Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne*
complete collection available online and in store from September 2014

As soon as I set foot in the Jo Malone three-storey townhouse nestled amongst the creative heart of London's Soho it felt like I had been transported to the rugged English coastline. I was standing tall on the rugged cliffs faced with crashing waves and the whipping sea air stinging my skin, awakening and liberating my soul. I think I could also hear seagulls circling above!

This new unisex scent from Jo Malone has been inspired by the beautiful escapism reached when visiting the seaside but isn't the typical light, aqueous fragrance that you may expect from a beach-inspired scent. Wood Sage and Sea Salt sits comfortably in the Jo Malone "woody" fragrance family and encapsulates long walks along the windswept shore, wrapped up in cable knits and Hunter wellies with the scent of rain-soaked driftwood and sea spray dancing in the air. This cologne is completely unique and sophisticated with the woody earthiness of sage being the predominant base note, stung by the freshness of sea salt and finished with an almost zesty flavour of citrus to invigorate the scent. The Master Perfumer, Christine Nagel, wanted this aroma to hold a feeling of free-spirited liberty and joy and I think she has managed to achieve this perfectly. I am so excited for the full collection to launch in September (the candle is definitely worth a sniff too!) and love the fact that it can be layered beautifully with lighter Jo Malone scents.

Do you like the sound of this new cologne?

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Cath Kidston Button Rose Quilted Vanity Bag

Floral quilted beauty bag, £26 from Cath Kidston

When you turn your thoughts to fun floral accessories to house your overflowing makeup and look pretty on your vanity table, it is likely that Cath Kidston is top of your list! The brand that do ditzy prints so well have just released a new range of quilted beauty and bathroom bags in three of their most iconic prints - playful Big Spot, the classic Button Rose and the quirky Bright Daisies, all splendidly lightweight, soft, pretty and practical with their machine-washable material.

From slender jewellery rolls to more sizeable (yet squish-able) cosmetic bags with handles, this new range is absolute perfect for everything from everyday handbag essentials to long weekends away and everything in-between. The vanity case I have is the perfect option for packing up all your makeup and a few skincare must-haves for a trip away and comes with a handy mirror and two clear plastic bottles as well to get you through airport security in style! I love the fact that you can simply sling it in the wash machine if it gets a bit grubby and is such a nice accessory to have on your dressing table when not in use, possibly piled high with cotton wool balls?

Which is your favourite Cath Kidston print?

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By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock

By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Misty Rock £28
available from Space NK

So I think this could be my favourite purchase of the year so far (such a bold statement I know!) and I only have Tanya Burr to thank blame for me picking up this beauty when in Space NK last month. The By Terry Ombre Blackstar "colour fix" cream eyeshadow is a twist up eyeshadow stick that delivers an incredibly creamy, buttery application when swept over the eyelid or along the lower lash line. The staying power is pretty impressive too and when blended out it lasted a lengthy walk into the office, a brow-furrowing day at work and a sweaty gym session afterwards without even as much as a glimmer of a crease or smudge. The colour can be blended out for a more sheer wash of colour or built up for an intense, metallic finish, easily perfected around the edges with a fluffy shadow brush.

I love the simplicity of these sleek, twisty shadows. No primer needed here - just sweep, blend and go! With 15 different shades in the ombre blackstar line up, it was a tricky decision deciding which one to try first but having seen Tanya use Misty Rock in a recent tutorial video I knew that this shade was a must! It is a gorgeous yet frustratingly hard shade to describe. It almost changes under different light but is best described as a rich mauve/taupe shade with flashes of pink and silver shimmer. It was love at first swatch and now I know how pretty and long-lasting they really are I feel the need to expand my collection pronto. Bronze Moon I'm coming to get you!

Have you tried these Ombre Blackstar shadows from By Terry?

