Accessories You Need For Winter

Now that Christmas is most definitely on its way, it’s time to think about stocking up those winter wardrobes. It’s the perfect time of year to dig out your favourite cozy cardigans and snazzy tights, perfect for mixing and matching with jeans for daytime, or warming up an LBD in the evening. We’ve already seen the trends this season for 1970s throwbacks in swishy dresses and androgynous silhouettes with long duster coats, capes, and trenches. These are the essentials you’ll need for the winter.

  

Hats

The perfect way to accessorize the fur coats and trenches in this season is with a stylish woollen hat. A knitted beanie adds a campus cutie vibe to a duffel coat and jeans, especially fairisle designs; while embellished riders’ caps add an extra sparkle to a black jumpsuit on a night out. Wide-brimmed wool or felt hats will keep you nice and toasty while remaining easy to pair with any style of coat, especially in keeping with this season’s key colours of mauve, camel, and black. For a stand-out effect, choose a colour to contrast with your hair - a camel hat for dark hair, and vice versa.

Scarves

After the skinny scarf enjoyed a long-awaited revival last season, it’s time to embrace the humble scarf in its original, snuggly form. Wide, wool tartan scarves perfectly complement wool coats or fur, as well as adding a soft grunge edge to the leather trousers and skirts on trend this winter. For a snuggly casual outfit, pair a thick knitted scarf with a raincoat. Size is the most important matter when adding a scarf to an outfit - for an on trend, androgynous silhouette, the ‘boyfriend,’ or oversized scarf is the way to go. You’ll feel as cozy out on your coffee run as you do snuggled in a blanket at home.

Footwear

Sadly it’s time to tidy away all the strappy heels from the summer. Fortunately, this season’s selection of boots have something for everyone, from chunky biker flats to 1960s go-go wedges. Chelsea boots, as with last year, are making a triumphant return, offering a perfect compromise between punky buckles, height, and comfort. Look out for different textures, which can add an extra element to an otherwise monochrome outfit, with snake, crocodile, and leopard skin fabrics dominating the market. For fashionistas looking to add some flair to an office dress code, both patent, matte, and suede loafers are ideal as either flats or heels. Sporty gals will love the return of 90s leisurewear, from skates to retro-inspired trainers (perfect for winter morning jogs).

*guestpost

Boots No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter

A few months ago I went into my local Boots store for foundation matching which you can read about HERE and as part of that service I was also matched with a lipstick and as it was a 3 for 2 offer on at the same time, I was to choose something for free! Well we all know how good a Boots 3 for 2 offer is and it took some time swatching everything I liked the look of and in the end I opted for the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter. This Highlighter was something I had had my eye on for some time after seeing another blog post on it and it was the last one in stock (fate) so it was mine.

We all love a good highlighter and this is one brilliant. The highlighter comes in a stick or crayon as some people call them and is quite rotund. To use you simply twist the silver part at the bottom it to show the nib which you then use as the highlighter. When I decided this was the product for me, luckily the lady at the counter decided to give me a crash course into how to use it properly. As with any other highlighter you might have, I was told to begin by sweeping the stick gently onto cheek/brow bones, down the centre of your nose and then onto your cupid's bow to create that illusion of younger, dewy skin.

When you look at the highlighter it is not a wet formula as you might expect it to be, instead it is a dry formula and if you have used similar blush or bronzer sticks you will know what I mean.  It glides onto the skin so you need to pretend you are colouring in with your Crayola crayons, one glide along the skin is enough for you to dab and blend with your finger tips, I tend to simply pat my skin where I have applied the highlighter to get the best effect for me.  I was surprised to find it so easy to use and it really does give a nice subtle glow, perfect for when you are going out or for everyday use. 

I have become really impressed with No.7 of late and have a wish-list as long as my arm, starting with the concealer match service which I intend to take advantage of as soon as I have some time to do it. This Highlighters costs just £9.95 and is such great value for money.

Have you tried anything by No7 recently?

Emu Australia Boots Charlotte Black

Now the frost is settling and we have threats of snow, it is time to dust off the warm snug boots and hide my toes until the Spring. 

