Flamingo Candles | The Melt Crowd June 2016

#TheMeltCrowd

I know it's a huge blogger cliché, but I absolutely adore candles. It must run in my family as my Mum is just as obsessed as I am and I can guarantee that at least 2 will be burning every evening without fail. When I discovered The Melt Crowd from Flamingo Candles, a subscription service where Wax Melts are delivered directly to your door, I literally squealed with excitement. After reading rave reviews from two lovely bloggers, BlondeAmy and TheDiaryofaBeautyAddict, I was sold and I placed my order straight away, impatiently waiting for June to arrive!

How much does it cost?

For £10 a month Flamingo Candles deliver 8 EcoSoya Soy Wax melts to your door (you'll find no nasty chemicals here) with an additional melt added to celebrate your 3rd, 6th, and 9th month as a subscriber. With your first order you also receive a free Wax Burner so all you need to do is add a tealight and your good to go! Every month 8 melts or more will be delivered straight through your letterbox so you don't have to be in for the parcel to be delivered. Boxes with 8 melts have a RRP of £18.95 (£2 each per melt plus an additional £2.95 for delivery) so it's certainly great value for money and the added excitement you feel before the box arrives just adds to the value for me. The scents also vary every month and often feature The Melt Crowd exclusives that you can't buy online!

What's in June's Box?

Before I even opened my June edition of The Melt Crowd I could tell it was going to transport me away to a tropical paradise. The scents were already bursting out from the box before I opened the lid and with one sniff I could already detect so many fresh and fruity fragrances. With Summer officially starting in June, this month was packed with vibrant, exotic scents to celebrate the warmer weather and to fuel those dreams of spending summer nights in the Maldives, relaxing by the ocean with a cocktail in hand. But it's not all about fruity fragrances, there's definitely quite an exciting mix of fragrances this month. Four exclusive scents are included: Beach Please, Peach, Gin & Tonic and Chilli & Coriander, alongside the dessert inspired Lemon Curd and Cheesecake Crunch, the iconic summer cocktail Pina Colada and a special WILD fragrance, which is Flamingo Candles' 90s inspired range, in the scent Strawberry Millions.

Pina Colada | When I think of summer I can't help but start singing that famous song... if you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain... Pina Colada is a true iconic holiday cocktail and Flamingo Candles have nailed the scent. It's not too sweet or sickly as the mix of pineapple, orange and grapefruit is balanced with a rich coconut and vanilla base. I love this one and I'll definitely be burning it the night before my holiday!

Beach Please | A special edition for June, Beach Please is fresh and zesty and reminds me of the ocean. This one would be perfect for the bathroom and it's a welcome addition besides the majority of fruity, sweet scents.

Peach | Peach is rather self-explanatory and it's another exclusive this month. I was worried that this would smell rather artificial but thankfully it doesn't and instead it has a lovely refreshing sweet peach scent that I can't stop smelling. It's not as complex as Pina Colada or Beach Please but it's just as wonderful.

Gin & Tonic | An exclusive added to celebrate World Gin Day on the 11th of June, Gin & Tonic has a very zesty and punchy gin aroma. I'm a big fan of gin so I was really excited to smell this and I'm very impressed, it's a very clean, clarifying scent. It's a fragrance that is hard to put into words but just think about an uplifting mix of lemon, lime, herbs and gin and you'll have Flamingo Candles' Gin & Tonic!

Lemon Curd | Lemon Curd has a very strong scent which I'm hoping will weaken a little once lit. I'm not a big fan of lemon scents in general so I don't love this but it is quite a nice scent. It's very refreshing, definitely very lemony and it is part of the High Tea permanent collection.

Cheesecake Crunch | It takes a lot of self-restraint to not bite straight into this melt! It honestly smells amazing and so more-ish, it's definitely not one to burn if you're feeling peckish or you might end up devouring an entire cheesecake before you realise it. If you hate sweet, dessert inspired scents you won't like this but I adore them and I can't get enough of Cheesecake Crunch!

