YSL Black Opium Perfume

As the nights darken and the Wintery chill starts to sting your skin it is time to cast aside those light, floral, Summertime scents and embrace the deep and the sensual aromas. I love mixing up my perfumes but for the Winter time you can't go wrong with something rich, decadent and slightly spicy to warm your cockles on a cold December day and I think Yves Saint Laurent's newest launch ticks all those right boxes.

2014's hotly anticipated fragrance launch, YSL's Black Opium (£44)* is a gorgeous new feminine scent laced with energy, mystery and an intoxicating shot of black coffee, white florals and vanilla. Housed in a glam rock, black sparkly bottle with a teasing glass centre revealing the warm amber nectar within. I am not a massive lover of overpowering, heavy perfumes but oh my gosh, this enticing scent is just beautiful. It is strong, edgy and exotic but the white florals and sweet vanilla keep it from being too rich and gives the whole fragrance a light, pretty finish. This really is the perfect Winter time scent and adds an element of warmth and sexiness with every spritz. As the scent lingers and develops on the skin I can really pick up on the addictive shot of black coffee as the top note which is so unusual but surprisingly, really works. This new fragrance from YSL is stunning - completely sultry and a real statement! Definitely worth a sniff if you are on the look out for a new Winter time scent.

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Clarins True Radiance Foundation

Clarins' vast array of skincare and base products are always on point. There are so many of their elegantly packaged products that have recently become staples in my skincare routine and my daily makeup picks so I am always excited to try their new launches out, feeling confident that there will undoubtedly be another product I am swiftly adding to my beauty must-haves.

Earlier this Summer Clarins launched their True Radiance foundation (£27)* described as a "light-infusing foundation, brightens and corrects the complexion." Some may recognise this foundation as many moons ago it was gracing Clarins counters everywhere before being discontinued and possibly mourned by many. Well now it is back and better than ever! The glass bottle crowned with a golden lid is as elegant and pretty as you would expect from Clarins and the plastic pump dispenser ensures you just get the right amount of product each time without any wastage. The formula of this foundation is very fluid and lightweight and literally glides onto the skin effortlessly, best buffed in with a stippling brush or lightly layered on with a flat foundation brush. This product works hard to boosts the skin's natural radiance and luminosity with the anti-pollution action of Moringa seed plant extract and light-reflecting pigments. I personally don't love dewy foundations, much preferring a matte or satin finish, so I was a little nervous that this might be too radiant and glowing for me but I was pleasantly surprised. You can feel the formula is deeply hydrating the moment you start applying it and leaves your skin feeling and looking healthy and fresh. The finish is ever so slightly dewy but more radiant than super shimmery or shiny so I felt comfortable with just a light dusting of powder on top. The coverage is medium but can be easily built up without feeling too heavy or cakey and it works really well at cancelling out any redness, stubborn blemishes or dark circles. In fact I didn't feel I needed much concealer at all after applying this foundation as my base product. With ten shades available I am pretty sure most people will be able to find their ideal colour match - I have been dabbling with both 108. Sand and 110. Honey which both work quite well on my skin depending on how tanned or pale the rest of me is - but 108. Sand is probably the best match for my NC25 skin tone.

If you are after a new foundation and feel your skin would benefit from a burst of extra hydration and love during the Winter months then I would definitely recommend checking this new Clarins release out next time you are passing by their counters.

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From Blonde to Brown

For someone who has experimented a lot with their hair colour since being a teenager, I have been various shades of blonde for a long time, rarely venturing away from the bleach for a good couple of years. Before then I have been every colour under the sun - pink, Rihanna red, jet black, chocolate brown, caramel, auburn...the list goes on. I have faithfully hung onto my highlighted locks for a few years now and knew when I got engaged last year that I wanted to be a blonde bride for our wedding earlier this Summer. I was blonde when I first met Rob and with it being an outside, Summer time wedding with light florals and vintage lace, I knew my blonde barnet would suit the theme perfectly and go with my peachy-gold toned makeup that I had already meticulously planned.