Shoetique have an amazing range of boots to choose from and I finally managed to settle on the most amazing boots from Emu, infact I have wanted them for ages and ages but have never bought them.  Let me introduce you to the Emu Australia Boots Charlotte** which I opted for in Black, the other colour option is Chocolate.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing these boots are they are just fantastic, so snug and warm and perfect for this weather.

As calf length boots, they can be styled with everything and best of all they are totally waterproof! So they can be worn under and over your jeans, leggings, with a dress, with a skirt and they just look so good.

These boots feature a black suede upper which is built with a waterproof membrane and sealed seems which ensure no water gets in. The really thick sheepskin linings provide a lot of warmth and make them extremely comfortable to wear, almost like walking on springs they are so soft and bouncy. The sheepskin is also said to naturally remove moisture which in turn keeps your feet and your boots smelling fresh. The sole of the boot is texturised rubber which gives it a good old grip on those frosty slippery surfaces and is completely flat.

These boots are easy to pull on and off and have the Emu logo on back of heel and button straps for added detail and I absolutely love them.  They have been perfect for this freezing cold weather and my feet have been as snug as a bug.

If you are looking for a new pair of boots, then get yourself over to Shoetique because they have an amazing sale on right now!

Christmas Beauty Baubles 2014

I mentioned in this post a few days ago about Christmas Tree decorations for beauty lovers and today's post introduces a few more ideas by way of Beauty Baubles. As a stocking filler, I think they are a brilliant idea, something quirky yet useful to hang on or from your tree.

Below you will find some of the ones I like the most, and this year it seems like there is so much more choice!

Boots No.7 - This No7 Nail Polish Christmas Star Bauble makes a lovely stocking filler for No7 fans! The star makes a stylish tree decoration and opens up to reveal a Stay Perfect nail polish. Price £6

Caudalie - Mini Caudalie Divine Oil - A multi-purpose, luxurious dry oil moisturises, nourishes and enhances the skin thanks to its unique formula made with an exceptional blend of oils (grape, hibiscus, sesame and argan) combined with our patented anti-oxidant Polyphenols. It envelops the skin with a subtle, floral and sun-kissed fragrance, with woody notes. Use it on the body, hair, nails, in the bath or as a massage oil. Price £8

This Works Hanging Sleep Balm - Inside you will find This Works’ award-winning Sleep Balm, formulated with a soothing fusion of lavender, vetiver and wild camomile to calm the mind and relax the body, helping induce a rejuvenating night of beauty sleep. Price £10

Molton Brown - Choose from some exceptionally bright and colourful festive baubles in a range of scents from Eucalyptus,Ylang-Ylang, Pink Pepperpod, Templetree, Frankincense & Allspice and Gingerlilly. Priced at just £10 it makes for a very interesting shower as they are filled with a Molton Brown Signature Scent!

Balmi - Available in three different flavours, this Balmi Bauble is filled with a lip balm which is packed full of vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil, it provides moisturisation and protection from harmful UVA rays. Price £5

Champneys - A choice of two baubles from Champneys in red or white. One contains a 50ml Champneys Oriental Opulence Body Cream and the other 50ml Champneys Exotic Retreat Body Cream. Priced at just £4 they are also a great stocking filler.

Eve Lom - The inimitable Eve Lom Kiss Mix lip treatment, presented in a limited edition star-shaped gift box.  Price £16

Purity - Made Simple, the one-step facial cleanser in trial-size 90ml, suitable for all skin types. Price £9

Origins - FThis gift set bauble contains Origins best sellers which are: GinZing™ Refreshing eye cream to brighten and depuff (5ml), Make a Difference™ Overnight hydrating repair cream (5ml), Clear Improvement® Active charcoal mask to clear pores (7ml), Drink Up™ Intensive Overnight mask to quench skin's thirst (7ml), Modern Friction™ Nature's gentle dermabrasion (15ml).  A great way to try before you buy and priced at £12.

