Dkny Delicious Delights Fragrances

The DKNY limited edition Delicious Delights collection is a trio of fragrances inspired by sweet sorbet treats. Picture whipped frozen treats, sweet sprinkled toppings, refreshing flavours bursting with juicy, fruity scents with cute ice-cream-inspired names to match. I think it is so fun how DKNY have continued to change and reinvent the classic and the original Be Delicious Green Apple fragrance and this newest transformation they have served up is truly delightful.

Housed in frosted glass bottles in a rainbow of sherbet-sweet shades, these Delicious Delights perfumes are light, fresh and fruity and look picture-perfect placed on your dressing table. They are a joyful addition to your perfume collection to help you skip into Spring with a cocktail of notes including pistachio, vanilla, raspberry and mandarin. The green bottle (Cool Swirl) is a tropical blend of blackcurrant, violet leaves and coconut water which will delight your senses. The blooming magnolia and jasmine notes enwrap themselves with an exquisite mixture of pistachio sorbet for a heavenly escape which takes you to a beachfront resort with a cocktail in hand.

The orange bottle (Dreamsicle) gives you a sweet, scintillating splash of femininity with a mixture of juicy mandarin and lush raspberries blended harmoniously with accents of peach nectar and apricot sorbet. It is finished with a rich swirl of creamy sandalwood and vanilla scents which create an undeniably blissful aroma just like you have just stepped into a ice cream parlour.

Finally the purple bottle (Fruity Rooty) is a tempting, creamy fragrance with decadent notes of vanilla and musk infused with the freshness of blackberry, blackcurrant and juicy mandarin. It charms with indulgent candied apple sorbet dipped in an aura of rose petals and violet flower. It is seriously gorgeous and leaves you wanting just one more spritz every time!

This sweet new collection from DKNY will be available nationwide from March 2015 for £37 each. Will you be going for one, two or all three scoops of these sorbet-inspired scents?

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post

Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne

Perfectly described as a shimmering scent from Jo Malone, Orange Blossom Cologne has to be one of my all time favourite perfumes and holds a very dear memory for me. The sparkling Clementine flower laced with orange blossom, white lilac and water lily with a warming undertone of orriswood and balsamic vetiver will forever transport me back to the morning of my wedding day.

I chose to wear this special scent layered with the prettiness of Jo Malone's Peony and Blush Suede as my wedding perfume as I wanted something that would reflect our day - something classic, elegant, soft and filled with the scent of Summer blossoms. It's honestly one of the most exquisite scents I have ever had the pleasure to spritz and sniff and I love that the gorgeous aroma of Orange Blossom now conjures up so many happy memories from that sunny Saturday in July when we said our "I dos" and danced and laughed and sipped Pimms with our best friends and wonderful family - plus it will be the perfect present for countless wedding anniversaries to come I'm sure!

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post

Pixie Lott Magnitone Lucid Facial Cleansing Brush

Remember the time when the Clarisonic was the 'it' exfoliating beauty product to have and the only one of its kind on the market, setting you back a cool few hundred pounds? I have a Clarisonic, as well as a few other oscillating cleansing tools, and despite my avid eagerness at the start I always find them quite a hard step to fit into my already full and thorough cleansing regime. Exfoliation brushes such as the Clarisonic, Philips VisaPure and the recently released Clinique Sonic System all promise to cleanse, brighten and soften the skin in a targeted, deep way that no other form of cleansing could do. You will either love or hate the idea of using such a device but I think used to a moderate level (i.e: not every day!) in the right way, they can have a whole lot of benefits for your skin. I know some people have found the Clarisonics too harsh, abrasive and messy on the skin which is why I was really keen to trial the new Magnitone Lucid Daily Cleansing & Exfoliation Brush which is decidedly lighter, more gentle and softer on the skin giving your complexion a healthy bright glow whilst the soft bristles gently buff away any grime and impurities.