Now happily married, it was time to make the change and kiss goodbye to my blonde locks, for now! I love love blonde hair and there is no doubt I will be blonde again but over time it does really take its toll on your tresses. My hair was feeling parched and lacked shine and body. The ends were ratty and the upkeep of freshly bleached roots was getting a bit tiresome. As I sat in the hairdressers chair yesterday I took the plunge and asked for a new look. When I was darker one of my favourite looks was this golden-brown styles I sported with caramel and honey-toned highlights, so I asked for a warm, slightly coppery auburn base with warm honey and caramel highlights running through it. Because my hair is extremely porous and was so white blonde before it sucked up the colour so initially it is a little darker than I wanted but after a few washes it will fade to a more golden tone and the next time I go I think I will have a few more caramel and honey shades put in to make it multi-tonal and interesting. I don't want to venture too dark so this happy medium is perfect for me as I still have the option of going light again next year if I so desire, but for now I am enjoying being a brunette and embracing the darker look this Autumn Winter. :)

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Skin Saviours from The Body Shop

There are many things to look forward to as the Winter months start to draw in - crisp, Autumn walks, an excuse for hot soup every day, chunky knitwear, fireworks night and of course, Christmas time! However there are a few things that are less than favourable when it comes to the colder seasons - chapped lips and dry skin being just two of them! I always find that I really have to notch up my skincare when the seasons start to change and ensure I have that extra lip balm or tube of hand cream close by at all times to keep my skin feeling as soft and moisturised as possible and banish the Winter skin blues.

You can always rely on The Body Shop to offer up some staple skincare products that really deliver consistent results and I am currently loving a selection of their skin saviours for the hands, lips and feet. It is my hands, nails and cuticles that always seem to suffer the most during the Winter time and I am forever applying and reapplying hand cream in a bid to give them soft and protected. For years, ever since I was a teenager wandering in awe around my local Body Shop store, I repurchased their infamous Hemp Hand Protector which is industrial, takes a while to sink in but does the job brilliantly. However my handbag essentials at the moment are these sweet little tubes of hand cream (£3.50)* in various scents - I have the Shea and Moringa which are both lovely. I really like the consistency of these hand creams which is almost gel-like, very light and sinks into the skin really quickly so are perfect for when you are out and about or typing at your desk. They aren't at all greasy but really hydrate your hands, nourish your nails and soften your cuticles whilst smelling particularly lovely.

For my lips I always have a whole host of lip balms and salves on the go but recently I have added to my collection The Body Shop Hemp Lip Protector (£4)* which is an intensive lip balm that restores very dry lips and is designed to protect the delicate skin from extreme weather conditions. This conditioning lip balm glides on easily and really soothes and softens the lips with a boost of hydration and a clear, non-sticky finish. It is a great little product to reach for during the Winter, especially when taking a stroll in those chilly winds, and is a perfect primer to use to prep your lips before applying your lipstick.

Finally it is onto the feet and another product from The Body Shop's popular Hemp range. Hemp Foot Protector (£10)* is a heavy-duty foot cream which works wonder on dry skin and intensively nourishes your nails. The scent is definitely a love it or hate it thing but I quite like the earthy, herbal fragrance and this foot cream is literally a hug in a tub for your feet! I like to apply it liberally all over my feet after my evening shower before popping on some snug slipper socks, kicking back and letting it work its magic. Any callouses or rough patches will be softened and soothed after a few uses and it will feel like you are walking on new feet before you know it!

Have you tried any of these products from The Body Shop? What are you Winter skin saviours?

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Estée Lauder Modern Muse Eau de Parfum

This time last year Estée Lauder launched a fresh new scent, Modern Muse, which was inspired by the empowerment and duality of women. The fragrance embodies both sides of the female personality - the soft, feminine traits matched with their strength, their confidence and their independence. There are two key notes to this eau de parfum that represent this duality - sparkling florals contrasted with sleek, sensual woody accords which seem to balance in perfect harmony.

