Katie Snooks

Liz Earle are very famously renowned for their incredible skincare products (including their much loved Hot Cloth Cleanse & Polish) but have very recently just started expanding their product range. Last year saw the launch of their makeup line (including nail polishes) and in 2014 comes their new Bath & Body Collection.

As the range has just launched exclusively on QVC, they sent me a little pamper package including the Taire & Jasmine Silky Body Lotion and Creamy Shower Nectar. The fragrance is beautiful and has a warm, floral appeal to it, containing notes of neroli, orange blossom, sandalwood and almond milk!

The Creamy Shower Nectar is an absolute luxury to use; it’s really thick and creamy (containing coconut) which as well as cleaned my skin, also made it feel a lot softer. I was really surprised by the Silky Body Lotion; it’s rich but doesn’t leave my skin tacky at all and despite the fragrance, it helped to soothe the eczema on my legs rather than irritate it.

Also in the range is Bergamot & Ginger and Vanilla & Saffron which both sound incredible (I’m eager to give these a sniff). The fragrances of the three ranges were created in collaboration with three of the world’s top perfumers (sounds like my dream job!).

These products are available to pre-order exclusively on QVC over the phone today and launches on the website in Feb - here. The slippers in this post are also INCREDIBLE by the way - incredibly soft and furry inside. They're also available from QVC here.

Are you a Liz Earle fan? What’s your favourite body range?

xxxx

I am super, super excited today to show you something that I've had to keep hush hush for a very long time now - Tanya Burr's new makeup launch. Working at Gleam I've been ridiculously lucky to be involved in some incredibly exciting projects, this being one of them. Before I start yapping on, let's show you the products!

Shimmer Lipglosses:

Heart Skipped a Beat,

Smile, Dream, Sparkle,

Aurora,

Afternoon Tea,

Champagne Toast

Cream Lipglosses:

Chic,

First Date,

Lets Travel The World,

Picnic In the Park,

Exotic Island,

Just Peachy
Vampire Kiss

Nail polishes:

Peaches & Cream,

Be Bright, Be Happy, Be You,

Little Duck,

Mini Marshmallows,

Bright and Early,

Mischief Managed,

Riding Hood,

Midnight Sparkles,

New York Night,

Penguin Chick

Lipglosses: There are 12 glosses in total; 5 shimmer shades & 7 cream shades all of which smell incredible and leave a gorgeous colour on the lips. The darker shades are really pigmented and Tanya was very precise about the exact shades she wanted to create in this range. Vampire Kiss took ages to get exact, for example, because Tanya wanted a deep, blood red wine shade perfect for a gothic, mature look. My personal favourite of the glosses and the one I said to Tan she needed is Just Peachy - a gorgeous, nude peach! These retail at £6.99!

Nailpolish: There are a real variety of shades which will suit all skin tones and ages, ranging from a pale nude pink (Mini Marshmallows) to a pastel mint green named Little Duck (my personal favourite and one I've been wearing for weeks now). The polishes retail at £5.99 which is a great price for a great shade range!

The products are available from FeelUnique.com from today here and are launching on the high street soon (stay tuned for more details - very exciting!) so have a look and let me know what you think!

It's a DREAM of mine to be involved in the process of creating a makeup range and I was in the position to give my opinion on some of the shades, smells and packaging which was just one of the highlights of 2013 for me. I really hope you love the range as much as I do.

Will you be purchasing some of Tanya's new range? What do you like the look of?

xxx

Last year was the year I really fell in love with perfume; what they do, how they make you feel and the different kinds of scents in particular. I read a book called The Perfume Lover and also went on holiday to the perfume capital of the world (Grasse in France if you’re wondering) where I went to perfume classes and created my very own fragrance!

I also discovered my absolute favourite fragrance last year and now have a signature scent (different to my fav whilst growing up which was Miss Cherie Dior). I decided to put together a little bunch of perfumes which I love and think are ideal for the colder, winter months!