Soap & Glory - Merry Kiss Much contains A GREAT KISSER™ Lip Balm in Juicy Peach, all wrapped up in a covetable, collectable, giftable bauble.  Price £5

Rodial - An alternative to the traditional baubles for the tree, why not surprise a loved one with a bespoke Rodial tree decoration this Christmas? This decoration contains best-selling glam balm lip that boasts 3D hyaluronic filling spheres for instant plumping. Priced at £19

The final item comes from Aromatherapy Associates in the form of a star. It is one of those products that really stands out with its's teal coloured packaging and it is perfect for hanging on the tree with the little elastic hoop at the top. Once inside the box, you will find a 7.5ml glass bottle of the Aromatherapy Associates Inner Strength Bath and Shower Oil.  This oil is absolutely amazing, it is just brilliant and was designed to help brin about a sense of calm and inner peace and it uses a combination of frankincense, clary sage and cardamom essential oils which are some of my favourites for this time of year.

The Inner Strength range is particularly special as 10% of all proceeds are donated to the Defence Against Cancer charity, which is such a thoughtful touch, especially as a couple of my family members are currently fighting cancer.

Have you got any beauty baubles for your tree? 

Are there any that you really like the look of?

Boots No.7 Match Made Lipstick Service

I finally got my act together and went into a local Boots store to try out their matching service and the No.7 girl was so lovely she offered to do both foundation and lipstick - winning!  The match made service is totally free and the little device which is no bigger than the average television remote control, reads your skin precisely to decipher which shade of foundation, concealer and lipstick will suit your skin tone. 

So I sat down behind the counter and was asked if I was wearing any make-up, which as I was, it was removed for me and then the gadget was placed on my cheek and she did it on both sides of my face to ensure she got the right reading, both sides registered my perfect shades and before showing me the machine, off the lady went to collect the foundation to try on my skin and then gave me a card which listed all of the lipsticks I should try.  

My skin shade was matched to Cool Vanilla which gave me a huge amount of option with regards to lipstick, so I had a good time swatching them.  As you can see below there is a choice of 10 different lipsticks from the Moisture Drench side and 7 for Stay Perfect - all of which I swatched except Rose Mist as it wasn't in stock.

As I couldn't decide which shade I liked more than any others, the lady who was testing the products on me offered to make the choice with her colleague, which sounded interesting, so having agreed they went off and spent 2-3 minutes deciding which one they thought would look best and picked one for me. I wasn't allowed to see it until it had been applied and once I did see it, I knew I was going to be buying it. 

 The shade I was given is Spring Pink which is a No.7 Moisture Drench Lipstick designed to keep your lips smooth and soft. Hypo-allergenic, Fragrance free, SPF15.

As for the foundation, the shade I was matched too is a Stay Perfect Superlight foundation in shade Cool Vanilla which I have to admit is brilliant, I absolutely love it. Described as being a new innovation in life-proof, light weight foundation. It gives a naturally flawless look which stays perfect for up to 24 hours. It has an SPF 15 and is hypo-allergenic too.

The best part of the whole experience is that there was also a 3 for 2 offer on at the time, so I needed to select a free product and this is what I chose.

Overall, I am really happy with the service and wouldn't hesitate to try something like this again.  There will be pictures of both the foundation and lipstick in a future post as well as the highlighter.

 Have you tried it?

Maybelline Baby Skin

When I saw the new Maybelline Baby Skin primer in Boots a few months ago, I decided to bit the bullet and buy it.  I hadn't seen that many reviews on it and am almost out of Porefessional, so was hoping this would be the perfect dupe.

What they say:

"Maybelline Baby Skin provides a matte finish and leaves the skin fresh, soft and protected. The gel texture in Baby Skin instantly helps to vanish pores and makes the skin feel light. It avoids a shine on the skin and makes the skin feel soft".

So there is a bit of a claim there to instantly erase pores and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth. Well for me it does reduce the look of my pores every so slightly, but doesn't completely get rid of them completely, though if I am honest I really wasn't expecting it too. Obviously it will depend on how big or small your pores are in the first instance and I don't believe anything really helps make them vanish, just help to conceal them. I do, however, feel it lives up the second part of its claim in that it avoids shine on the skin and makes the skin feel soft to the touch.