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Sunny Sunday

Dress - Urban Outfitters

Wedges - H&M

Another sunny day, another floral dress! I saw this old Urban Outfitters number lurking in the back of my wardrobe the other day and thought it would be the perfect attire for a lazy Sunday sunning ourselves with friends in a pub garden, doing a spot wedding planning and generally being out and about enjoying the glorious sunshine. I hope you all had really great weekend and just to let you know that there is a little sneak peek from our engagement shoot we had on Friday up on our wonderful photographer's blog is you fancy a look! I am so happy with it and seeing this gorgeous image has made be even more excited for our happy day in less than 9 weeks now! The single figure countdown has begun...

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Turquoise T-bars

Cami top: Topshop

Skirt: Topshop

T bar wedges: New Look

Sunglasses:* Ray Ban Clubmaster 

Well, what a lovely weekend we have had! The weather over the past few days has been a real treat and Rob and I have truly made the most of the sunshine, heading out antiques shopping, up to Wells for our engagement shoot and out today with friends basking in a pub garden. This the outfit I wore yesterday for a day treasure hunting at a local antiques centre. I really love the clean colours paired with the pop of colour on my feet thanks to these gorgeous new t-bar wedges from New Look. Very pretty and actually very comfortable too! My swish shades are courtesy of the Sunglasses Shop and are my new love. Last year it was all about the Ray Ban aviators and Wayfarers but the Clubmasters are definitely the new kids on the block and are uber cool. I love the modern mirrored lenses, edged with a striking gold rim, juxtaposed against the vintage-looking, tortoiseshell frames and 60s shape. Perfect to add a retro touch to any outfit this Summer!

Giveaway: If you fancy getting your mitts on a pair of Ray Ban frames of your choice (up to £125) then simply take a look at the Ray Bans available from Sunglasses Shop, give their Facebook page a thumbs up and leave a comment on their page detailing which pair of shades you would like to win. Sunglasses Shop will contact the winner in two weeks. Good luck ladies!

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A Springtime Selection from Liz Earle

Strengthening Nail Colours in Awakening and Moonlight, £7.50
Radiant Glow Bronzer, £19.50 all from Liz Earle makeup

It is hard to remember a time when Liz Earle was only known for its eclectic mix of skincare including the cult favourite, their infamous Cleanse and Polish. Since that time Liz Earle have come on leaps and bounds and brought us some really exciting launches for your hair, those relaxing bath and pamper nights and most importantly, a host of makeup products to colour, contour and create some lovely natural looks for your face and nails.

This Spring Summer Liz Earle have released a few new treats to help us fake than sun kissed glow and give our nails a glossy kiss of colour with their limited edition strengthening nail colours. First up is the Radiant Glow Bronzer which is perfect at adding colour and luminosity to your face and décolletage with its quad of multi-toned shimmer shades. This powder is incredibly lightweight and natural-looking on the skin giving you a gorgeous soft glow and warmth all over when swirled together, or perfect to contour when used individually.

The two new limited edition colours for your nails are enriched with avocado and borage oil to help for a smooth application whilst protecting and strengthening your nails during wear. These two new shades are absolutely gorgeous and perfect for Summer with a pretty pastel, peachy pink which is amazing as a pedicure colour and also Moonlight which is an effortlessly chic grey-blue shade with a ultra glossy finish. They are lovely varnishes to apply and give you a perfectly opaque finish after two light coats. In fact I have Awakening on my toes as I type all ready for a day at the beach tomorrow, walking barefoot in the sand and maybe even a little paddle...?

What do you think of these new launches for SS14 from Liz Earle.

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New for the Nails from Bourjois

NEW IN from Bourjois - treats for the talons
available from Boots

This season Bourjois has a whole host of treats lined up for our talons to keep them preened, polished and looking festival fabulous with a trio of new nude glossy polishes, a pile of fun nail tattoos and a new magic nail polish remover for your fingers and, so conveniently, for your toes!