Chilli & Coriander | When I first read the name of this melt I wrinkled up my nose and hesitantly gave it a sniff. I don't really enjoy eating Chilli or Coriander at all so I really expected to hate this one but I was pleasantly surprised. I'm very intrigued to see how this smells in a room once it has melted but for now I'm torn. It's very fresh, herby and woodsy but it's also rather weird... but in quite a good way. I like it, I think... I'll have to update you all after I've used this!

WILD Strawberry Millions | The WILD range from Flamingo Candles cast you back to the 90s, full of nostalgia and retro vibes. I do enjoy actually sitting down and smelling the Strawberry Millions melt, it's ridiculously sweet with a sherbet-like strawberry scent, but I'm not sure if it's something I would want my entire room to smell like. It's definitely one I need to burn to fully make up my mind on. 

Overall I'm really pleased with June's melt selection. There are a few instant hits that I know I'll absolutely love but I'm most excited to try some of the more unusual scents. I think I love the concept of The Melt Crowd as it definitely forces me to try fragrance I wouldn't necessarily choose myself. My favourite? It's a difficult decision but I think I'd have to go with Cheesecake Crunch, closely followed by Pina Colada! 

Will I be continuing my subscription?

Absolutely! Due to moving house at the start of July I've been forced to suspend my account for the moment as I have no idea which address I would send July's box to but as soon as I'm settled in my new home I'll be reactivating my account immediately! I'm already eagerly awaiting August's box and by then I'll definitely be in need of more melts. I never usually stay loyal to subscription services, I always feel that they're very hit and miss between each month, but after reading reviews of The Melt Crowd for the past year it seems like they're very consistent with their quality! 

The only tiny, negative thing I have to say about my experience of The Melt Crowd subscription is honestly so petty I'm not even sure why I'm mentioning it. The paintwork on the wax burner I received had sadly been chipped quite a bit on the inside and I was a little bit disappointed that I received a plain black burner instead of one of the prettier cream and blue burners other subscribers had received. Complete and utter #firstworldproblems right here, I know. I'm still so thrilled with my introduction to Flamingo Candles!

If you're a candle lover, you simply have to try The Melt Crowd. You also receive a 20% off discount code for the Flamingo Candles website every month in case you find a favourite scent you just have to stock up on. Let me know if you've joined The Melt Crowd already and if you haven't which scent from June's box do you like the sound of the most? 

Getting Lippy with Lord & Berry

Have you heard of Lord & Berry? They're a brand I've only ever encountered in beauty box subscriptions such as Birchbox so I was actually really surprised when I did a little research and discovered that the likes of Selfridges, Boots, Look Fantastic and even Asos stocked them. They don't seem to be a brand that's talked about very often in the beauty community, so when I was sent 3 of their lip products to try I had no idea what to expect! 

The 20100 Crayon Lipsticks* caught my eye immediately, as they instantly reminded me of the NARS lip pencils which I've been desperate to try. Retailing for £10 each they're considerably cheaper the NARS crayons and although I can't say whether or not the 20100 Crayon Lipsticks are dupes I can happily say that the they are are wonderful products in their own right! And better yet, Boots are currently selling them for half price so they're an absolute steal at £5 each! I never expected to be this impressed, mainly because I hadn't heard much about them or the brand before, but the application was so easy and comfortable due to the super creamy formula and I found them to be long-lasting, highly pigmented (especially the bolder shade) and not drying at all on the lips!  I was sent 2 shades, Vintage Pink and Fuchsia, which you can see applied to my lips below.

Finding the Right Balance with L'Oreal Extraordinary Clay Shampoo

I'll put my hands up and admit it, I was well and truly enticed into buying L'Oreal's new Extraordinary Clay Shampoo purely because of the adverts on TV. Who on earth could resist the promise of combating two pesky issues all at once? Having oily roots and dry ends is an absolute pain. It's so difficult to cleanse the hair thoroughly and keep the grease at bay without stripping away all of the moisture from my poor dry and brittle ends.