Estée Lauder's Modern Muse Eau de Parfum*, available from Boots and Estée Lauder online, won the accolade of Grazia's Scent of the Year 2013 and offers us a chic new vision of femininity. It really is a wonderful fragrance and I haven't been able to stop sniffing it every since I got it a few weeks ago. The two dynamic yet contrasting notes give this scent an intriguing, memorable aroma and the mix of sparkling Jasmine and dewy citrus fruits along with the creamy vanilla, soft musk and rich Amber Wood really compliment one another and eases this perfume into an everyday or evening time scent. Even the packaging and sweet bottle mirror the theme of feminine duality - the soft, pinky-hued perfume housed in the delicate bottle is crowned with a chunky, black and gold bow top. It is a key visual contradiction and sums up this fragrance perfectly before you've even given it a spritz. The scent lingers nicely on the skin throughout the day and is suitably rich and deep without being too overpowering as the Exotic Mandarin and Honeysuckle Nectar keep this perfume feminine, pretty and irresistible!

Have you tried Estée Lauder's Modern Muse?

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Tanya Burr Lip Gloss - Aurora & Champagne Toast

Earlier this year the beauty world was sent into a whirlwind of excitement with the release of Tanya Burr's new makeup collection - the first beauty launch from this YouTube starlet. Tanya Burr's lip glosses and nail polishes were undoubtedly a big hit offering us a rainbow of fun shades, eye-pleasing packaging with an affordable price tag to boot. The hard work and love she has put into developing this beauty range is evident and every product is named after her favourite things in her life - such as Picnic in the Park or Afternoon Tea. Whereas I decided to bypass the nail polishes (I have far too many as it is!), it was really the lip glosses that caught my eye - a collection of twelve glosses in five shimmery and seven cream finishes that leave a gorgeous colour on your lips.

The Tanya Burr lip glosses are available from Feel Unique and are £6.99 each. I have recently been trying out two of the shimmery lip shades, Aurora and Champagne Toast, and am excited to share them with you in all their glittering greatness! Despite having a lovely, sparkling finish to them, the shimmer is ultra-fine so the application and wear on the lips feels smoothe, not chunky or uncomfortable at all. And the formula is not too sticky - yay! As you would probably imagine these lip glosses have a gorgeous, sweet-fruity scent and the applicator helps the gloss glide evenly onto your lips, allowing you to wear them sheer or build up the intensity. The shimmery shades and definitely less pigmented that the cream colours but I love the light wash of colour you get with the subtle shimmer that would be lovely applied over a more matte lipstick for example. Aurora is a true candy-pink shade with a touch of coral whereas Champagne Toast is quite a unique, golden-peach hue with plenty of light-reflecting sparkles which gives the lips a lovely, plump finish without being too intense or bright.

I think I will definitely venture out and try a few more of the Tanya Burr lip glosses, especially in the cream formula, and I have my beady eye on Afternoon Tea and Just Peachy. Have you tried any of the products from Tanya's beauty range?

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Benefit Posie Balm & Lolli Balm Hydrating Tinted Lip Balms

I am a self-confessed lip balm hoarder. They seem to be everywhere whether they are lurking in the bottom of my handbag or makeup bags, tossed aside in my bedside drawer or filling up my desk space at work. High end or impulse drugstore purchases, it doesn't really matter, I just love lip balm and feel oddly secure when I know I have a few close at hand! Tinted lip balms are great for those who want all the skin-softening qualities of your average lip balm with the added prettiness of a sheer wash of colour and this is why Benefit's Posie and Lolli Balms have recently become two new additions to my ever-growing lip balm army!

Posie Balm and Lolli Balm (£14.50 each) from Benefit Cosmetics are the loveliest looking lip products I have seen for a long time. Presented in Benefit's typical sherbet-sweet, girlie packaging they make an adorable addition to your makeup collection and work well at giving your lips an injection of hydrating and soothing properties whilst delivering a very subtle gloss of colour. Both these lip balms have a very light formula which glides on easily and keeps your lips supple and nourished throughout the day. The balms are packed full of mango butter and sodium hyaluronate which moisturises the skin and gives your lips a slight plumping effect. Posie Balm is a pretty, poppy-pink tinted balm which enhances your lips natural colour and kisses them with a soft, delicate sheen. Lolli Balm is described as a candy-orchid hue and delivers a sheer wash of a sweet, flirty lilac shade. If you fancied using these but wanted a brighter pop of colour then they work wonderfully applied over the top of Lolli-tint or Posie-tint cheek & lip stains too.

Do you share my love for lip balms? Which one is your favourite?

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