Escentric Molecules 01: I’m sure you are all bored of listening to bloggers talk about this perfume now but it is wonderful. This perfume was created from the aroma chemical Iso E super (usually used as a basenote) so it can be layered over other fragrances and tends to smell slightly different on everybody. Because of this, I hardly ever smell this on myself. The first time I wore it I couldn’t stop sniffing my arm but now it’s undetectable to my nose but others can still smell it. I sometimes get whiffs of this from other people on the tube (I can definitely tell it’s this) and I adore it. One thing I dislike is the price; it’s so bloody expensive! This tiny travel bottle I purchased set me back £30 for 30mls so I tend to save it for special occasions.

Diptyque’s Eau Duelle: This has become my signature scent, It’s the one I pick up daily and can’t get enough of. I spent a good hour in the London Diptyque store in May last year choosing a fragrance to treat myself to and this was the one I chose. It’s warm, spicy, vanilla tone is just delightfully sexy and feminine. My boyfriend also really likes this fragrance on me which is always a bonus! Again, this is pricey at around £55 for 50mls but I’m already on my third bottle and will forever continue to re-purchase!

The Body Shop Smoky Rose White Musk: When you think of The Body Shop’s White Musk, you probably think old, powdery, musk (I worked at TBS for 5 years and despised White Musk) so when they launched White Musk Smoky Rose I wasn’t particularly interested, until I smelt it. I think this is one of the most beautiful fragrances TBS have ever released. It contains notes of tobacco (I’ve never smoked a cigarette but adore perfumes with tobacco notes), musk, pink pepper (again I adore pepper based fragrances) which work together to create the most sensual, softly spicy perfume. Go and sniff it if you can – it’s stunning.

Estee Lauder Sensuous: I’ve had this perfume for a couple of years now after having a sample bottle of it and falling in love. It’s one I always dig out in the colder months for it’s deep, woody, amber scents. No suprises here but this also contains notes of pepper and sandalwood which I seem to adore so much. This perfume is quite heavy and can become sickly if you’re not in the mood for it, but it’s perfect for evenings & partys!

I hope you enjoyed this post! I always find it really difficult to write about perfumes but regardless I enjoy it! I’d love to hear what some of your favourite spicy, winter scents are!

What are your favourite winter perfumes?

xxx

Makeup brushes are so important for application to create a flawless face of makeup. I’ve found my five perfect brushes that I use daily for my signature look. If I’m without one of these brushes I do feel a panic starting to rise in me! I thought I’d let you in on my favs!

Real Techniques Buffing Brush: I never ever got on with those old flat foundation brushes, no matter how much I tried to get an even, blended base, I always ended up straky and feeling cakey. This brush however changed everythaang. This buffs my foundation perfectly into my skin, leaving it even, blended and looking as natural as can be. I need a back up of this as I adore it so much.

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Contouring Brush: This is the newest in the bunch but it has been a permemant staple in my handbag since getting it. This brush picks up the perfect amount of powder or cream product (not too much) which allows me to create a gorgeous contour of my cheekbones. I also use this to apply normal blusher and it also works a treat.

Royal & Langnickle Smudger Brush: As you know smoky eyes are my signature look and this baby is what allows me to get that effortlessly smudged look underneath my lower lash line. I pick up a darker eyeshadow with the brush and gently sweep it underneath my lashes to build up a smoke – I adore it.

Real Techniques Eyeshadow Brush: Another brush which is a permanent fixture in my bag. The hairs on this allow me to pick up just enough product to apply a good amount of eye shadow and allows me to blend it out in the same application.

Crown Brushes Angle-Liner & Spoolie: I picked this up at IMATS 2012 and use it daily to comb through and fill my brows in. It's perfect!

As with all brushes, to make them last longer then do treat them well and give them the occasional wash. You can read my post on how I was all of my brushes here - http://www.katiesbeautyblog.com/2013/07/how-to-wash-makeup-brushes.html.

What are your favourite daily makeup brushes? Are you a fan of Real Techniques?

xxx

Since getting my hands on the Naked 3 Palette (full review and swatches here) I've been loving it for both day and evening looks. I decided to re-create my signature smokey eye using the rose tinted shades in the palette!