First up is three new additions to the So Laque Glossy Collection which are £5.99 each and out this month - Indispen-sable (11), Tombee a Pink (13) and Peace & Mauve (15). As always with the Bourjois nail polishes, these deliver a beautiful rich shade to the nail and are opaque after two thin coats. They are such a lovely trio of muted hues and are perfect for the summer especially on the toes in preparation for the appearance of flip flops and peep toe sandals. And to help your new manicure dry is super quick time then the Instant Dry Nail drops (£5.99) are ideal to dry your polish twice as quick with its unique formula.The precise pipette means one drop on each nail is just enough to give the drying time a boost as well as nourishing your cuticles with its enriched cotton oil formula.

But if a simple manicure is not jazzy enough for you then you should definitely try the new Bourjois Nail and Cuticle tattoos which are £5.99, out in May and are such a fun way to add some frivolity to your manicure. The graphic designs are easy to add to your nail and cuticles by cutting out the print, peeling back the plastic and using a wet cotton pad to adhere the tattoo to your nail. Simply finish with a clear top coat and you are good to go!

When you are ready to remove your polish and select a new shade then the new Hands and Feet Magic Polish Remover (£6) is ideal for simple removal with a quick twist of the sponge. Last year Bourjois treated us to their original magic polish remover in the pink pot which had the acetone-free soaked sponge in the tub which was perfect for your fingers but left your toes feeling a little bereft. So now the clever folks at Bourjois have reinvented their adored product by placing the sponge in the lid so you can remove your pedicure without ruining your manicure. Just brilliant! It is scented with the same sweet smell of vanilla and red fruit fragrance as the original and is an absolute must for all those who love to change their nail colour as often as their lipstick colour!

Which new nail products from Bourjois are you most excited about to try?

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white skinny jeans

Cropped jumper | Topshop

Jamie jeans | Topshop

Heels | Primark

Clutch | Accessorize

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By the sea

Dress and petticoat: Vivien of Holloway

Heels: Vivienne Westwood Melissas, available from Nonnon

Pearl necklace: Vintage

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The Body Shop Body Sorbets

NEW IN: The Body Shop Body Sorbets in Pink Grapefruit, Mango, Strawberry and Moringa
will be available online and in stores from 16th July 2014, £7

This Summer we won't just be grabbing a fruity sorbet from the ice cream van but will be indulging in a body sorbet from our local Body Shop store. In July we will welcome five new cool body moisturisers to our skin regime, all infused with a delicious fresh scent and a breakthrough, unique gel-like texture that melts into the skin for a frosty burst of moisture.

These new Body Sorbets are extremely light and absorbed quickly and easily into the skin, leaving it kissed with a soft fragrance and silky texture. Every tube is packed full of Fair Trade organic Aloe Vera from Guatemala which helps preserve the freshness of the gel moisturiser and gives your skin a surge of hydration, especially good if kept in the fridge and applied to the skin after a day in the sun! I having really enjoyed using the Pink Grapefruit one over the last few weeks and love how fresh and light it feels making it the perfect option over the warmer months when the creamier, heavier lotions can feel a tad too cloying!

Will you be taking a scoop of these new body sorbets when they are released in July?

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Vivien of Holloway 50s Floral Circle Dress

Vivien of Holloway floral circle dress
available online or from their Holloway Road store

When I was young and living at home, I remember the very day my mum came home one day clutching her first Vivien of Holloway circle dress I at first glance, I was in awe. In fact, I completely blame my mother for my love of florals and all things vintage-inspired from decor to clothing. Vivien of Holloway recreate signature 50s style garments with all the authentic vintage charm of the era and are proudly made and stocked in London and online. I have always adorned the 50s halterneck circle dresses and decided that with a few summer weddings and an engagement shoot coming up, it was high time I treated myself to one of my own.

