the christmas giveaway

I'm well and truly feeling in the spirit so I've decided to give away a bunch of amazing products to one lucky winner (just call me Father Christmas). I'm going to announce the winner on Christmas day so that it can make someone's day even more special, but make sure you enter quickly as this means you won't have long to get yourself involved.

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Have a beautiful Christmas!

the christmas gift guide | part four

The last of my beauty Christmas gift guides is here! It's been a lot of hard work trying to get all of these up well in time before Christmas so I hope that some of the ideas come in handy. If you haven't already checked out the rest of my gift guides just click here.

Yankee Candle Christmas Gift Set - £25.99: I'm ridiculously obsessed with Yankee Candles, there is a whole wall full of them at my local garden centre and I could quite happily spend a small fortune all at once. These two are both beautiful scents, Snow In Love is ideal for a the daytime as it's crisp and fresh whilst Christmas Eve is a cosy candle for the evening. The scents of both are spot on for my liking and I love how Christmas Eve isn't of an overwhelming cinnamon scent like most Christmas candles!

Mavala Nail Polish Baubles - £4.50 each: These little baubles make the most perfect stocking fillers or look equally as pretty tied onto the tree. I love both of the shades of nail polish too and think they are just ideal for the party season. 

Aveda Hand Relief & Foot Relief - £19 each: If you are searching for a gift for someone a bit older then a luxury hand cream or foot cream are worth a thought. I always think it's nice to give something that will come in really handy (get it.. handy..) that perhaps someone wouldn't be able to afford to treat themselves to normally. 

Latest In Beauty The Glamour Beauty Edit Box - £14.95: How amazing is this beauty box? I bought this one for my Mum as I was so impressed at all of the products included and know she will get good use out of everything, not a dodgy lipgloss in sight! Everything comes presented in a luxury black box too which makes wrapping extra easy.

Elemis Pro-Collagen Perfection Set - £70: This Elemis set is filled with anti-ageing goodies and is ideal for anyone needing a skincare overhaul. Elemis have so many amazing gift sets this year and if you are after that special gift for someone then you need to check them out (they have great options for men too).

M2 Beauté Perfect Eyes Kit - £135: I've saved the most expensive luxury set until last, so run away now if you don't want to be tempted. The set includes a lash comb, eye make-up remover sachets and the famous eyelash activating serum. I can confirm that the eyelash activating serum works brilliantly an pretty much doubled the length and thickness of my lashes after I'd been using it for a few months, I'm going to put up a full review soon but trust me this baby is a miracle worker in a tube. 

the christmas gift guide | part three

I hope you are all enjoying my Christmas gift guides so far, the day itself is creeping closer and closer as always and I'm hoping that I'm not the only one with most of my gift buying still to do! I'm going to try to squeeze one last post in after this for all you last minute shoppers, I also have a great guide coming up for my lifestyle blog too.

Lauren's Way Tan Teasers - £19.95: I'm a big fan of Lauren's Way tanning products and I love this cute set filled with mini versions of the most popular products along with a tanning mitt. It's an ideal set to introduce someone to tanning products with or for a fake tan pro to use the minis as travel versions.

& Other Stories Cotton Care Gift Set - £40: For a larger skincare gift these & Other Stories products come presented in a chic white gift box which even includes a cotton towel. I've had a go with the Body Lotion which smells divine and gives the skin a lovely silky sheen. I absolutely adore this set and how the understated packaging looks so on-trend in my bathroom, definitely a big thumbs up. 

Sanctuary Weekend Get-Away Collection - £18: This is a wonderful little gift set for anyone on a budget yet still wanting to give a luxurious gift, it's perfect to give a friend who loves a good old pamper session. Sanctuary also have a 3-for-2 offer on their website at the moment so keep that in mind if you have lots of people to buy for! 

Burt's Bees Tips and Toes kit - £14.99 & Kissable Colour Set - £11.99: Burt's Bees always have wonderful gift sets around this time of year and these two are certainly no exception. If you are to be a bit cheeky and treat yourself to something then make it the kissable colour set, the luxury lip balms give a hint of colour which make a great (and more hydrating) alternative to lipstick.