Products Used:

Nars Sheer Glow in Siberia 

HD Brows Kit 

Urban Decay Primer Potion 

Strange, Dust, Mugshot, Darkside & Blackout from the Naked 3 Palette 

Illamasqua Precision Gel Liner

 Urban Decay 24 Hour Liner in Pervsion

 Rimmel Rockin Curves Mascara

 Magnifibres

 Collection 2000 Concealer 

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

 Illamasqua Sculpting Powder Duo 

MAC Blusher in Melba

 Sleek Barely There Lipstick

Really hope you enjoyed this tutorial - it's probably my favourite that I've done (apart from my Lady Gaga skull look)! Do let me know if you liked it and if you would like to see any more tutorials!

Will you be trying out this look with the Naked 3 Palette? Let me know if you want more tutorials!

xxxx

The first I heard about Bumble & Bumble products was back when I was 19 – Do you remember that ‘tried and tested’ section in Look Magazines? (Not sure if they still do that feature now) but I took part in it and was sent 4 intense conditioners to try out and rate for the mag (this was way before I blogged). Anyway, I loved the Mending Conditioner at the time but was still relatively new to the brand.

Since then I’ve tried many Bumble & Bumble products and decided to put together a shortlist of products which are great for those who have never tried the range before, in my new series ‘Beginners Guide to’!

BB Sunday Shampoo: You know sometimes, no amount of shampooing can get rid of that ‘dirty’ hair feeling, especially after using lots of products (I’m looking at you dry shampoo, hairspray, dusting powders)? Well Sunday Shampoo was invented to be used once a week for an intense, deep cleanse. This thoroughly strips my hair of any oil, dirt and products, leaving a totally fresh base for the week. This is quite drying so make sure to use a good conditioner/hair mask on the tips of your hair afterwards.

Surf Spray: Beach waves will always be a hair trend I try to master and perfect. It’s a difficult mix of being effortlessly perfect looking, which is so difficult to nail, but this beauty helps me get a little closer to that dream. I spritz this on both wet & dry hair whilst scrunching which leaves me slight kinks and a beachy-style texture. This is quite drying on my hair and does leave me a little tangled but nothing a tangle teezer can’t solve!

Thickening Dry Spun Finish Spray: I have reviewed this product in full which you can read here – but if you are after a product which gives you volume in the roots and some texture to work with this is for you!

Hairdressers Invisible Oil: I cannot rave about this little oil enough. It’s really light on my hair, smells delicious, contains loadsa product, and is one of the only oils which doesn’t leave my hair greasy. I run some of this through the ends of my hair after washing and then again apply a tiny bit when my hair is feeling frizzy (normally in the morning after brushing) and it instantly smooths without leaving me with a oily mop.

Crème de Coco Shampoo & Conditioner: If your hair is in need of some love and tender care then the Crème de Coco range is for you. The shampoo & conditioner are packed full of coconut, soy & milk thistle all to help smooth, protect and de-frizz your hair. The range also smells delicious – super coconutty.

There we have it! Do let me know what your favourite Bumble & Bumble products are – recommend me some!

Do you use any Bumble & Bumble products? Which is your fav?

Xxx

At the beginning of this year I had quite a bad acne breakout (blame stress, the weather and lot of bad food) and the only thing that really helped to clear my skin was Alpha H’s Liquid Gold. I decided to then give the whole Alpha H range a try to see how my skin would benefit!

Balancing Cleanser: This cleanser is a pleasure to use; it takes my makeup off (including heavy mascaras and eyeliners) without leaving my skin feeling tight, dry or even oily. This is a cream formula which allows you to smooth over your face once wet (it also doesn’t foam which is good)! It really has mastered the perfect balance of leaving my skin clean yet moisturized. It contains vitamin E and aloe vera to deep cleanse whilst also soothing and repairing the skin. This apparently is also a 3-in-1 product, containing makeup remover, cleaner and toner in one bottle.

Absolute Eye Complex: I’m turning 26 this year (wahhhhh!) and so I’m becoming really keen about protecting my skin and I'd do anything I can to help age more gracefully; including making sure the delicate skin around my eye area is cared for. This eye cream is lovely and contains a blend of peptides and vitamins, which help to lessen the appearance of puffiness and dark circles!

