and smooth. The Body Butter only adds to the level of moisture that you skin gets and it's a thick body butter that sinks in immediately and is perfect for fake tanning prep. And finally, the Bubble Heaven is something that I haven't used yet because I don't have a bath at university - boo! 

My other picks are the following: Oriental Opulence Mini Box - £12, Complete Relaxation Kit - £25, Bubble Heaven Collection - £16, Oriental Opulence Candle and Oil Diffuser - £20, Spa Pedicure Kit - £20.

You can view the entire Champney's Christmas collection here and all of the gifts are on 3 for 2 at Boots!

Champneys is such a wonderful, indulgent brand and there's guaranteed to be a scent for everyone!

xxx

*PR Sample

FASHION: Choosing my birthday dress from Missguided

After reading Lauren's Missguided post I knew I had to hop on over to their website to check out some of their dresses. I've ordered from the website before and the one dress I have from them, I love. It's really well made and it wasn't expensive at all - not over £30. As soon as I began browsing the website, I fell in love with the brand all over again. Their latest dresses are so beautiful and from my selection below, you can see which style I go for. I love collars, I love flarey dress, I love black and I love sparkles.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Now the only problem I have is choosing which dress I want to wear for my 20th birthday night out in January. Which dresses are your favourites from the selection above?

xxx

CHRISTMAS: Fourth 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

The past three days have been so exciting for me with my Liz Earle Advent Christmas Calender* as they have contained three of my favourite Liz Earle products!

First of all I opened a 5g pot of the Superbalm which I first reviewed here. This is essentially Vaseline but a lot better and stronger. It can be used anywhere. On the lips, eyelashes, elbows, knees. Anywhere that needs extra moisture. And it's so handy that I now have a smaller pot of it! I also received the Botanical Shine Shampoo and the Botanical Shine Conditioner for normal hair which I first reviewed here. I'm so glad they included the conditioner for normal hair too as it means it's going to suit everyone in one way or another.  I absolutely love the Liz Earle hair care range and it's definitely without a doubt one of my favourites. It's up there with my beloved John Frieda. These will be perfect for my girly night that I'm having away with a few of my friends in London in February!

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Moroccanoil Treatment Light

I can remember when this oil first came out. It was like a bomb had exploded onto the blogosphere. Everyone was talking about it and still to this day, I don't think I've seen a bad review of this product. I personally didn't rush out to buy it. Firstly because I have oily and flat hair so I do tend to steer clear of oils (until recently). And also because it is quite expensive and I buy into enough hype products as it is.

However, I can't believe I've waited this long to try this product out. First of all, Moroccanoil have brought out a Moroccanoil Light Oil Treatment* which is perfect for those with fine and/or light-coloured hair. I have fine hair. Very fine hair and my hair is on the lighter end of the brown scale. So, what is Moroccanoil? It's basically an oil that has a unique quality to make it instantly absorb into the hair. This creates immediate shine and leaves your hair frizz-free without a sticky residue. It also has a long term conditioning benefit that heals weak and damaged hair. Moroccanoil Light has a light consistency which means that it doesn't weigh the hair down as much. Moroccanoil uses argan oil as its key ingredient and it has won so many awards that I'd be here all day trying to name them all. 

I'm addicted to this oil. So much so that this bottle isn't going to last me very long as I actually apply it multiple times a day. You can use it on wet hair or dry hair and I tend to use it before I blowdry my hair and also as a finishing serum. (And throughout the day for "top ups" that aren't needed at all). It's smooths the hair, leaves it feeling soft, looking shiny and oh my god. I just, I love it! It's perfection in a bottle. I have the smaller bottle at 25ml which is £12.85 and although it sounds small, it really isn't as you only need a tiny amount as it's an oil. I can see this lasting me a good year. You can buy this treatment from Fabriah here which promises the lowest price. 

What do you think about Moroccanoil?

xxx

CHRISTMAS: Caudalie

When I hear the name, Caudalie I immediately think "luxury." It's a beautiful brand that I'm always researching into, especially when it comes to their skin care. Everything just looks and sounds so wonderful and after trying out their Beauty Elixir, I'm hooked. 

When it comes to their Christmas gift sets, they don't disappoint. They have a range of giftsets including shower gels, fragrances, hand sets and skin care. But today, I will be writing about their beautiful Divine Oil Gift Set* which is one that I believe is suitable for all of your loved ones who love to pamper themselves. 