To get straight to the point, L'Oreal's Extraordinary Clay Shampoo isn't absolutely life changing but it is a lovely shampoo, especially for only £3.99 for 400ml. Instead of washing my hair every other day, or pile half a can on dry shampoo onto my scalp to make third day hair look slightly acceptable, I can now happily wash my hair twice a week, adding just a touch of dry shampoo on the third and fourth days to top it up. When I first used this I noticed that my scalp felt incredibly cleansed but vitally it wasn't stripped of moisture. My dry ends seemed to feel stronger, silkier and look smoother and my hair overall appeared thicker and a little bit healthier. By the fourth day my hair was definitely leaning towards the greasier side but in comparison to what it would have been using a different shampoo it's still pretty impressive.

The Re-Balancing technology in the new Elvive range is apparently down to 3 redefined clays which help release you from the vicious over-washing cycle. I can't really find an exact scientific analysis of why and how the three clays work to achieve this but the apparent absorption of oil and added hydration seems to be working quite well with my hair. If you suffer from oily roots and dry ends I definitely suggest giving this go to see if your hair responds. It lathers well, smells lovely and it's also silicone free! However, it does still contain sulphates which I'm personally not bothered by but it is something to be aware of incase you're against SLS.

Until I find something even better I think I'll be sticking with the Extraordinary Clay range. The lazy girl in me rejoices whenever I reach for this. Who wouldn't enjoy saying so long to every-other-day hair?

Have you tried anything from the Extraordinary Clay range? 

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Review | Vichy Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation and Setting Powder

Full coverage: a phrase that used to send shivers down my spine.

Contrary to popular opinion I really didn't get on with the famous Double Wear or even Revlon's Colorstay foundation. I'm certainly not opposed to a flawless finish, especially for the evenings, but it just seems that every full coverage foundation I've tried to date hasn't sat well on my skin. Sadly, I find that the formulas always tend to be too thick, difficult to blend and combined with my oily skin they end up being a recipe for a cake-y disaster. With this in mind, I suppose you can imagine how hesitant I was to try Vichy's Dermablend Corrective Fluid Foundation (£18)* which is known in the beauty world for providing extremely high coverage and helping to hide even the most severe skin concerns. In all honesty I would never have picked this up myself as it sounds like it provides even more coverage than Double Wear but when Vichy kindly contacted me I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt. It's a foundation that's stood the test of time and with a new look, 3 new shades and so many positive reviews I thought that maybe, just maybe, it might be the full coverage formula for me.

The AM | PM Routine Tag

I've noticed The AM/PM Tag floating around quite a lot lately and I absolutely love reading them. There's nothing better than being able to snoop around and gain a little insight into people's daily routines. Even though I wasn't tagged by anyone I've decided to join in on the fun anyway as nothing beats a good ol' tag blogpost on a Sunday morning!

- AM- 

1. What is your morning beauty routine? I'm definitely not a morning person so waking up is always a struggle for me. I usually cleanse my face with Burt's Bees Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream which helps reduce any redness, softens my skin and leaves a nice cooling sensation on my skin due to the hint of menthol in the product. If I have time I'll use my ESPA Balancing Herbal Spafresh Toner and then I reach for a cooling eye product, at the moment I'm using up my Embryolisse Artist Secret Radiant Eye (which I was kindly sent and it's lovely but way too expensive to justify a repurchase), before following up with my La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo moisturiser. If I have time in the morning I might pop on a face mask, Lush make some of my favourites, but this happens pretty rarely as I'm always in a rush to get ready!

2. What's for breakfast? Cereal usually, or a piece of toast with a little bit of Philadelphia cream cheese. If I have more time I love making scrambled eggs on toast! And I always have a piece of fresh fruit too which varies every day.

3. Coffee or Tea? Honestly, neither. I like to start my day with a glass of fresh orange or apple juice. If I had to pick between the two I'd choose tea, but only fruit or green tea. I'm not a fan of normal tea or coffee! I don't really drink hot drinks at all weirdly. 

4. How long does it take you to get out of the door?  If I have 30 minutes to get up and get out the door I can do it but give me 2 hours and I'll find ways to fill in the time! On average to wake up, eat and get ready I like to give myself an hour so I'm not rushing too much.