Liquid Gold: I spoke a little bit about Liquid Gold in the past but I’ve been using it as part of my weekly regime my skin has really seen the benefits. This contains Glycolic Acid and is used as an overnight treatment; simply pour some on a cotton pad, wipe over face and problem areas and there are visible results in the morning; my skin looks brighter and plumper and acne scars definitely faded. LOVE this!

The whole range is available from QVC for a discounted price. The normal price of these 3 products is £91 – definitely a price I couldn’t afford so check in to the show on the 24^thto catch whilst still more affordable!

Have you used the Alpha H Liquid Gold or skincare products?

xxx

One of my favourite makeup brands on the highstreet is back with some new launches, all about the eyes. Eyeliner and mascara are must have staples in my makeup routine so I was really excited to see these products.

Dark Khol Mascara: When I first pulled out the wand on this mascara I said out loud “Ohh, this is unique”, to which Andrew, my boyfriend said “Looks like a torture device!”. After a giggle and a play around with it I realized that it’s unique hourglass shape is a pretty good invention. The spikes on the tip are good for adding mascara to the bottom lashes and the curved brush allows product to be built up on the lashes, leaving them long and dark.

Mega Liner: For those that find creating a liquid liner look difficult, this might be for you. This pen liner has a slanted tip which means creating a flick is easy and precise. The pigment itself is an intense black and lasts well throughout the day.!

The mascara retails for £7.99 and the Mega Liner for £7.49 and they are in Superdrug & Boots stores now!

What’s your favourite highstreet mascara & pen liner?

xxx

It's Pancake Day!!! I would happily eat pancakes daily (My Old Dutch is one of my favourite restaurants, love both sweet & savoury) and so I thought I'd talk about a restaurant I went to recently that serves them!

The Breakfast Club has built up a bit of a cult following and most of their branches have queues around peak times (and always weekends) but despite this I was still desperate to see what the fuss was about. Andrew (my handsome boyfriend) and I decided a triple date with my parents and sister & her boyfriend would be a great idea for a winter Sunday and so we made our way to it's restaurant in Spitalfields.

We all went for the All American - pancakes, sausage, bacon, fried potatoes, maple syrup and eggs (fried for Andrew, scrambled for me) and ordered some sides of fried bread as well. It was delicious but boy, we were full afterwards. After washing it down with a cuppa tea (with soya!) I was ready for bed but we trotted on down to Spitalfields Market for a bit of shopping and a beer in the Ten Bells - the perfect Sunday!

I thoroughly recommend The Breakfast Club if you're craving deliciously, sloppy, american food - it's quite affordable at around £10 a dish and the atmosphere is great - neon signs and a quirky interior that is full of surprises - the more you look around the more you spot!

I'm hoping to do a few more restaurant reviews soon as I'm a proper foodie and want to share with you some of my fav places to hopefully you liked this post!

Have you ever been to The Breakfast Club? What are your favourite pancake toppings?

xxx

Growing up, I felt like my skin was always on the dry side until I got to the age of about 22 when I started suffering from quite oily skin. I'm very acne-prone and experience spots a lot so I'm always on the look out for skincare products which help to control my oiliness and clear breakouts!

Enter the Skin Doctors T-Zone Control Range - I got really, really excited when I first heard about this range as it's targeted specifically to those from age 20-upwards who still suffer with an oily t-zone and blemishes! I've been using the range for a couple of months now so it's time to share my thoughts.

First up in the range is a daily face wash which does a fantastic job of removing makeup and making my skin feel clean and clear but not tight, which I think is quite a rare combo! It foams up slightly with water and does have a bit of a fragrance but all together works well to remove oil and dirt.

The No More Oil is a daily moisturising cream which is designed to absorb oil from the surface. Because of this it works nicely underneath makeup. For nighttime there is No More Pores, a tub containing a thick cream which helps to unclog, shrink and tighten pores for a more matte and even base.

I've really enjoyed using this range and noticed a slight reduction of oil in the first week of using this. I've also noticed that if I stop using the range for a few days then my skin does become oilier than when I do use it so I thoroughly recommend if large pores and oil are your main skincare concerns.

The T-Zone Control range is available from their website and Amazon. It's quite pricey at around £20 a product (apart from the wash which is under £15) but worth it if you're eager to get matte skin!