First of all, the box that this set comes in is very sturdy and it definitely doesn't feel like some of the useless cardboard boxes that a lot of Christmas sets come in. In this gift set you get 50ml of the Caudalie Divine Oil which I've briefly reviewed here. This offers everything you need to make your skin positively exquisite. It's a multi-use miracle oil and it's ideal for hair, nails, baths and massages. It's definitely something that everyone needs in their collection. You also get a mini Crush Cabernet Scrub which has coarse granules and it leaves your skin delightfully smooth and nourished. It's also a boost for your slimming regimen as it contains 6 organic anti-cellulite and draining essential oils! And last but definitely not least, my favourite, the Divine Oil Candle. The fragrance of this is very suitable but it will make you swoon! It's the scent of Moroccan and Bulgarian rose with a burst of grapefruit and sparkling spicy pink pepper and cedar, vanilla and white musk. Phew! It basically smells so beautiful and I wish it was the full sized version as I can't seem to find it anywhere. So I'm slowly burning it down and hoping to make it last as long as possible!

This gift set is available here for £28 and SpaceNK. This gift set is definitely the definition of perfect and it's great for pampering with. You can view the entire Christmas range here.

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Brummels of London

Can you believe that I've never bought anything from Brummels of London? Outrageous isn't it?! But after browsing their website for Christmas gifts I can safely say that a lot of my January student loan will be being spent on this website. Their array of Christmas gifts are stunning and highly luxurious! Here are my picks:

Ortigia Sicilia Assorted Glycerine Soap Box - £40 comes with 9 assorted soaps which are all 100% vegetable glycerine. The soaps come presented in a beautiful gift box and the scents include ambra, lavender, lime, melograno, neroli, 2 x sandalo and 2 x zagara. 

Czech & Speake Bath Oil Collection - £65 comes with three 50ml luxurious bath oils including neroli, citrus paradisi and frankincense and myrrh. The oils are created using a blend of essential oils which are mixed with delicate cleansing and moisturising agents. The oils come with a unique shaker design which ensures that there is no wastage with the products.

Bodhi Ylang-Ylang Incensa Gift Pouch - £12 comes with a 50ml bath and shower therapy and a 40ml body moisturiser that aims to nourish and hydrate the skin without drying it out. All Bodhi products are suitable for all skin types however there is a high ratio of essential oils so this gift set may not be suitable for use during pregnancy or on young children. 

Penhaligon's Ladies Fragrance Collection - £30 comes presented in a beautiful Penhaligon's box that contains four 5ml Penhaligon fragrances which are all floral and fruity scents. The scents that are included are Penhaligon's classic and best selling fragrances and include Elizabethan Rose, Lily of the Valley, Malabah & Artemisia. 

You can see the full range of women's gift ideas here, men's gift ideas here and home gift ideas here.
xxx

CHRISTMAS: Sirius Sonic Skin Care System

Today, this is a Christmas gift with a difference. It'd make a lovely gift for those who love their skin care and look after their skin. It's the Sirius Sonic Skincare System*. 

This system is a fantastic cheaper alternative to the Clarisonic (which I've tried about before and reviewed here and here and have since got rid of as I really didn't like it). It uses the power of sonic technology to buff and polish the skin to give you instantly luxurious looking and feeling skin that you'll notice from the first time that you use it. It's waterproof and portable and it can be used by everybody and on every skin type (even skin that has been affected by acne) - this is the part that drew me in as the Clarisonic broke me out very badly. So badly that my skin was in pain. It vibrates at a frequency more than 300 motions per second which allows for 50% more absorption and it gives a much more effective and deeper cleansing, toning, exfoliation and hydration. Now that that part is out of the way, what do I think about this?

First of all, I love the look of this system. It comes with a stand that sits beautifully by my sink and I love how smooth everything looks. I also love that it comes with a number of different brush heads. It comes with two cleansing brushes (one for normal skin and one for sensitive skin) which give a deep and gentle cleansing. These brushes are extremely soft and don't upset the skin in any way. It also comes with an exfoliation head which gently buffs away dead skin cells and clears the pores. This exfoliates in a way that is much better than hands and it's definitely my favourite brush head of them all. You also get an hydration applicator which apparently gives you 50% greater nutrient absorption whilst plumping and tightening the facial muscles. This is another brush head that is a great idea and my skin feels a lot smoother and more moisturised when I've used it. And finally, there's a toning brush head that is used alone without any product.

The one thing that I don't like about this product is that it doesn't need charging as you use batteries. I do like having to charge things as for me, batteries are quite expensive but I will be investing in some rechargeable ones for this machine as I can't live without it. However, not having to charge it is definitely a good thing when it comes to travelling as you don't have to carry a great bulky charger with you. 

Overall, I'm in love with this skin care system. It hasn't broke me out once, it's suitable for daily use and my skin has looked and felt a lot better since using it. I'm not the greatest when it comes to technology but you can read more about what this product does and how it works here. But I must just say that is does work. My skin is a lot more clean which means less breakouts and my scars seem to be fading a lot better. Also, my foundation now goes on a lot nicer which is great! 

This device retails for £65.00 and it's exclusive to Boots here.