5. What is your go-to makeup look on a fuss-free morning? If I'm having a good skin day I'll start with bareMinerals Complexion Rescue and if not I'll use my Bourgois Healthy Mix foundation with my Real Techniques Sponge. Next is bareMinerals bareSkin Serum concealer and then I like to use Stila's Convertible Color, in either Camilla or Peony, to add a flush of colour to the cheeks and lips. I always needs a powder to set my makeup, a new favourite of mine is Vichy's Dermablend Setting Powder, and I quickly brush throw my brows with L'Oreal's Brow Artist Plumper. For eyes, I add a wash of with a Kiko Long Lasting Eyeshadow Stick and finish up with coat of Maybelline's Lash Sensational mascara!

- PM -

6. What is your evening beauty routine? I'll start by removing my makeup with Garnier's Micellar Cleansing Water then I follow up with Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish. About 2 to 3 times a week I'll lightly exfoliate with the Superfacialist Rose Brighten and Refine scrub and then I'll spritz on my ESPA toner again. I add 4 drops of Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate and if my skin is feeling a little bit dry I'll use my Vitamin E Night Cream from The Body Shop. 

7. Snack time! What's in the bowl? Most of the time it's another piece of fruit and possibly a Chocolate Digestive or an Oreo. Sometimes I have the strangest cravings though, I had such a hankering for a piece of cheese the other night!

8. How do you wind down and prep for bed? I'm terrible at winding down and turning off my phone before bed, I'd love to be that person but my mind is always at its most active at night. I like to catch up on some YouTube videos or watch a few episodes of whatever TV programme I'm into before climbing into bed. 

9. Cozy up! What are you wearing to sleep? My Victoria's Secret flannel pyjamas, they're so comfy. If it's warmer I'll usually swap the long-sleeved shirt for a loose t-shirt or a vest though. 

10. What are some things you must do before hitting the hay? I always to double  triple check that my alarm is set and then all I ever really need to do is apply some lip balm!

Below are all the products mentioned and I'd love to know if you're a morning or an evening person! I'm also tagging these 5 lovely ladies to talk about their AM/PM Routines:

Jodie from jodieloue

Ela from elabellaworld

Anjna from anjnaharish:thoughtsofagirl

Katie from beautyfromkatie

Becky from lifebybecky

Favourite Products for Naturally Fuller Brows

Bigger, bolder brows are definitely here to stay. There are so many products on the market right now that are designed to help you fake that fuller brow that people are often spoilt for choice but as a girl with naturally fuller, and rather dark, eyebrows I've really struggled to find the perfect products for me. When all you need to do is to fill in a few gaps, neaten up an arch and somehow manage to get your brows to stay in one place you'll soon discover that a lot of products end up being way too intense and those naturally full brows end up looking quite ridiculous and rather harsh. I'm aware that I'm rather blessed to have an abundance of eyebrow hair, believe me I know how screwed I would be if I had to somehow draw on matching eyebrows, but when a look calls for a delicate, soft brow it can become so frustrating when it's almost impossible to achieve. 

One of my biggest brow issues (but ironically it's also one of the things I love the most) is the colour of my eyebrows. They're almost black and on my very pale skin it creates quite a stark contrast. With a little bit of bronzer it can look great but because of their deep pigment I'm not looking for any intensely pigmented products. Brow products that can be slowly built up to increase pigmentation or products that can add just a hint of colour are my best friends. Finding gaps in my brows has to be the most frustrating problem I face. Having to fill in my brows with such dark brown shades requires a very light hand and it's so easy to end up creating a block of colour that doesn't mimic a natural hair at all. The three products I'm featuring today are brilliant for people with naturally fuller brows for the many reasons that I'm about to list below but they're also excellent brow products in their own right. I think anyone would enjoy using them, even if you have quite sparse brows, if you're looking for products that excel in precision and leave a natural looking finish. 

