My Christmas list for Father Christmas!!

It's nearly Christmas whooooo! That time again already and this year I actually have a list of things i would like, mainly because it was my birthday in November and I didn't get everything I wanted so I changed it to my Christmas list! 

• Issy Miyake Pleats Please 

This perfume is gorgeous! I'm quite fussy when it comes to fragrance and it takes me ages to make a decision on whether I like one or not. I received this as a sample size in one of my Glossyboxes so I had plenty of chances to try it out. 

• Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

Need I say any more?! It has been released today (as I write this post it is the 16th December) and my boyfriend has already ordered it for me, spoilt I know! 

• Mac eyeshadows for my palette

There's a list including sketch, sable, concrete, green smoke, club, brule and many more! I know my sister is getting a couple for me

• Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick

I always have a few shimmer bricks floating around in my makeup bag, this time I would like the lilac rose shade. I have nearly tried all of the shades with my favourites being rose and nectar. 

• Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm

I've been eager to jump on the bandwagon for quite a while now but haven't actually got round to it. I kept putting it off as I have a lot of cleansers to use before I think about getting another! 

• Voucher for a facial

I haven't specified a particular salon for this so I think I will put any money I get for Christmas towards it. I really want a Guinot Hydradermie. I used to work in a salon with Guinot and always had a facial once a month but now I'm self employed I miss out on this luxury :(. Obviously I can give myself a facial but it's not the same. 

• Skipping Rope

You may laugh but it's been proven to do wonders for your body. I was always really good with a skipping rope at school  so I'm hoping I'll pick up where I left off! (The same cannot be said for hoola hooping!) 

Now I'm hoping Santa (or Father Christmas as you may call him) is reading this and will buy me all these things as I've been a very good girl this year, honest! 

What's on your Christmas List? 

Xx

December Glossybox!!!!

Finally finally finallyyyyyy it's here!! I received an email saying my box would be sent out later than usual which was fine but it still felt like forever waiting for it! I was hoping I would get some good items this month as it's Christmas...

As you can see from the photo, I received:

Wilkinson Sword Intuition Naturals Razor

Lipsy London Glam Perfume

Seche Nail Colour in Blanc 2

Maybelline Color Tattoo 24hour Eye Shadow in On And On Bronze

Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Nude Lipgloss

All in all, not such a bad box, although I'm not sure I will use the nail colour. I have a lot of nail polishes and recently bought a Seche Colour to try as they claim to be one coat colours but I'm not too impressed. I expected them to be as good as their Seche Vite top coat which I swear by but the few times I applied it, it hasn't lasted and also lost the shine (even with the top coat). 

I will definitely use the color tattoo and the lipgloss, I hope it's not sticky though! The razor will come in handy as I use my boyfriend's (different razor blade on the top though!). 

What did you receive in your Glossybox? Anything you won't use? 

Xx

Blog troubles

Hi guys! I'm so behind on doing blog posts, I have been feeling a bit uninspired by my work and ideas recently that I haven't been doing blog posts. I've been thinking of ways to make my blog more exciting for you to read or at least a bit different to other blogs but I can't find anything that would set it apart. I'm not very good with computers or cameras, I only have an iPhone and iPad and find myself writing new posts on my phone and using the photos. I read a conversation on twitter recently about the importance of having a good camera and photos, which I understand but i don't have the money to buy a camera. I would love to get one and snap away, experimenting with lighting and backgrounds but I just don't have time. Or maybe I'm not into it as much as other bloggers which is why mine lacks all the components of a good blog. 

I see my blog as a place to put my thoughts down on products etc as I would love love love to do YouTube videos on hauls/fashion/vlogging but that isn't possible at this moment in time. I never think anyone actually reads it! I'm hoping I will get inspired and get better at photos (hopefully with a little help from my photographer sister) and will have a much better and improved blog in the new year for you all to read! 

For now though I will continue posting little bits and bobs (and some average photos). Enjoy! 

Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower Oil Collection

I received this set as a Christmas present, not really knowing anything about the Aromatherapy Associates brand. Their packaging is lovely and expensive looking, I feel very luxurious using them and they definitely look smart standing in my bathroom! These are just sample sizes (each one is a 3ml size), each one of these oils comes in a full size beautifully packaged up and wrapped in a ribbon. In the set are 9 miniature bottles, all different blends of aromatherapy oils, with a description on each one. This is a great idea as you can just read the bottle or the description card that accompanies the box to find out which oil targets what you need. They include two oils for relaxing, two de-stress oils, two revive oils and three support oils and all are highly concentrated, so much so that you only really need a few drops of the bottle in the bath or shower to really get the benefits of the oils. I also like to only use a little bit so I can make them go further :). I have my favourite ones and will purchase these in the large size when I have used all of the miniature ones. Some of the bottles are missing from the photo as I have already used those ones up! :) 

I love using Aromatherapy oils professionally and at home as I really think they work. I am aromatherapy massage trained but I am not trained to blend oils other than adding a few drops of different essential oils to a carrier oil which is what I do for my clients at work. There is an aromatherapy oil book that I frequently read as I find it very interesting to discover their benefits and uses. I always use tea tree oil for its antiseptic benefits- cleaning cuts, putting it on spots and blemishes, using it to help heal fresh piercings and wiping it over skin. Lavender is known for its relaxing properties and is widely used in aromatherapy sets. Other oils can help menstrual cramps, muscle aches and pains, depression and anxiety.. The list goes on. 

This gorgeous set also makes a great gift for Christmas or birthdays or maybe for Mother's Day. I certainly liked receiving this as it is a great way to get introduced to the Aromatherapy Associates product range. 

Happy Belated Birthday To Me!!!!