Have you used Skin Doctors before? Do you suffer with oily skin?

xxx

I am a right little magpie when it comes to sparkly, shiny things so when I first laid eyes apon the new Mavala Metropolitan collection I swooned! Straight onto my review of these babies.

These polishes are multi-toned and metallic, with a high shine and dual chrome finish which makes them an absolute pleasure to look at (they remind me of beetle shells and scarab beetles)!

My favourite of the range is Pink Gold - a stunning almost opal toned rose gold, closely followed by Copper Violet which isn't a shade I'd normally wear on my nails but it really stands out from the rest, for it's purple sheen (the swatches above don't do it enough justice)! Gold Bronze and Emerald Gold are similar as they both have a greenish base which was super popular last year, and their tones really do shimmer in the light. Finally Metallic Blue is a dark, almost navy blue with a metallic twist.

At first glance they reminded me of the Models One Beetlejuice Range (my review here) but having compared them, these are much more 'mature' and wearable as they don't include the glitter. What I also really like about Mavala is that their polishes are free from parabens, formaldehydes and other nasties.

These are available in John Lewis stores and online for £4.75 each!

Do you like the look of the Metropolitan Range? Which shade will you pick up?

xxx

I had a lovely, lovely email from a reader of my blog recently which made my week. It was from a girl who, like me, has scoliosis (my story here) and because of this is very petite (like me), very pale (like me) has thick bushy brows (like me) and she said that reading my blog had helped her feel more confident about herself.

It got me thinking and I decided I wanted to write a post for you girls out there who feel self-conscious and down and insecure about their looks and body image at times. I’ve been thinking a lot about life in general at the moment (I’m sure my work mates are getting fed up with me pondering life’s greatest mysteries/questions at 10am multiple times a week). I think I’ve hit an age where I’m really starting to appreciate life as it is and realise that it is what you make of it.

It’s hard to get my head around, and even now my brain can’t fully understand the fact that we only live once; we only get one chance to live to the best we can. And so obviously, we also only have one body and face to do this in. I know we all have down days where we feel really crappy about the way we look, the fact our eyeliner didn’t go right, how our hair isn’t voluminous enough or how our waistband is feeling a little tighter than normal, but this is what makes us, us!

Now I personally feel I have a lot of faults, looks wise. I have massive scars all down my back from major spine surgery, I have a massive nose with wonky nostrils, I am SO short (under 5 foot) that I get mistaken for a child more often than not… but this is what makes me, me and so I’ve learnt to appreciate it and embrace these imperfections.

Think of it this way - Feeling crap about how we look will only make us feel even more unhappy about the more important things in life – if we feel insecure then we aren’t going to be the best person we can be, for want of worrying how we look all the time.

I certainly don’t want to mope around feeling sorry for myself, it’s not a nice way to live and you will certainly get stuck in a rut feeling like this and even starting to feel jealous at other people, which is not pretty. I think what I’m trying to say is you get one chance, you have been blessed with a body to live in and so appreciate it!
Learn to love yourself because others will and do, too. If you hate your nose, enhance the features that you do like, with makeup! It’s difficult being a girl because most of us do worry too much so we also need to learn to stick together rather than get jealous. Give someone a compliment tomorrow; it will probably make their day and it will also make you feel better inside.

I do like to think of myself as a bit of an agony aunt, so if there are any other things you would like advice or my thoughts on, then let me know! Send me an email or leave a comment below :)

What are your tips for making yourself feel better when feeling down and insecure?

Lots of love,

Katie xxxxx

I've always been a girl to splurge on beauty products and makeup more than anything else, but recently I've developed a bit of an online clothes shopping addiction! It's terrible because I spend large amounts of money in chunks but I just can't stop!

I've decided to try and start doing some outfit posts so show off my new purchases. I went out to Burghley Manor House in a beautiful town called Stamford last weekend, with my boyfriend Andrew and his parents and I took along my camera (and my new lens) with me. Here are some snaps!

My clothes: Lace Top - New Look, Leather Trousers - River Island, Fluffy Cardigan - Primark, Sunglasses - Dorothy Perkins.