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Third 3 Days of the Liz Earle Advent Calender

Sorry that this is a day late but it's better late than never! Also, the picture isn't very good. Sorry about that. I took around 50 pictures and none of them turned out that great due to the packaging of the Superskin Concentrate and unfortunately, this was the best out of a bad bunch. You can see the first three samples here and the second three here. You can also see my Liz Earle Christmas Advent Calender* post here.

But first of all I opened the Superskin Concentrate which although I have and I use regularly, I don't have a review of properly. It's been featured on many skin care posts though. This is a really teeny sample size but as it's a serum, it'll last you as long as the other sample sizes. This is a great product to use during the winter time as it soothes and nourishes the skin. It's really lovely to use and smells beautiful. Next up was a sample of the Botanical Essence™ No.1 which is Liz Earle's first fragrance. I've posted a full review of this product here. It's a nice fragrance but since I've used their newer fragrance, this one has definitely taken a back-seat as their newer one is so much more beautiful and more "my style." And finally, yesterday I opened up the Orange Flower Hand Wash which I never knew existed - I know, I know. I'm a bad fan! I'm super excited to try this out though as my Burt's Bees hand wash is on its last legs so I'll be keeping this one in my bathroom. And if I like it, I'll be buying it in the new year!

xxx

*PR Sample

CHRISTMAS: Tesco

I have a lot more Christmas gift guides coming up so for every day this week, you'll be getting a Christmas gift guide, I hope you enjoy them :) You can find all of my Christmas gift guides here. Tesco is a great place to pick up Christmas gifts in my opinion. You can throw a few in your trolley as you're doing your food shop and they have some great quality gems in their collection.

 I have two gift sets from Tesco's extensive Christmas gift shop to show you today and one of these in particular is truly wonderful. But you see the rest of Tesco's gift sets here.

Along Came Betty Shower Must-Haves* is just £4.69 and it comes with everything you need to relax and unwind in the bath including shimmering bath crystals, cream bath, a shimmering body lotion, a body polish and a hair band with a bow to keep your hair off of your face. The packaging is beautiful and reminds me of Soap & Glory as it's very vintage looking and chic. The products themselves also carry a smell that is very similar to the Soap & Glory classic scent which is very beautiful and girly. The only problem that I have with this set is that it comes with bath crystals and a cream bath... I don't believe that you need them both and a shower gel instead of one of the two would have been a better idea but that's just my personal preference! I think this gift set is great for young girls who are just starting to pamper themselves.

The Boho Spa Shower Set* retails for £6.70 and my god, I adore this gift set. This comes with 3 luxurious shower gels in different scents; Spicy Vanilla & Tiare Petal, Oriental Jasmine & Pink Raspberry and Sea Fennel & Pearl. The bottles are beautiful; tall, black and gold coloured caps which easily dispense the shower gel out of the bottle and the floral designs are truly gorgeous. The shower gels themselves are exceptionally good quality. They're hydrating and lather up well but the best thing is the smells are so gorgeous. I literally love every single scent and each one of them is completely different. I've used one of these every day since receiving the set and I've already got my eye on the other gifts in the range. I really, really wish that they sold these shower gels separately as I don't think I can shower without them! I'll just have to stock up on enough gift sets to last me the whole year! I'd recommend this gift set for every female in your life. It's seriously stunning.

Have you tried any of these products? What do you think about Tesco for Christmas gifts?

xxx

*PR Sample

REVIEW: Right Guard Xtreme Dry for Women

Today's post is a mixture of a review and also it could be in the Christmas 2012 tag because after all, there's nothing more important during the Christmas season partying than looking and feeling good right? And a good deodorant is guaranteed to do that for you. Since I last blogged about Right Guard deodorant I haven't switched from the brand as it really works and I love the scents.

Right Guard Xtreme Dry for Women has been scientifically proven to provide 72-hour protection against wetness and odour which means that whilst getting your groove on at Christmas parties, you won't be smelly and you won't have to worry about sweat patches when next day's Facebook photo tagging begins. It's a maximum strength anti-perspirant deodorant and it contains micro-absorbers to tackle wetness and fight body odour at its source. The deodorant is alcohol free and dermatologically tested which means that it's kind and gentle on the skin. The range has three different fragrances which are Pure Spirit*, Ultra Cool* and Fresh Control* which all smell very lovely but my favourite definitely has to be the Pure Spirit smell - I'm possibly swayed by the fact that the packaging is pink... Oops! These deodorants don't leave any white marks which is a biggy for me when it comes to finding that perfect deodorant, the scents last a long time on the skin but they don't mix with any perfumes and also, they really do work as anti-perspirants which is what we're after after all! The aerosol's are 150ml which I think is perfect for travelling and your handbags if you want to take them on a night out and the roll-on is 50ml which is also handy for travelling and taking out with you. 

The full range retails for £2.29 and is available at all leading supermarkets and chemists.

What is your favourite deodorant brand?

xxx

*PR Sample