Eve Lom Kiss Mix Star - £16: This is one of my favourite ever lip balms, it's super hydrating and leaves a minty fresh flavour on the lips that lasts really well. Given it's on the pricey side but you won't find anyone who wouldn't love this as a gift.

Nuxe Travel Kit - £9.90: I've already mentioned this Nuxe set many times on my blog before but wanted to give it a feature in my gift guide as I think it's such a fabulous set, plus it's at such a great price too!

Nourish Argan Beauty Collection - £24.95: When this set from Nourish arrived through the door I have to admit that I swooned like a madwoman, the products are just set out so beautifully and the packaging has such a luxury meets Christmas feel. I've already had a try of the Argan Skin Rescue Oil and for that alone this set is an absolute must-have, the products each have a gold, frankincense and myrrh theme too.

the christmas gift guide: part two

Theirry Mugler Alien Christmas Gift Set - £42.50: Alien has been one of my favourite fragrances for many years and I know many people who love it too so this boxed up set would make a lovely gift for them. It's a great way to introduce someone to the fragrance too as it includes a full sized and travel sized version of the body lotion.

Nails Inc. Best Dressed Nails Collection - £16: This set of mini nail polishes makes such a great stocking filler for anyone who's into their nail polishes, there are different finishes and effects meaning they make a change from the regular shades that everyone already has.

Liz Earle Limited Edition Cleanse and Polish - £19.75: You will all know by now how much I love the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish and have done for years, making this limited edition Christmas themed set one of the best gift ideas that I've seen thus far. I don't know a single person who hasn't been converted from using face wipes to a cream cleanser and this makes the ideal gift for anyone in need of revamping their skincare products. 

Cheeky Rude-olph Nail Paint Gift Set - £12: This nail polish sets includes the perfect shades for the party season and comes in at just at the right price for a little gift.

Yon-Ka Absolute Hydration Set - £80: Yon-Ka is by far one of my favourite skincare brands and if I were to recommend the best skincare set that is no-frills and will really do a great job on your skin it would have to be this. It's also perfect for this time of year to rehydrated and treat dry skin.

Argentum La Potion Infinie - £147: This is the showstopper product of my gift guide, never have I had such an expensive skincare product in my possession before! If you have a big budget and really want to go all out in treating someone with an extra special face cream then check this beauty out. The chic packaging and black glass jar are certain to impress along with all of the anti-ageing benefits of the cream itself.

Part three will be up very soon!

the christmas gift guide | part one

My favourite perk of running a beauty blog has always been when Christmas time rolls around and I get to feature lots of lovely gift ideas, I'm one of those people who absolutely loves giving gifts so putting together gift guides is always so exciting for me. This year I've been a busy bee sourcing lots of fancy gifts for all different budgets and tastes, hopefully if you are stuck for ideas this should help you out! 

Nuxe Christmas Prodigieuse Gift Set - £24: This set definitely wins the prize for the best packaging, I get a real Christmassy feel just looking at it. Nuxe is one of my favourite skincare brands and this set is filled with some fab products totalling to a value worth double what the set actually costs.

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Collection £23.99 & Expert Face Brush - £9.99: These brush sets are perfect stocking fillers, I'm such a fan of all the Real Techniques brushes that I've tried to far and love that they are much for affordable than Mac.

Ted Baker Holy Smoke Candle Set - £15: Who doesn't love candles to warm up the house in the Winter time? I really like the girly yet sophisticated feel to these and think they easily look like a much more expensive pair.

Korres Fig Showergel - £6.40, Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lipgloss - £18, & Tweezerman Magnifying Mirror - £16: These are all great additions to fill up a stocking or gift box. I love the Korres shower gel as it has such a warming sweet scent, the lipglosses are great too as they just look so Christmassy and glittery, and for a gift that you know will get a whole lot of use then check out the Tweezerman mirror. 