The store on Holloway Road is a treasure trove for all things floral, polka dotted and cherry printed with some lovely fresh ginghams and cupcake dresses hanging on the rails as well. With bunting adorning the changing rooms and deliciously fluffy petticoats floating above you from the top rails it is a grown ups dressing up box and it was hard to leave with just one dress! Having spotted my China Rose Pink dress online before my visit I knew this was my favourite one but wanted to get an idea of sizing so went to the store to try it on. It is worth noting that Vivien of Holloway dresses use authentic sizing so they do not mirror those found on the high street which is why I wanted to be sure and give the dress a twirl before I bought. I am usually a dress size 6-8 and the smallest size they offer fitted me perfectly - bar the halterneck being a bit too big but a quick visit to my mum's who is a whizz on the old sewing machine soon sorted this out! But I couldn't leave without purchasing a petticoat to go under my circle dress which is a must to give the skirt that full effect and to add a multitude of soft pastel layers to peek and tease as you walk and twirl. I decided on the cream petticoat to go with my floral dress and the contrast of shades is utterly beautiful and I am so excited to wear it this week at our friends' seaside wedding in Cornwall. I hope to share an outfit post from the day on my blog when I'm back but if you follow me on instagram (pinkpixiedoll) then you can see a sneak peek of the dress and petticoat in all their floral glory!

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Illamasqua Fatale Eyeshadow Palette

wearing MAC Snob lipstick

Illamasqua Fatale eyeshadow palette £34
available online

This eye colour palette from Illamasqua has been lurking in my collection for a few months now and only now have I gotten around to testing out this gorgeous quartet of highly-pigmented shadows and love the effect they have on the eyes, worn alone or blended together. The Fatale palette comprises of four intense powder shadows with a shimmer finish and silky texture making them a pleasure to apply and blend out. For the top left clockwise we have; Bronx (a medium warm gold/copper metallic) Ensnare (a medium bright warm pink/cranberry metallic) Mystify (a dark cool brown shimmer) and Charm (a light duochrome lilac frost).

At first I was a little nervous to use these shades all together but after a little play I seem to have found a really nice way to use this daring shades to compliment each other and add a pop of colour to my lower lash line which is a look I have been loving lately. Firstly I placed Bronx all over my lid and then added Mystify through the outer corner and in the crease to darken and define the look. I then used Ensnare and and then Charm layered over the top to line my bottom lash line to give the eyes a lovely, fresh lilac finish - perfect for a fun, summertime look.

Have you tried this palette from Illamasqua?

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Jo Malone London Rain Collection

The limited edition London Rain Collection from Jo Malone* £82
available from Jo Malone

When it comes to new beauty product or collection launch there is nothing I love more than a good narrative that speaks of the inspirations and story behind the products. When I first read the stimulus that brought about this new fragrance collection from Jo Malone I was completely hooked and knew that London Rain was a collection that begged to be sniffed next time I was in store. This limited edition launch was an initial concept of Master Perfumer Christine Nagel to create a scented portrait of London to conjure up the romantic and deeply intense rainy days of the city. The four key scents take you on a puddle-filled journey through different moods of a London downpour, from the soft sparkle of a morning shower to a wild rainstorm at midnight.

The four fragrances from this new collection are all absolutely beautiful but very different in their mood and scent, whether you want a refreshing light awakening in the morning or a more sultry, woody aroma for the evening. The four colognes are: Rain & Angelica, Wisteria & Violet, White Jasmine & Mint and Back Cedarwood & Juniper. Rain & Angelica encapsulates the glassy beads of dew in a London park at dawn. It is revitalising and fresh with notes of herbaceous angelica and juicy lime on an earthy base of vetiver. It is definitely a daytime fragrance and enlivens you in the morning ready for the day ahead! Wisteria & Violet is a soft morning shower in a bottle. It is the soaking of purple wisteria cascading over London stone walls infused with the wet-petal scent of violet and water lily. It is intoxicating and floral with a deep, rain-washed earthy tone giving it a deep, memorable finish on the skin. It is completely enchanting and definitely worth a spritz next time you are in town perusing the beauty halls.

Are you enticed by this new collection from Jo Malone?

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