Top 5 Nude Lip Products

Nude hues are slowly taking over my lip product collection. A few years back you'd be lucky to find anything even slightly neutral in my stash but now nude lip products are all I seem to buy. I still absolutely adore wearing a classic red lip now and again but nothing seems to effortlessly pull a look together like the perfect nude lip. Somehow I've managed what I thought would be impossible and I've whittled down my collection and selected my Top 5 Nude Lip Products to share with you. From barely there washes of colour to bolder, more solid mattes I think I've managed to cover every base. I suppose my Top 5 products are almost like a capsule wardrobe for the lips!

Here Comes the Sun with bareMinerals bareSkin Sheer Sun Serum Bronzer

Being on the paler side, bronzer can either be my best friend or my worst nightmare. Adding a touch of bronzer to my makeup is the easiest way for me to instantly look healthier and more alive but it's also so easy to go overboard when you have fair skin. When bareMinerals kindly sent over their bareSkin Sheer Sun Serum Bronzer* I was honestly a bit terrified of it which, in hindsight, was a bit ridiculous as the 'Sheer' element of the product was stated pretty clearly in the name. But I had never ventured into the world of cream or liquid (or in this case serum) bronzers before as I imagined them to simply be too intense for my pale skin. I can safely say that my fears were misguided and now I think I'm completely converted to the liquid bronzer trend. In fact, I'm so addicted to this product I'm literally pining for hot summer nights as my glowing complexion simply doesn't match the rubbish weather we're having in the UK at the moment.

Men's Beauty Gift Guide feat. L'Occitane

Men can be so difficult to buy gifts for. I know it might be a stereotypical statement but from my experience at least they tend to already have everything they need. When it comes to items they are lacking in, however, beauty products always seem to come out on top (narrowly followed by matching socks of course) and with Father’s Day as our next upcoming holiday - June 19th, don’t panic! - I’ve decided to compile a Men’s Beauty Gift Guide in collaboration with L’Occitane for the occasion which is also for birthdays, anniversaries or any other form of celebration you might have coming up in your life. The hype surrounding Nivea’s Post Shave Balm has also inspired this post and even though products may be categorised as ‘For Men’ or ‘For Women’ the magical shave balm is living proof that we shouldn’t just shop within these binary divisions. The scents and products that I’ve featured in my Gift Guide are definitely universal and it also means that if you discover that the recipient of the present, whether it’s a father, partner, brother etc, doesn’t end up sticking to their new beauty regime then you definitely have an excuse to adopt the product as your own and use it yourself. It’s a win-win situation if you ask me!  

My first 3 picks are from L’Occitane, a brand who I personally adore and who have a wonderful selection of products and fragrances suitable for men. My first recommendation is their Mer & Mistral Eau de Toilette, an uplifting and refreshing scent inspired by the breeze of Grasse, a town on the French Riviera. The fragrance is a lovely combination of lemon, mandarin, cypress, pine and rosemary and it is perfect for Spring and Summer - I even have a little bottle of the shower gel myself! Next is a L'Occitane Classic: the Shea Butter Hand Cream. It has a super rich and creamy formula and it has a very light, comforting scent that isn't overly feminine. My final L'Occitane pick for my gift guide is from the Verbena range, a zesty lemon fragrance that is loved equally by men and women. The Vervaine Shower Gel is the perfect pick me up for early mornings and like all the L'Occitane shower gels its scent lingers for hours and I find it to be soothing and slightly moisturising too! The entire line is amazing but I have a feeling the shower gel will be most popular with men. 

Kiehl's also make some incredible skincare products and I couldn't create this Gift Guide without including them. Their Midnight Recovery Concentrate is a staple in my own skincare routine but I also think it would be a wonderful gift for any man. It really transforms the skin over time, replenishing moisture whilst adding radiance to the face. The lavender essential oils really help you sleep and the pipette applicator is rather cool too. Another amazing product for men is Kiehl's  Razor Bump Relief. I've actually had my eye on this product for a while but for the man with sensitive skin who shaves frequently I can't think of anything more perfect — irritated skin and ingrown hairs on the face have to be the awful! In a similar and slightly cheaper form, of course I had to include the famous Nivea Post Shave Balm. Even if you buy this for a man just so you can steal it back ten minutes later I still thought it was worth mentioning! It's the thought that counts, right? 