Lush The Christmas Penguin - £2.95, Candy Mountain - £2.65 & The Melting Snowman - £2.25: Lush bath bombs and bubble bars are a fail-safe option when it comes to gift giving, they are fairly inexpensive meaning you can pop a couple in a gift box to fill empty space or even just treat yourself with a few. Warm bubbly baths are by far my favourite thing around Christmas time!

Estee Lauder Zodiac Powder Compact - £38.50: I'm utterly in love with this precious little powder compact, even more so due to the fact it has a different design depending on your star sign. It feels so expensive and luxurious that I don't think I can ever bring myself to use it, but if you are a collector of make up then it's a must-have.

There are probably going to be around three more gift guides so keep a lookout for them all!

halloween: pumpkin nails

COLLECTION FAST STROKE EYELINER | MODELS OWN EMERALD CITY | MODELS OWN BEACH PARTY

Today I'm back with another Halloween themed nail look, you lucky things! On another note I'm currently setting up a blogging desk so will be back with normal reviews once that's done. Anyhow, these pumpkin nails are a little harder to create than the dripping blood nails I did for my last post but all you need is a steady(ish) hand, a neon orange polish, a green glitter shade and a liquid liner to create the silly pumpkin faces. You can always just draw a pumpkin face on an accent nail and leave the rest plain orange if you don't have the time to do the full set.

halloween: dripping blood nails

 NAIL DOTTING TOOL - EBAY | BARRY M NUDE NAIL PAINT | CHANEL ROUGE NOIR LE VERNIS

With Halloween well on it's way I'm going to try and squeeze in as many scary make up and nail art idea posts as I can, starting with this post on dripping blood nails. It's a super easy look to create as the messier looking the drips are the more realistic it looks, there's really no skill needed whatsoever. Just paint on a nude coloured base and use a brownish red shade for the blood effect, start by creating rounded lines from the tip of your nail with the brush and then use a nail dotting tool to add extra detail.

korres jasmine eye make-up remover

In all the time I've been wearing make up and using skincare products I've never actually properly tried out an eye make up remover, I always just figured that what I used to remove my skin make-up would do the job well enough. I've recently been putting that theory to bed and have been using this version by Korres as another step in my make-up removal routine. I've found that it dissolves even heavy eye make up with absolute ease and causes no irritation whatsoever to my sensitive eyes. It's water based and has the same consistency as Bioderma but feels a little more nourishing. I do find that oil based removers can sometimes feel a little heavy around the eye area so this makes the perfect option for a refreshing feeling removal of eye make-up, if you are in the market for an eye make-up remover then definitely check it out. It's also really good value too as it's a big 200ml bottle which will be sure to last a good few months at least.

 KORRES JASMINE EYE MAKE-UP REMOVER - £14

remington smooth and silky epilator

Recently I was sent an amazing box from Remington filled with products to help out with a pain free epilating experience. Firstly, The Breakfast Scrub by Soap and Glory, which just happens to already be my favourite body scrub, smells of banana and oat deliciousness and does a fantastic job at buffing away dead skin cells. Once my legs are buffed and scrubbed I move onto the Nivea Water Lily Shower Gel, this has a beautifully delicate feminine scent but is also combined with oil pearls to give skin back moisture. 

Out of the shower and an hour or so after my skin is ready for hair removal I get started with the epilating. I had already tried this method of hair removal a few years ago and after training as a beauty therapist decided waxing would be the better option for me but now I'm turning back on that idea as waxing can be messy and a nuisance. The Remington Smooth & Silky epilator is surprisingly compact and light-weight, completely different to the clunky epilator that I owned in the past. There is no doubt that epilating is painful but in my opinion it's well worth getting used to as I find it the best method of hair removal for long-lasting results, it usually takes around two weeks until the hair starts to grow back which is ideal for a holiday. If you get fed up of constantly shaving your legs then do consider trying out epilating, lighting a scented candle really helps to ease the discomfort too, the Neom Relax candle fills the room with a beautiful lavender scent.

Once any redness has gone down on my skin it's time to moisturise which is where I use the Korres Fig Body Butter, another great smelling product which is thick and luxurious and leaves my skin feeling nourished and soft.