The sun was shining so we made our way through the houses's sculpture garden and 'the garden of surprises' which was full of interactive water features, mazes and mirrors, before settling down in the orangery for tea and cake. We also spotted some deer and imitated them (as you do).

I found out about these leather trousers after reading about them on Anna's blog and I purchased straight away. They are a good length once folded up at the bottom (I'm ridiculously short so this is normal for me) but are a little tight around the waistband which means I have to regularly unbuckle! I wasn't actually going to keep the lace top (I feel guilty for buying too much and try to take something back) but teamed with the leather it looks okkaay so I kept it!

I hope you liked this post and something a little different! Let me know if you would like to see more!

Would you like to see more of my outfits?

xxx

I've mentioned a lot on this blog about the fact that I have and still do suffer with acne and it honestly has the ability to completely ruin days, weeks, special occasions and events for me. No matter how many good things I've got going on around me, if I have bad skin, my confidence is completely low and diminished and I find it really difficult to snap out of that low mood.

I have beaten acne a few times in the past with antibiotics but I'm also always on the look out for products to clear my skin and leave me feeling happy and confident again.

Clinique have just bought out a brand new product; the Anti-Blemish Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel - a little tub of wonder! Read on to see what I think of it.

What I think: The gel is 4-in-1 product which helps treat and prevents future breakouts, as well as exfoliating dead skin cells to help unclog pores, whilst also reducing surface oil. It contains Salicyclic Acid (a wonder ingredient in my opinion, my skin works really well with this stuff) which helps to exfoliate. This also contains Sea Whip Extract (something I hadn't heard of before) which calms and soothes skin, whilst reducing redness.

Clinique recommend applying a thin layer of this gel all over your face after cleansing if suffering from bad acne (however not with other leave on acne treatments and please, please make sure you apply moisturiser over the top to stay hydrated as this could dry your skin out) but I've been using it as a spot treatment applying it directly to the blemishes before bed time. They recommend using it alongside a 3-Step Skincare System if used this way, so I've already had a play around with the Anti-Blemish Solution range.

I've been using the gel for a couple of weeks now and I already like it a lot. I've had terrible skin whilst trying it out and it seems to be finally calming down now

It's only until I've had bad skin and overcome it, that I really appreciate how clear skin makes me feel. It sounds pathetic for something so little to make me feel so small but it's true!

The Anti-Blemish Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel is available nationwide from 21st March (today!) at www.clinique.co.uk.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Clinique via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Clinique.

Hair texturisers are all the rage at the moment with many gal’s wanting effortlessly, thick, voluminous locks. There have been loads of texturizing products popping up on the market in the last year and so I thought I’d pop the ones I own together into a post for comparison!

VO5 Give Me Texture Instant Oomph Powder: This is an odd little product; a powder which almost turns to liquid once you touch it, before adding a powdered texture. I sprinkle this into my roots and then massage in for a bit of volume. It’s okay, smells great, but does feel rather odd and takes getting used to.

VO5 Plump Me Up Dry Shampoo: As well as being a great texturizer, this also doubles up as a dry shampoo which I adore. Again, as with all VO5 products this smells incredible.

VO5 Plump Me Up Dry Backcomb Spray: If your hair is limp and needs some more volume without the damaging action of backcombing, this is for you! Smells great and once worked into the roots it does what it says on the tin.

L’Oreal #TXT Volume Supersizing Spray: I’m going to say now this is my favourite out of the bunch. It’s the newest out of the lot but I’ve found it does the best job of adding height and volume to my thick and heavy hair. After spraying underneath sections of my roots, I massage this in for a great bed-head look. Also smells great - would repurchase over and over.

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Dry Spun Finish: You can see my full review of this product here! I wasn’t too keen on it at first as I wasn’t sure it did anything much for my hair but I do like this spray.

TRESemme Texture Style Divine Definition Spray: I've used TRESemme for years but mainly for their shampoo and conditioners which are super affordable, smell so good and do a good job of cleaning and conditioning my hair. I think this was one of the first styling products I'd used from TRESemme and it's actually quite good! It's really similar to the VO5 Dry Backcomb spray but with a different scent. You wouldn't need them both.