Do any of you have any favourite products that work well for both men and woman?

Let me know what beauty items you would buy for a man in the comments below!

*This post was written in collaboration with L'Occitane.

Lush | Frozen Bath Bomb Review

Lush reviews are some of my favourite posts to write for my blog. I enjoy snapping photos of my bath after a bath bomb has been dropped into the water almost too much, sometimes I don't even want to get in because I'll probably destroy the pattern. Am I crazy? Probably. Anyway, I digress. This week I finally found the time to use the magical Frozen bath bomb which sadly doesn't start singing 'Let It Go' as it hits the water but don't worry, I managed to make up for that to everyone else's dismay.

3 New Beauty Buys from L'Oreal

After rummaging around my makeup collection I was quite surprised that I owned very little from L'Oreal. With the exception of the odd mascara and a very dried up eyeliner my current collection was pretty much L'Oreal free. To be honest I'm not entirely sure why I've tried so little from such a popular brand but for the sake of beauty research I decided this had to change (excuses, excuses!) I'd been curious about a couple of their newer releases for a little while now so when I spotted a 3 for 2 offer in Boots a few weeks ago I jumped at the chance to finally explore the brand a little bit more.

4 Instagram Accounts Worth Turning Your Notifications On For

Everyone seems to be panicking about Instagram's new upcoming algorithm. The possibility that it will now be even harder to attract likes and the fear of missing out on your favourite users photos sparked a frenzy of 'Turn Notifications On' posts on the platform yesterday. In reality, as the new algorithm works off your behaviour on the platform, the accounts you interact with the most should still appear frequently on your feed. But let's be honest here, nobody is entirely sure whether they're going to get buried by the new changes or not. The desperate plea by many to encourage their followers to receive a notification every time they upload a new photo is all well and good but our phones are already saturated by notifications without Instagram adding to the mayhem.

If you are planning on pushing the 'Turn Notifications On' button you definitely want to be very selective about who you push it for. For me, I'm limiting myself to only receiving notifications for close friends and those accounts that truly inspire me and cheer me up every day. So I thought I'd create a list of my Favourite 4 Instagram Accounts that I'm so obsessed with that even the idea of adding to the notification hell doesn't alter my love for them.

Gemporia Spring Wishlist

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Gemporia is a company I've been hearing more and more about over the past few months, whether it's from fellow bloggers or in the press. I've always been the type of girl who loves simple and delicate jewellery and when it comes to gemstones I turn into a complete magpie. Gemporia is basically like an online treasure chest for people like me! I like to browse the site every so often and pick out a few favourites that I could spoil myself with if I'm ever feeling spendy so when Gemporia contacted me and asked if I would like to put together a Spring Wishlist for them I already had a few of the pieces featured above in mind.

My IPL Laser Experience with Bellissima Exclusive | 1 Session to Go

For those of you who are fairly new to my blog, you might be unaware that I've been receiving IPL Laser Hair Removal on my lower legs for quite some time now. With my 6th and final session booked  in for this Saturday I thought it was about time that I wrote a little update for you all to document the results I've been noticing throughout my treatment. If you're interested in learning about how laser hair removal is carried out, what I personally think of the pain and how to care for the area after treatment I really recommend you read my original post which I wrote after my first treatment.

The Concealer Everyone Is Talking About | bareMinerals BareSkin Serum Concealer

If you've read my blog before you're probably already aware that I'm bareMinerals's biggest fan. Whenever they release anything new I get incredibly excited but it's rather rare that the rest of the beauty world get as equally excited along with me. But bareMinerals's latest release, the bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer, has caused quite a stir in the past few weeks and it seems that every beauty blogger has been raving about it. Naturally I had to see what all the fuss was about so I picked mine up a few weeks ago in the lightest shade, Fair, for £22.00.