The texture, which is most definitely gel-like, is really easy to apply and I use my fingers to apply it all over my face (obviously before any make-up) and for me this is where it is great value for money because once applied, it helps keep my make-up in place all day, which for me is around 6-7 hours and I didn't feel the need to have to re-apply everything before going out in an evening, the only thing I touched up my lipstick and blusher which is something I do anyway.

For me this is a great high street primer and whilst I accept it is not as good as Porefessional, it does do a good job and given the difference in price, I would verge towards Maybelline because it does what I want it too and I am saving over £15 and both products are the same size at 22ml.

Have you tried Maybelline Baby Primer?  Do you like it?

Treasured Orchid Range - Ted Baker

When Ted Bakers new and indulgent Treasured Orchid** bath and body range dropped through my letterbox to try, I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.  Over the last few months, I have been really surprised at how good the Ted Baker Range is, whether it is a handbag perfume, nail polish or something for the man in your life, these products have been amazing quality.

The Treasured Orchid Range, is said to be inspired by Ted's latest fashion collection.  Described as being Beautifully Feminine, the print packaging which is a lovely shade of pink, is one that stands out.

The products I have been using are a hand cream, body wash and body spray which all feature the scent of rose, so if you are a fan of products with a rose scent, then these might just be for you.

The hand cream is a moisturising hand cream which is made with rose, sandalwood and raspberry, is white in colour and of a medium texture.  As soon as it comes into contact with the skin it absorbs itself instantly, leaving behind a floral yet fruity scent on your skin. It also contains Shea Butter which has natural moisturising properties.

The body wash, which is clear in colour with no tint to it again features rose, sandalwood and raspberry and the scent is similar, though not quite the same as the hand cream, it is much more of a floral scent.

The final product is the aptly described 'vivacious' body spray, in its clear plastic bottle with spritz applicator, the liquid inside looks the colour I would expect the hand cream and the shower gel to look.  once it has been spritzed, again with a combination of rose, sandalwood and raspberry and for me this is the one which has the fruitiest scent to it, the raspberry being more notable than the rose.

These products are available in Boots with prices starting at just £5.50 right up to £10 for a travel set and £15 for a gift box.  All of which make a lovely present and a great addition to your collection.

Ted Baker Purse Spray

When I took the Ted Baker test to see which Purse Spray I was most like, I was quite surprised.  The Purse Sprays comes in four different scents and are 10ml each in size, so they are perfect for popping into your handbag.

So here is the test - which one are you?

I spent a few minutes pondering my response to each question and my repsonses mostly matched B which is Polly.

So let me introduce Polly** to you:

Polly is described as follows "Girly yet grown up, Polly's a sweet Heart with a wild streak. For Ladies who like to spice things up, she's the ultimate partner-in-crime on a girl's night out.  This sweet floral aroma begins with juicy tones of mandarin, red berries and peach whilst the Heart entwines white jasmine, honeysuckle and peony with shades of vanilla, amber, patchouli and white musk in the Base".

As soon as I spritzed this on my wrist to get a scent, the first thing you notice is that mixture of floral and juicy tones together which smell simply divine. Once it has been sprayed the scent is fairly strong to begin with and once it settles down it lasts for hours and I can wear this all day at work and still smell it on my clothes when I am on my home after a 9 hour day.

I really like the bottle this perfume comes in, taking on the Ombre look with its purple bottle, the lid features the Ted Baker initials and really makes for a stunning finish.

Retailing at just £15, this perfume is perfect for carrying in your handbag and it looks pretty alongside the rest of your collection.

Beat the Winter Skin Blues with Palmer’s Intensive Relief Range + Giveaway!

The cold weather is still with us and if reports are to be believed, if is going nowhere soon, so taking care of your skin is still really important and probably like me you are going through a lot of products to lock in that moisture and keep your skin feeling soft, smooth and supple. 