Remington Smooth & Silky Epilator  - £25

eos lip balm review + giveaway

I've heard lots of great things about these lip balms for a long time now and was so pleased when the lovely people at biggreeensmile.com sent over a bunch of different flavours. I decided to keep one to review and give the other two away to a couple of you, I'm sure most of you will be in need of a great lip balm now Winter is on it's way. I have both the Lemon Drop and Blueberry Acai versions up for grabs and will be choosing a winner for each so there are more chances of winning.

EOS HONEYSUCKLE LIP BALM - £4.99: The packaging of the lip balms is absolutely genius, they kind of remind me of a mini plastic egg with a lip balm centre. Not only do they look great on the outside but with the lip balm being formed in a sphere shape it makes application so quick and easy as it glides on to the shape of your lips. The balm itself feels luxurious and works really well at softening the lips, it also lasts a while once it's on too. The flavour is sweet yet subtle and the best part is the balms are made from 100% natural ingredients.

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the chop

At some point last week I decided that I'd had enough of my unmanageable long hair and went for the chop and had around 3-4 inches cut off. It feels a million times healthier as the ends of my hair were starting to get really damaged, I did feel a bit precious about my long hair but I'm not too sad to have waved it goodbye. I really like how it now looks like a messy grown out bob and is so easy to style in a morning compared to having to use all sorts of oils and masques to make it look less damaged, let me know what you all think of the new hairdo!

pastel nails for autumn

MODELS OWN CONCRETE MIXER | APPLE PIE |  UTOPIA | PEACH SHERBERT | BETH'S BLUE

This nail look is perfect for the transition between Summer and Autumn, I decided to add a greige colour to the mix to tone down the colourful shades and to give an unusual edge. Had it been Spring I would have used a pale yellow shade instead of the grey but I think this look works much better with Autumnal shades of clothing.

pampering skincare products for an overnight stay

One of my favourite things about staying over at a lovely hotel is having a pamper session in the evening as I'm getting ready for the evening. A couple of days ago I stayed at the beautiful Kesgrave Hall for a night and took along my favourite skincare products to give my skin a treat, and then I jumped into the best bubble bath I've ever been in. I've included links below to the full reviews of everything I've already featured and will be reviewing the other products in full shortly!

ARK CLEANSE DUO | AESOP PARSLEY SEED MASQUE | EVE LOM EYE LIFT CREAM | REN EMOLLIENT RESCUE CREAM

What are your favourite pampering skincare products to take on an overnight stay?

daniel wellington watch giveaway

Just a quick post for those of you who didn't already know that I'm giving away a Daniel Wellington watch (worth £149!) on my lifestyle blog at the moment. Click here to head over to the giveaway page, but before you go have a quick look at my Twitter giveaway to win a Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm too.

le soft perfume in lucky bay

Although I'm a self confessed perfume addict I've only ever tried spray on versions and have just recently discovered solid perfume. I've been trying out this perfume stick by Le Soft Perfume in the scent 'Lucky Bay', it's a beautifully fresh and uplifting fragrance and lasts much longer on the skin than I ever expected. It has all the power of a normal atomiser perfume, if not more, and the sleek compact packaging means that you can reapply throughout the day without carrying around a clunky bottle. The price may seem a little steep at first but bear in mind that it will last a very long time due to the fact the perfume is in such a concentrated form, I'm definitely going to be checking out more versions of these.

"With a nourishing Monoi Butter base, Le Soft Perfume in ‘Lucky Bay’ will enfold you in the fresh, uplifting aroma of a glorious summer’s day at the seaside. Citrusy top notes of Tangerine and Lemon give way to a warm, floral heart that conjures the scent of warm skin, sunscreen and a clean sea breeze. Perfect for taking on your travels, the solid formula can be stowed in hand luggage and applied mid-flight to soothe stresses, or whenever you need a little burst of heavenly-scented holiday happiness. "

LE SOFT PERFUME SOLID STICK PERFUME IN LUCKY BAY - £19