After falling in love last year with the Correcting Concealer from bareMinerals I had seriously high expectations for this new release and I have to admit that the hype that surrounds the bareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer is definitely deserved. Whilst the Correcting Concealer is ideal for covering blemishes due to its thicker, creamy consistency the new bareSkin Serum is the perfect multitasker: it covers blemishes and discolouration wonderfully but it really excels in its ability to hide dark circles. The standout element of the bareSkin Serum Concealer is the consistency, it's probably the thinnest and most silky concealer I've ever used yet no coverage is compromised. And a little really really does go a long way with this. You wouldn't think it due to how thin it is but the Serum Concealer provides such high coverage and it layers up beautifully too. Due to the formula being so light it also leaves the skin looking natural, fresh and flawless without any of that dreaded creasing which always seems to happen under my eyes! Can you tell that I really love this yet? I honestly think it might be my new holy grail concealer.

New Skincare Additions from Embryolisse

After trying the cult favourite, Embryolisse's Lait Creme Concentrate, a few months ago (blog post here) I've been rather curious about what else this French Skincare brand has to offer. The lovely ladies at Sparkle PR were actually kind enough to send over two more Embryolisse products and I've been putting them thoroughly to the test over the past few months: so much so that I've almost used them both up completely! I was so excited when I saw Embryolisse's Micellar Lotion* arrive on my doorstep and after recently trying Garnier's Micellar Water I couldn't wait to compare the two and see if there really is a difference between drugstore and higher end Micellar Waters. The other product is the rather unusual Embryolisse Artist Secret Radiant Eye*, also known to the French as Secret de Maquilleurs, or the 'Make-up Artist's Secret',which is a Cooling Gel Stick that claims to make you look and feel wide awake instantly.

My Current Bath Time Pamper Routine

The bathtub is my happy place. No matter how low I'm feeling, there's nothing a bubble bath can't fix. Sunday evenings are usually the nights I dedicate to pampering but if I can I try to slip in an extra little pampering session mid-week! After running a hot bath, lighting a few candles and grabbing a book or magazine, I always rummage around my beauty cabinet and pick out a couple of my favourite beauty products to help me unwind.

The products I take with me into the bath usually change rather frequently but I've gathered a couple of favourites over the Christmas period and I've been sticking to the same routine for the past few weeks now. With the exception of the Lush Bath Bomb, which changes with every bath of course (I have a ridiculously huge pile from the Boxing Day sales to get through!), I've been really enjoying using the same combination of products to wash, scrub and moisturise all my worries away!

Clinique Bonus Time 2016 with Debenhams

There's nothing more satisfying than receiving free gifts with a purchase and Clinique's Bonus Time* Events are something I get excited about each and every year. Just in time for Valentine's Day (hint hint) Debenhams are currently hosting their Bonus Time Event in stores from February 4th - 21st 2016. So, if you were thinking about treating yourself or a loved one to some new Clinique goodies or you simply need to stock up on some essentials, Bonus Time is perfect time to do it - it really is the best way to sample some of the brand's most popular products. With Spring approaching, the aptly named 'Pops of Colour' event features the most adorable makeup bag containing 6 makeup and skincare miniatures. To qualify for the free Bonus Time gift at Debenhams you need to buy two or more products from the brand (one being skincare or a foundation). My personal favourites include the Cheek Pop Blushes, the Lip Pop Colour + Primers and Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm.

Lush | Jason & The Argan Oil Solid Shampoo Bar

Lush's Solid Shampoo Bars are pretty weird aren't they? I've walked past these little shampoo bars for years whenever I've been in a Lush store, always curious but never curious enough to go ahead and purchase one. But when I spotted Jason and the Argan Oil, which is graced with my all-time favourite Lush scent Rose Jam, I couldn't resist any longer. And at £5.75 each, with the promise of up to 80 washes per bar, it's not too pricy either.

Happy New Year | Favourites of 2015

2015 was definitely a year with major ups and downs for me but after a little social media detox I'm so excited to be back here and blogging again for 2016! As far as beauty products are concerned it was a year of so many amazing discoveries. My obsession with bareMinerals products reached new heights, I rediscovered Lush and I'm completely in love with the store again and I finally found a few holy grail skincare items that I honestly can't imagine living without. So, before I start to ramble on like I always tend to do (some things will never change!) let's get started with my makeup favourites of 2015.