TRESemme Texture Style Backcomb Dust: Again, this is really similar to the VO5 Oomph powder, sprinkle into roots, massage and scrunch and you are left with texture and volume to play around with. Great for updos.

There we have it. As I said, quite a few of these products are similar to each other (especially the Unilever brands). My favourite by far is the L'Oreal Volume Spray for it's ability to add volume and texture into my long hair without leaving it feeling and looking dirty - it's super affordable too.

What are your favourite texturising sprays?

xxxx

I was asking the girls in the office this morning what they have got their Mum's for Mother's Day and I was left looking at a sea (okay a row) of worried faces. So I've decided to put together a little Mother's Day Gift guide on some bits you could treat your Mum to on Sunday, if you've left it a little late!

Skin Doctors Instant Facelift: Now I'm not saying my Mum needs a facelift in any shape or form but she sometimes gets down about her appearance and she likes beauty products and so this is a smart little treat. This is a serum which tightens, smooths and firms the skin in just 5 minutes, perfect for an alternative to drastic surgery measures. This retails at around £30 which is pricey but if your mum is conscious about her wrinkles and wants them vanished then this is for her! Available here!

Molton Brown Rhubarb & Rose Replenishing Hand Cream: Molton Brown is my mum's absolute favourite bath & body range - she adores the stuff and our bathroom is littered with it (it's the only soap we have in the house)! They recently launched a brand new 'Rhubarb & Rose' range which is perfect for mums; smelling sweet and floral at the same time. I'm hoping she'll keep this little beauty of a handcream in her bag to pamper her hands throughout the day. Available for £10 here.

The Body Shop LE English Dawn White Gardenia Range: My mum has definite favourite perfumes (whilst growing up it was Dior's Poison, and the last 10 years or so it has been Thierry Mugler's Angel) but I'm pushing her to try something new. Enter this new Limited Edition range from The Body Shop. It contains notes of tuberose, bergamot, sandalwood and White Gardenia for a beautiful light, floral scent perfect for summer. There's a body lotion, mist and EDT in the range which makes a lovely little set. Plus TBS do gorgeous free gift wrapping ;)! Available here.

Extras: I've bought my bought a few other bits too (although I can't mention them now in case she reads this posts) but wine, flowers and charms for jewellery are always good calls - as is multiple cups of tea, breakfast in bed and a nice meal out to make her feel just as special as she is to me!

What are you getting your Mum this Mother's Day? Any beauty products?

xxx

I dragged my gorgeous workmate, Fran, outside of our office whilst at work this week and asked her to take a few pictures of my outfit (thanks gurllll)! I had a couple of meetings and so tried to dress a little more 'smart' than I usually do.

Leather jacket - Choies, White Top - H&M, Black Vest - Primark, Leggings - American Apparel, Boots - New Look, Three Zipper Bag - Nelly.

Most of my wardrobe is pretty much black, grey and white and so this outfit was easy to throw on and also super comfy (I'm definitely a comfort over style kinda girl). I'm obsessed with this leather jacket from Choies at the moment - (available here). It's perfect for dressing both up and down and also looks quite expensive when it was in fact only £27.

I threw it on top of a white long top and black vest (I love vests and layering) and with my American Apparel Shiny Black Leggings on bottom. I purchased these as I wanted a pair of disco type pants without the tightness around the waist (surely not the only girl who feels like this) which I can throw on under any long top. I adore them and practically live in them. My boots are from New Look (available here) and they're ridiculously comfortable and are easy to walk in even with a bit of height.

Also want to mention my bag - I saw it on one of my favourite swedish fashion blogs and purchased it straight away. It's compact and has three zip compartments which means I can find things easily. I can just about fit my Acer Tablet in it too which means I can carry my books around with me. It was only around £27 too which I thought was pretty good - available here.

I've managed to make Fran agree to taking an outfit picture of me each week so I have many more of these type of posts coming up which I'm really excited about!

Do you prefer comfort or style?

xxxx

This isn't something I've ever posted on my blog before but I couldn't not share this beauty of an underwear set! Triangl are becoming one of the most talked about bikini & underwear brands on social at the moment and it's no surprise, their products are stunning.