So it was my birthday on the 11th November yeahhhhhhh! I turned..... 25 sshhhh don't say it too loudly! I'm not a fan of birthdays, in fact I hate them. I'm in a happy normal mood the day before but as soon as I wake up on the morning of my birthday, I am such a grump! Then it's down to my boyfriend to cheer me up all day and spoil me haha! 

This year we both took the day off and we went to Westfield Shopping Centre in London. We had never been but after looking at the list of shops there, I was so excited to go! I was planning on doing outfit posts and taking photos of my purchases but I've been so busy moving house that all the clothes are now packed away in various cases. This is such a boring post for you all, I'm sorry but I thought I would just let you know what I got up to to celebrate and what I bought. I ended up spending a small fortune (of my boyfriend's money) in Bershka, which happened to be the first shop we went into. I picked up a pair of jeans, a skirt, two vests and a thin jumper that I can layer over another top. Hopefully I will get photos and you can see what the all look like! In H&M I bought some leggings, some footless tights, a flower patterned scarf and a silver necklace to wear with jumpers. I needed some new black flat pumps for work (and by this point my feet were aching) so I popped into Dorothy Perkins and found some gorgeous pointed ones with gold metal patterns on the toes. One thing I actually went to look for was a new bag as I am obsessed with having a new one with the change of every season! I found one in River Island but my boyfriend found an even nicer one that is black and taupe on the front and back, with a fluorescent panel either side. I wanted a rigid bag to carry my work diary and iPad etc, although it's so big I can't find anything in it! I can't wait for some Xmas shopping in London so it's an excuse to go again! 

Loving La Roche Posay!

Since discovering La Roche Posay at the beginning of the year, I have been buying more and more of their products. My newest ones are Effaclar Mat and the Thermal Spring Water. I find all of their items really suit my skin and know if I have a blemish, I can reach for my Effaclar K and the spot will be gone within a few days. 

All La Roche Posay products are paraben free, 100% hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and all are tested on sensitive skin. I have oily/combination skin and it has been so disgustingly greasy this summer that I felt I needed to do something about it, I swear as I get older its getting worse! Although I have been told its good to have oily skin as it means less wrinkles when I'm older! 

The Effaclar Mat comes in a 40ml tube and a little goes a long way. I find that a tiny pea sized amount will cover all of my face and I have a big face :). As predicted it is suitable for sensitive skin and oily skin prone to imperfections and shine, which I'm hoping is code for 'really greasy skin'! The problem I find is that I can't use products intended for oily skin as they then strip too much oil out and leave it even lilies but with dry patches. I have come to the conclusion that my skin is dehydrated( I have my hydraluron for that) so I need to address that first to balance my skin out. The Effaclar Mat claims to help control shine, reduce sebum production and the appearance of pores therefore creating an oil free texture and smoother skin. I have only been using it for about 3 weeks now but my skin has definitely improved. It feels softer and I don't need to apply powder as often as I previously had to and my makeup seems to sit nicer/last longer. This is probably a combination of all the new products I have been using but I like to think that the Effaclar Mat has helped. 

Thermal Spring Water 150ml- I don't know what made me buy this but I found myself picking it up again and again so thought I should just purchase it. The idea of spritzing your face with water is a strange one and I feel a bit indulgent for doing so (my boyfriend thinks I should save money and just throw Evian at my face everyday). I have to say though, my skin seems to love it and it soaks in a treat. It's supposed to soothe sensitive skin or skin that is easily irritated by outside factors like the climate and contains minerals and trace elements to soften and soothe. I use it after washing my face and before I put my Hydraluron and moisturiser on. 

Xx

November Glossy Box

I'm late putting this post up as it was my birthday last week so I've been busy doing things and going places! I was really excited for this particular box to arrive as I knew it was due two days after my birthday but it's not until now that I've actually looked in it properly as we are in the process of moving house so I have A LOT to do. 

I'm really happy with all the products in this box as they're all quite big sizes so it makes it look like I have a full box of goodies instead of tiny perfume samples. The first product I noticed was the Elegant Touch Rapid Dry For Nails which I know is very good and does what it says on the tin! I used this a few years ago at the salon I used to work at and it really does dry polish in 60 seconds, although i still believe nails aren't fully dry for 45 minutes to an hour. I will definitely be using this in my salon as the cold weather means clients will be coming in wearing boots and gloves so anything that makes the polish dry quicker will really help this time of year! 

Jelly Pong Pong Lip Blush in the shade Cranberry- gorgeous packaging, very girly and flowery and reminds me of a Clinique Chubby Stick (winds up like a crayon too-very similar). I have to say I was a little disappointed to see that the top ingredient is mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum) as I tend to steer clear of products that contain this. It does contain beeswax and ceresin wax so is very moisturising and I look forward to trying it soon. 

Emite Micronized Eye Shadow- I feel a bit bad when I receive eye shadows as I am a complete Mac lover so I tend to judge them before I try them. However this one is highly pigmented and a lovely cream colour shot through with a shimmer so I will get a lot of use out of it. Straight in my makeup bag I think! It's also completely free from perfume, parabens, oil and nickel. 

Yves Rocher France Hand Cream- I don't know much about this brand so I can't write a lot about it. I actually asked my boyfriend to review it for me as he tells it how it is whereas I tell it from a beauty point of view. It smells of pistachio and cocoa which I quite like but he didn't as it hung around for quite a while (I think it's also because he is a nail biter so doesn't like the taste!). We are both impressed at how quickly it soaked in so it would be a good all rounder if the smell wasn't so strong. 

Vichy Idealia Life Serum- I love using serums this time of year as my skin always feels like it needs a little extra something to make it not look so dull. I'm intrigued by this serum as I use Vichy's eye roll on so I hope it is as good, if not better! I have three sample sizes to use and they came in a cute pink organza bag that I could use again. I'll let you know how I get on! 

Xx