The limited edition Pixie Lott Magnitone Lucid, available from Look Fantastic, (£69.99) is suitable for all skin types and has two cleansing modes - deep clean and sensitive, which is perfect for those people who may have found the original Clarisonic a little too harsh for their skin. The soft bristles pulse at 10,000 oscillations per minute and has a 20 second zonal timer that beeps when it is time to move the brush on from your forehead to your cheeks and then to your nose and chin area. The superior deep clean of this brush promises to purifies the pores, lifts any residue away and reduces the occurrence of blackheads and breakouts. Your skin following the one minute cleanse is then supposed to be clearer and more 'open' to absorb the nutrients and other good things from your moisturiser - thus giving you a softer, clearer complexion over time. The device is ridiculously easy to operate with just the one on/off button and two settings to choose from plus it is completely waterproof so you can take it in your shower or dunk it in your bath without any fears! I love how gentle this brush felt and was happy to use it every day for the allocate one minute without any worries of it being too harsh or rough for me. My skin has felt lovely, fresh and clear recently with a slightly smoother feel and brighter glow. Providing you dedicate a bit of time to using these cleansing brushes within your normal skin routine and keep the use to one minute, two or three times a week, I think they can make a real difference and are a useful standby tool to have if you are having a bad skin day, week or even month. And if pink isn't really your colour then there are a whole host of other sorbet shades available from Boots with currently £20 off - the pistachio green is rather fetching!

What are your thoughts on these type of gadgets?

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post

Fleur de Force The Glam Guide

2015 will be known as the year that some of the biggest YouTube sensations switched off their cameras (momentarily) and put pen to paper. The end of last year and the start of this year saw the success of Zoe's 'Girl Online' novel continue to surge followed by the release of Tanya Burr's 'Love, Tanya' book. I think it is such an exciting venture for these ladies and a real showcase of how far YouTube, blogging and social media in general has come with Zoe's book being the fastest selling book of 2014 - crazy!

When I first began my blog over five years ago one of the very first online beauty gurus I discovered was Fleur de Force. This lady needs no introduction from myself as I am sure you all know her so when I heard she was bringing out the ultimate beauty manual I was absolutely thrilled for Fleur. The Glam Guide is a complete guide to all things makeup, fashion, hair, health and more. Not only is it a complete coffee table pleaser with the pretty pastel cover and incredible illustrations by Sally Cotterill but it is a wonderful read and I love how it covers so many topics so would really appeal to a range of Fleur's fans from teenagers to those thirty-somethings. Just by flicking through The Glam Guide you get a real personal feel and I adore Fleur's real life snippets and genuine passion and understanding as she touches on her relationship with Mike, achieving life goals, growing her YouTube, keeping fit and most important, finding that perfect pair of jeans! Tips, tricks, beauty secrets and lifestyle discoveries are all here as well as a great food section (I've bookmarked those smoothie recipes) and a few little appearances from our fluffy friend, Piglet the miniature Dachshund.

I felt incredibly proud and happy for Fleur as I began reading her book and I have no doubt it will be another huge success and accolade for her. It is the perfect light read to indulge in on a rainy afternoon snuggled down with plenty of tea and some guilt-free chocolate banana bread (see page 166, it sounds truly amazing!) I'd love to hear from you if you have picked up a copy of Fleur's The Glam Guide. Which section is your favourite?

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post

My New Mulberry

When it comes to big purchases I am not usually one to act on impulse. I like to think I am very considered and sensible and will contemplate a big splurge for weeks, months on end - seeking some sort of inner justification before handing over my credit card. However last Sunday, whilst idling shopping with Rob for some basics, I was drawn towards the Mulberry store (as we all are!) and left with this beautiful new bag - the small bayswater double zip tote. To my defence (and hear me out here...), I desperately needed a bag I could sling over my shoulder and just go rather than cradling it in the crook of my arm which is never that practical. I also had come to the realisation that I didn't actually own a simple, black bag - something classic, smart and timeless that I could use for work, travelling and evening events.