I was asked if I wanted set and after browsing their gorgeous products I obviously said yes! I wasn't sure how to show these off on my blog and after photographing them on my bed, I decided to just photograph them on so you can see their full potential.

I hope these aren't too raunchy!! Andrew got a little snap happy whilst taking these photographs (he loves them too) but we went for a voyeristic feel to make the pictures less revealing.

This set is the Lucie range in Champagne Coral - all of the Lucie range is available in bright neon shades (I'm also eyeing up their Spearmint set). It retails for 55USD which works out to be around £33 for the two, which I think is pretty perfect for a gorgeous underwear set.

In terms of sizing, I went for XS (I'm a 32B & size 8 pants for reference) and they fit perfectly, so size down! You can see the full range here.

I can't wait to build up my Triangl collection and might also invest in some bikini's of theirs too for the summer months!

What's your favourite underwear range? What colour would you go for?

xxx

After all the buzz about Effaclar Duo last year, La Roche-Posay are back with Effaclar Duo +, containing all the benefits of the original plus more.
I'm sure you've heard all about this wonder product already but one more review doesn't hurt, right?

What I think: As well as targeting blemished and oily skin, Effaclar Duo + also helps to banish the dark marks that are left behind after a breakout. The scarring that acne leavers behind is sometime worse than the actual spot myself in my opinion; Whilst spots usually last for a week, my scars can last up to two months which makes the skin look worse than it actually is and they are also sometimes hard to cover.
It's fab that they've catered for this skincare problem in an acne cream as sometimes this is forgotten about. I've been using this morning and evening for a couple of weeks now and really like it.
After the initial breakout (which normally happens once I try new products) my skin is settling down and I have noticeably less visible red marks now which means it's a thumbs up from me.

This retails for £15.50, slightly more expensive than the original and is available in Boots stores now! Will you be trying it?

Have you tried Effaclar Duo +? What are your favourite products for blemished skin?

xx

This is super geeky, but I admit it, I love Holland and Barrett (who doesn't love nuts & healthy beauty products all in one shop?). Going into their stores is always a fun whilst out shopping and I have been known to spend far too long browsing their aisles for healthy treats.

They have recently launched their 'Good Life MOT' - you can pop into their stores and see one of their team who will then run your through a little survey to discuss your needs, lifestyle, diet and recommend you some ways to tackle any issues such as tiredness, headaches or even tips on healthy snacks.

I filled out the survery online and was sent this package of goodies based on my results. After experimenting with the products I thought I'd let you know my thoughts!

It's quite obvious from the products they sent me that I'm a very tired person; it's one of my main annoyances and downfalls. I am constantly tired no matter how much sleep I get which must have been apparent from my answers as I was sent a couple of lavender products to help aid sleep.

The Miaroma Lavender Massage Oil and Essential Oil have joined my nighttime regime to help relax me. I add a few drops of the essential oil to my bath or on my duvet sheets to calm me right down, or manage to convince Andrew to give me a massage.

I am a nut fiend so I was happy to find almonds in the package. I try to snack on nuts as much as possible throughout the day instead of chocolate and biscuits as they keep me full and make me feel so much healthier, ha.

I was given two tubs of vitamins which I've researched thoroughly. Vitamin B-Complex helps your metabolism as well as reducing tiredness and fatigue (LOVE) and 1-lysine 1000mg are incredible if you're run down; they help incredibly well with ulcers and also help improve hair, skin and nails. Now these would be incredible but I have a bit of a thing with swallowing pills and they are both hefty buggers which means I have to bite them in bits in order to swallow them. If anyone knows of any vitamins which are good for people who can't swallow tablets - let me know!

Finally in the package was Dr Organic Vitamin E Pure Oil which I think was including as I suffer from eczema and dry skin. This can be used anywhere on the body and helps to soothe dry skin, as well as wrinkles, scars and stretch marks!

You can read more about Holland and Barrett's Good Life MOT here. I think it's a great idea if you're on a health kick and have some problems which you would like to try natural, herbal remedies for!

What are your favourite treats from Holland and Barrett? Do you suffer from tiredness and fatigue too?

xx

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REVIEW: La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo +

Holland & Barrett - Good Life MOT!