Palmers, famous for their Cocoa Butter brand, have a new Intensive Relief Range that has just hit the shelves and it is described as follows:

If you are looking for a solution to super sensitive and extra dry skin look no further than Palmer’s new Intensive Relief range. The UK’s favourite Cocoa Butter brand has used its years of expertise in skin softening and smoothing to develop two new products to give even more intense moisturisation, helping those suffering from extra dry and sensitive skin. A unique blend of anti-itch, soothing and deeply hydrating natural ingredients that leaves skin soft to the touch.

The new range is hypoallergenic, fragrance free, paraben free and dermatologist tested – and will provide long lasting moisturisation for up to 24 hours.

Within this range you will find a body lotion and a hand cream which are shown below.  To promote these products, there is a giveaway at the bottom!






Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Intensive Relief Body Lotion £4.89 / 200ml

Perfect for those looking for an all over solution to combat tight, parched skin, this quick absorbing formula will help soothe, calm and leave your skin feeling perfectly soft and smooth. Alpha hydroxy acids gently exfoliate dry, scaly patches, whilst key ingredients Soy and Oat help to alleviate itchiness and natural moisturising factor Urea locks in moisture to maintain radiant skin. Start the day with an instant boost of intensive moisture and relief by adding Palmer’s Intense Relief Body Lotion to your everyday body care regime!

Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Intensive Relief Hand Cream £2.99 / 60g

Palmer’s Intensive Relief Hand Cream is ideal for those suffering from ultra dry, itchy and chapped hands that need some extra attention. This luxuriously creamy formula gives long lasting hydration, whilst calming Soy and Oat provide comfort for irritated hands leaving them soft and smooth. The fast absorbing texture makes it an every day essential for keeping hands moisturised on the go!

These products are available from Boots, Boots.com, Superdrug, Superdrug.com, Amazon.co.uk and Asda.

Now for the fun part, as part of the campaign to highlight the importance of Palmers are giving one of you lucky people the chance to win a pair of Cashmere Fingerless wristwarmers.  All you have to do is complete the Rafflecopter entry form below to be in with a chance of winning and it is open for just ONE Week!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Inhibitif Hair-Free face Serum

So today I am introducing to you, what is essentially the next phase in the amazing Inhibitif line up of hair minimising products - The Inhibitif Hair-Free face Serum.  Back in April, I introduced you to Inhibitif which you can find across a series of blog posts here, here, and the final results you can find HERE.

The face serum works in the same way as the original serum in that you use it twice daily on the shaved/waxed/threaded areas for 8 weeks until hair growth, density and thickness are visibly reduced. Apply every other day to maintain results. You are advised not to use this product on peeling or irritated skin and to avoid eye and lip contact.

Now, I am sure I am not alone in admitting that I have some facial hair, not a lot and certainly nothing that I am ashamed of and nor is it that noticeable but some friends of mine who really suffer just might find this a life changing product.

The graphic below gives a quick outline and insight into how Inhibitif works and what you should notice when using it.

How does it work exactly? Here is a quick explanation:

“INHIBITIF targets the hair follicle directly to slow down the apparent growth rate and density of unwanted hair; as a result, many hairs seem to never grow while using INHIBITIF, and many hairs seem to grow to a lesser degree. This action on hair cycle reduces the apparent amount of hairs and impairs overall hair quality, thus drastically minimising the need for hair removal in weeks”.

Again, as with the original Inhibitif you could start to see results in as little as 2 weeks but it will take 8 weeks for maximum effect.  I began using Inhibitif in April this year, I am still using it and am on my second bottle and I still only need to shave my legs every 4-5 days which is phenomenal and using the product is very much a part of my regime as using moisturising creams and face masks.

This Face Serum comes in a 30ml bottle and it has a pipette application to make using it much easy

Inhibitif Fair Free Face Serum costs £19.99 and is available from Boots and the Inhibitif website.  There is also to be a deodorant from Inhibitif which I cannot wait to get my hands on, until then, watch this space when I report back in a few weeks time on how well this serum works.

Have you tried any of the products from Inhibitif?