When I saw the small bayswater sitting neatly in the store there was no question that it ticked all the boxes and I loved its elegant structure and the rose gold hardware. It is so practical and just the right size to house all the essentials, my phone, purse, filofax, a dozen or so lipsticks, but doesn't feel too bulky or cumbersome. The zipped compartments are great for keeping everything safe and secure and I love the fact you have to option of using the shoulder strap when mooching around town all day or tucking it away and simply keeping it smart and simple as a tote for the night time. I always worry that an impulse purchase will lead to a wave of doubt and reconsideration the next day but I can safely say that there are no regrets here and it has settled in well next to my Willow Tote!

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post

Benefit Watt's Up! Soft Focus Face Highlighter

Today I am touching on a bit of an oldie but a goldie from Benefit Cosmetics - their Watt's Up! soft focus highlighter for the face which is a product I used time and time again a few years ago and have recently re-added it to my highlighting collection. As always the packaging is spot on with a twist-up cream stick on one end and a soft, sponge blender on the other to give your high points a soft, luminous sheen.

The Watt's Up! Highlighter from Benefit Cosmetics (£24.50) is the perfect glow-giver if you are a fan of cream highlighting products as opposed to liquids or powders. I have never been a massive fan of liquid highlighters that much and much prefer a cream or powder (or even better a cream to powder) formula which is exactly what Watt's Up! is all about. The delicate golden-champagne hue is pearly and luminous but doesn't have any chunky glitter in it so you only get the most prettiest of gleams to your cheeks, brow bone or down the bridge of your nose. The texture is really smooth and easy to blend and simply smoothes onto your skin straight from the stick. You then have the option to blend the colour out with your fingertips or use the soft sponge blender - I personally prefer using my fingers but both work well. The colour and finish reminds me quite a lot of Illamasqua's Gleam in Aurora (featured here) so you can see what it looks like on my cheeks, applied over foundation and just before a dusting of blush. The consistency is creamy so doesn't pull at your skin as you apply and beautifully melts into your skin as you softly blend it in. The only one downside is that it doesn't last that well throughout the day and sometimes needs a little retouching if I'm heading out straight after work. Therefore I like to keep this highlighter purely for evenings out when I know it will last well for a few hours as I just love the instant radiance and warmth it gives to my complexion.

Are you a fan of a cream stick highlighters? Have you tried Watt's Up?

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

My relationship with Benefit mascaras has always been a bit hit and miss. Whilst everyone was piling on the volume with their original Bad Gal Lash I was finding it a bit too clumsy and chunky for my liking. But then they quickly redeemed themselves with the successful launch of They're Real! Mascara which really ticked all the boxes when it came to volume, length and fluttery lashes in an instant. With a rocky Benefit mascara experience so far I was more than keen to test out their very latest release - the Roller Lash Mascara to see where how it would fare and if it really could top the splendidness of They're Real! and give us a reason to splurge our pennies on another must-have mascara?

Labelled as a super-curling and lift mascara, Roller Lash mascara* (£19.50) from Benefit Cosmetics is a roller for your lashes! It has a patent "hook 'n' roll" brush which is slightly curved and grabs, separates, lifts and curls the lashes giving you a wide-eyed, eye-opening result. The formula contains Provitamin B5 and Serin which conditions the lashes as well as promising to hold your curl for up to 12 hours. So is it really time to say bye bye to those lash curlers? Well those magic little hooks on that innovative new brush really do work wonders at grabbing each lash and pulling them upwards as you apply the mascara and the fine, comb-like wand makes sure that lashes are also separated and fanned out. This mascara has been specifically created for those girls who may have quite short or straight lashes or smaller eyes, those girls that struggle with big, chunky brushes that don't really capture the individual lashes and leave you with a smudgy mess. And it really does the job. I always prefer the plastic-y wands and I love that this one is delicate and fine enough to also do your bottom lashes without it too awkward or clumpy. It is also perfect shaped to nestle into the roots of your lashes ready for you to wiggle and jiggle the mascara up and through your lashes as you apply. All in all, the Roller Lash gets a thumbs up from me - it gives you all the length and same volume you would expect from They're Real! with the added bonus of such a pretty curl to finish with.

I'm hooked!

Twitter . Facebook . Bloglovin'

View Post